THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM (ROM) recently opened the latest addition to the museum. The Helga and Mike Schmidt Performance Terrace and the Reed Family Plaza officially opened to the public in late August, offering a new way for visitors to enjoy the ROM. The new terrace and plaza on Bloor Street, overlooking Philosopher’s Walk, features a welcoming place to gather with garden-side seating and an open-air space for music, theatre, discussion, and performances.
This revitalization project was generously made possible by lead donors Helga Schmidt and her late husband Mike Schmidt, and Nita and Don Reed. The opening of the new outdoor spaces is part of the ROM’s larger strategic vision to create an engaging streetscape and greater access, while enhancing the ROM’s role as a cultural and community anchor.
Designed by Toronto architect Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects, the Bloor Street exterior has been reimagined and transformed into 13,595 square feet of outdoor public space, anchored by landscaping and architectural design. Set back from the street on an elevated platform, the Helga and Mike Schmidt Performance Terrace is surrounded by the greenery of Philosopher’s Walk, the striking contemporary architecture of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, and the softly textured stone walls of the ROM’s heritage façade.