Montgomery’s Inn
Built in the 1830s to shelter travellers, Montgomery’s Inn brought people together from the surrounding area and beyond over food, drink, games, and more. More than 170 years later, it’s still doing just that. This lively museum gives visitors the opportunity to see how a 19th-century Canadian inn was run from ballroom to bedrooms, with a kitchen and bar still in full working order.
Go behind the scenes and hear the diverse stories of people who traversed the grounds from Chinese market gardeners to an employee who escaped his enslavement in the United States through the Underground Railroad.
Come for the history, stay for the pub nights, ghost stories, live music, dancing, and more. Weekly farmers markets bring neighbours together over freshly-baked bread and seasonal fruits and vegetables; while Sunday teas, hearth cooking demonstrations and community art exhibits offer a wider range of experiences that look at the past, present, and future of the neighbourhood.
Montgomery’s Inn gathered communities around food, drink, news and laughter. Keep that spirit alive today: there’s always something happening at the Inn.
Admission
General admission is free. Some exhibitions and events may carry a separate charge where noted.
Hours of Operation
Wednesday to Sunday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
See the Farmers’ Market section for more details about the weekly event.
Special Exhibits and Events
Browse the Toronto History Museums Calendar to find special exhibits and events happening at this and other museum sites.
Health and Safety
The public is not required to wear a mask but may choose to wear a mask in any settings they wish and will be supported in doing so. Museum visitors are treated with respect and understanding, regardless of their decision to wear a mask.
On-site Services
- Public washrooms with changing facilities
- Partial accessibility. Access is by way of a flight of four stairs and includes uneven surfaces
- Please call 416-394-8113 for specific accessibility questions
- Outdoor picnic area in Tom Riley Park
Effective January 1, 2023, groups of 15 people or more will be charged a fee for their visits. This fee includes a reserved time for your group and a dedicated tour guide to ensure an enjoyable and engaging experience.
For more information on group tours, fees, or to book your group visit, email montinn@toronto.ca. Please contact us 14 days in advance of your preferred visit date. Groups without an advanced booking may not be accommodated.
Montgomery’s Inn was once part of a 400-acre farm which supplied food for the Montgomery family, guests of the inn and for retail sale. Much of this land continued to be farmed by tenant farmers through the 1940s. Though the farm is long gone, we celebrate the Inn’s agricultural roots once again by offering farm-fresh produce for sale.
Market Location and Hours
The Farmers’ Market takes place indoors 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Wednesday until December 20, 2023. The market re-opens again in February 2024.
Vendors include local farmers and small food producers offering vegetables, baked goods and prepared foods. Fresh baked bread from the Inn’s wood-burning oven is available while supplies last.
By Car
Montgomery’s Inn is located on the southeast corner of Dundas Street West and Islington Avenue. Free parking is available in the parking lot, which is accessed from Montgomery Road (one block east of Islington).
By Transit
Take the Bloor/Danforth subway line to Islington station and either walk north or board the Islington 37 northbound bus. Visitors can enter the museum from the Dundas Street West sidewalk. Please note access is by way of a flight of four stairs and includes uneven surfaces. For specific TTC route and schedule information call 416-393-4636 (INFO) or visit the TTC website.
Location
Montgomery’s Inn was designed in the Loyalist or late Georgian architectural style, and was deemed Classical because it had been inspired by ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Features such as the centre-hall plan, the symmetrical balance of the building and the fanlight over the front door are typical. The Inn is built of rubble stone and was originally covered with pebble-dashed stucco, finished, or “coined,” on the corners to give the appearance of cut stone.
After Thomas Montgomery’s death in 1877, the contents of the building were sold at auction. The furnishings in the museum are either donated or purchased pieces of Canadian, American and English origin and reflect those of a conservative country innkeeper. The paint colours on the walls and woodwork are similar to the original colours, which were discovered by scraping down to the original coat of paint in each room.