Spadina House Toronto
A visit to the outstanding Spadina Museum Historic House and Gardens in Toronto will transport you back to another era
In Toronto there is an outstanding museum that totally gives one the feeling that time is standing still in the era of the 1920s and 30s when things were simpler in one way and harder in another — a time when neighbours knew, trusted and helped one another. While lesser known than its larger neighbour Casa Loma, Spadina Museum Historic House and Gardens are equally and perhaps even more worthy of your time.
Spadina House has a long and interesting history. In 1866 James Austin, founder and president of the Dominion Bank and Consumers Gas, and his wife Susan had purchased the 80 acre property for $14,000 at an auction. They built the current mansion on the foundations of the pre-existing Baldwin home that was named Spadina and kept the same name for their new home. The name Spadina comes from a native word espadinong meaning hill.
During 1887-1892 he subdivided and sold parcels of his sought after land making around $200,000 a very abundant profit.
Amid the 19th and early 20th century this desired area became the home to many of Toronto's wealthiest families living on huge estates making it the richest neighbourhood in all of Toronto.
After James Austin passed away in 1897 his son Albert inherited the estate with 20 acres of land. Albert and his wife Mary greatly expanded the house adding a number of new rooms and altering it significantly with many renovations, including a grand third floor addition. They also updated and increased the beauty of the gardens with many new structures such as a greenhouse, a stucco garage and circular driveway. They left the mid-nineteenth century wooden stable which was later used for the gardeners until the late 1920s. This is the oldest building on the grounds.
In 1913 Albert Austin sold a big portion of his property to the city of Toronto for the development of the St. Clair Reservoir.
In 1978 Anna Kathleen Thompson (granddaughter of James and Susan Austin) partially sold and partially donated the mansion jointly to the city of Ontario and the Ontario Heritage Foundation. The transfer included furnishings, archives, family portraits, about 6 acres of gorgeous gardens in a park-like setting, and even the kitchen oven. These prized family possesions were given to the museum to honour her parents Albert and Mary.
The Spadina Museum first opened to the public in 1984 after two years of extensive safety updates and electrical rewiring were completed.
Twenty-five years later, after all the wear and tear from visitors who came to see the museum, it was once again closed for renovations. These renos which were made to the interior took 10 months to complete. Samples of leftover fabrics, wallpaper and other contents from the Austin family made it possible to create a vision of the way the house looked in the 1920s as well as educating guests about the social, economical and political lives of those living in that era.
Spadina House Museum has several guided tours of the historic 1866 restored mansion and beautiful gardens. There is a gift shop and it is fully accessible for those with special needs.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Yes there is a small admission fee which includes a tour when available.Spadina House Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Address: 285 Spadina Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 2V5, Canada
Phone: (416) 392-6910
Official Website: Spadina House
Spadina House Reviews
Rated out of 5
A lovely hidden gem in the city. The grounds and gardens at Spadina Museum are beautiful. Peaceful, well-maintained, and never crowded.
Inside the museum, they offer free guided tours at certain times. The interior is well-preserved and adds a layer of charm to the whole experience. Calm and underrated spot to check out if you’re in the area.
Daria Kurovskaya - 3 weeks ago
A great experience! The tour starts off with watching a video in the basement explaining the history of the family and and the house. You then meet the tour guide and our guide was absolutely wonderful. She was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I went on the Sunday 11:15am tour by the way!
You really get to see how aristocratic people lived back in the 1900s in and the pieces of furniture have so much history. The mansion is beautiful and the space is large. It was a little eerie but what old house isn't eerie right? I really enjoyed the tour and everything was free! A hidden gem in Toronto and a great way to spend a weekend doing something different without spending too much.
Shirley Du - a month ago
First of all this is a FREE museum that you MUST visit. Absolutely loved visiting the Spadina Museum! It's incredible how well-preserved the interior of the house is — you can truly feel the atmosphere of the 1890s to 1920s, as well as traces of more modern times. They offer free guided tours, which I found phenomenal. The tour immerses you in the life of the Austin Family and showcases everyday elements from the era, along with how they influenced the development of Toronto. Trisha was an amazing guide — she made us feel like part of the story and recommended we come back in the spring to enjoy the gardens and the Cider Festival. Highly recommended!
Paola Vecchini - 3 months ago
An excellent tour of this historical house. Very interesting history and well curated. Staff are lovely. The guided tour starts with a film about the house and local Toronto history then you get to explore the rooms which give a great insight into how the house used to function. The house has many historical ornaments and decorative pieces. A real gem in the city.
Michael Johnson - 3 months ago
The house is in great shape and the tour was educational. The entrance was free with a guided tour (which occur at specific times) which was a nice surprise. The gardens are beautiful, well-maintained and quiet (there were people reading under trees or having a picnic with friends)! For a warm sunny Saturday it was not crowded at all - highly recommend to visit!
Dominique Alleguede - 2 weeks ago
Directions
| TTC Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yonge-University-Spadina | Dupont Station | 8-10 MInutes |
How to get to Spadina House by TTC Subway
No bus needed. From Dupont Station walk 2 blocks north on Spadina Road to Davenport Road then follow the Baldwin stairs (110 steps) up the hill directly ahead of you. Spadina House is located right next door to Casa Loma.
If you prefer not to use the stairs you can proceed west on Davenport Road; right on Wallace Road and right again on Austin Terrace.
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Photo Gallery
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Beautiful Staircase Inside the Spadina House Museum cc licensed photo by Vytas Bru -
Inside the Spadina House cc licensed photo by Vytas Bru -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: booledozer - cc license via Flickr
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