Toronto Lawrence Market North. Photo Credit: Doors Open Toronto

Upcoming Event: 📅🍁🏙️ Doors Open Toronto invites everyone to explore and play in the city on May 24 and 25

Saturday, 03 May 2025 12:00.PM

The City of Toronto unveils the lineup of buildings, city-wide walking tours and special programming for this year’s Doors Open Toronto. Taking place on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25, the free weekend-long celebration of architecture and public space invites the public to explore more than 150 sites through the lens of this year’s theme, “Play”.

This year’s edition celebrates the joyful, imaginative and sometimes serious ways we come together through sports, music, games, performance and more. From historic theatres and sports clubs to creative studios and community hubs, the 2025 edition of Doors Open encourages people of all ages to discover Toronto as a vibrant playground of inspiration, expression and connection.

Since launching 25 years ago, Doors Open Toronto has become one of the largest events of its kind in Canada, providing rare access to buildings not typically open to the public and free entry to sites that usually charge admission.

Explore the city’s playground

This year’s edition of Doors Open will transform the city into a playground of ideas, creativity and connection. New additions include Ubisoft Toronto, Spin Master Headquarters, St. Lawrence Market North, the YZD Experience Centre, the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, the historic Thornton-Smith Building, MaRS Discovery District and OCAD University. Fan favourites like Old City Hall and the historic Don Jail at Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital also return for the first time since 2019.

From architecture, design, gaming, history, innovation and the arts, there is something for every interest and curiosity. Whether discovering a new space or revisiting a familiar landmark, the 2025 edition offers a citywide celebration of "Play” in all its forms.

A full list of participating buildings and sites is available on the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/doors-open-toronto/doors-open-buildings-sites

Toronto City Hall hub

Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square will serve as a central hub for Doors Open Toronto 2025, offering interactive and family-friendly programming aligned with this year’s theme. Visitors can also explore the Council Chamber, Mayor’s Office, Hall of Memory and participate in programming at the new Spirit Garden, presented with Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre.

Details on City Hall programming can be found on the City’s website: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/doors-open-toronto/city-hall/.

Doors Open Talks  

The Doors Open Toronto Talks Series returns with a lineup of panel discussions, lectures and workshops exploring the cultural, historical and architectural dimensions of play:

- Doors Open Toronto Keynote: Sports & the Making of Toronto & Free Public Skate at the Mattamy Centre

- Ready Player One: A Dive into Toronto’s Video Game Industry

- Indigenous Storytelling Workshops with John Keeshig Mayawaasige

- TSA Architects Talk: Spaces for Play

All talks are free but require advance registration. Details are available on the City’s website: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/doors-open-toronto/talks/.

Plan your visit

For the best experience, visitors are encouraged to plan ahead using the interactive map and site listings available on the Doors Open Toronto website. Check site-specific hours and dates and consider visiting early in the day to avoid long lines. Popular locations like Osgoode Hall, the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant and the Don Jail tend to draw large crowds and may have long wait times.

Accessibility information for barrier-free buildings and sites is available on the Doors Open webpage: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/doors-open-toronto/doors-open-buildings-sites. 

More information and updates will be available at www.toronto.ca/doorsopen, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/doorsopento, on X at www.x.com/doors_opento and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/doors_opento. The event hashtag is #DOT25. 

SOURCE: City of Toronto

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