The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA) is in a defining phase of its evolution, as it moves into a landmark heritage building and further advances 20 years of exhibiting, collecting and nurturing innovative contemporary art and cultural practices.
In September 2018, MOCA moved into a 55,000 square foot purpose-designed home in a former industrial space at the heart of a new neighbourhood in the Lower Junction.
MOCA (formerly known as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art – MOCCA) has been celebrated for its incisive, artist-centric approach to programming, and hospitable visitor experience.
At its former location on Queen West, the museum functioned as a hub for creative exchange and played a critical role in shaping the city’s contemporary art scene. Through a commitment to collaborative partnerships with leading like-minded artists, organizations, institutions and festivals from Toronto and further afield, MOCA connected the city to a national and global network of peers.
MOCA featured the work of over 1,100 Canadian and other international artists, hosted 200+ exhibitions and welcomed 40,000 annual visitors. As the lease on Queen West wound down, the need to move provided an opportunity to seek a larger space that could accommodate the museum’s ever-growing aspirations and significance.
MOCA Toronto is in a defining phase of its evolution. With a track-record developed over a ten-year period in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood, MOCA is set to expand its footprint into the iconic, heritage, Tower Automotive Building, situated in Toronto’s Junction Triangle.
Tower Automotive Building
Built in 1919, this building, designed by architect John W. Woodman of Winnipeg, was once the tallest in Toronto. Active until 2006, it was originally a factory that produced aluminium products for World War II, and later made items such as kitchen tools, bottle caps and car parts.
When it opened a hundred years ago, this building was considered innovative because it did not use beams for support. Instead, it pioneered a new approach called concrete flat slab architecture. Each floor is a slab of reinforced concrete and is supported by concrete columns – the “mushrooms” you see on each floor, which distribute the weight to the floor below.
Once an example of innovation, and now a heritage building, today it houses the most innovative ideas and art. How cool is that?
Monday: 10am-5pm (including holidays)
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10am-5pm
Thursday: 10am-5pm
Friday: 10am-9pm
Saturday: 10am-5pm
Sunday: 10am-5pm
Eat
Forno Cultura: A local bakery that serves as our café partner
Shop
Art Metropole: Artists’ books, publications and multiples available for purchase
Local Partnerships
Akin: A Toronto-based collective managing a studio space for 32 artists who will be actively producing work on Floor 4
Ontario Science Centre: A studio collaboration to produce works that explore the intersections of art, science and technology for display at the Ontario Science Centre.
MOCA Toronto aims to be a barrier-free and accessible museum for all.
We are located on Floors 1 to 5 of the Tower Automotive Building. Each floor has elevator access. We have two wheelchairs that are available to borrow. Service animals are welcome.
We are in the process of updating our website to ensure full accessibility.
If you have other needs we should know about, contact us at info@moca.ca in advance of your visit to make arrangements.
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