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The best attractions to visit in Toronto that are free with a library card

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Library cards are more powerful than you may think. Yep, your Toronto library card can do much more than secure you a selection of books; it can also be used to get free admission to some of the city’s popular attractions. I’m talking the Toronto Zoo, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, the ROM, and even the CN Tower.

If you had no idea about any of this, I didn’t either for the longest time, so allow me to share the information.

Here’s how to get a library card and all the free perks that come with it.

Getting a Toronto library card

Getting the card is the easy part! Firstly, there are a few requirements. These include living in the city of Toronto, working in the city of Toronto, going to school in the city of Toronto, owning a property in the city of Toronto, or living on a First Nations reserve in Ontario.

If you fit into any of these categories, congratulations, you can be the proud owner of a Toronto library card.

Head over to your local branch in order to register. You’ll need to bring along a valid piece of ID with your name and current address. Library cards expire after a year, so make sure you renew every 12 months.

You now have the freedom to rent books and music, download eBooks and digital magazines, or use the library’s research databases to view magazine and newspaper archives, business directories, and “other specialized content.”

And now, time for the places you can visit free of cost.

Free attractions

So, which free spots can you visit with your card? Before I dive into how you do so, here are the 19 places you can check out:

  • Aga Khan Museum
  • Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
  • Bata Shoe Museum
  • Canadian Stage
  • CN Tower
  • Gardiner Museum
  • Hot Docs Cinema
  • Hot Docs Festival
  • Mooredale Concerts: Music & Truffles KIDS
  • Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
  • Royal Conservatory of Music
  • Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
  • Tafelmusik
  • Textile Museum of Canada
  • The Village at Black Creek
  • Toronto Railway Museum
  • Toronto Symphony Orchestra
  • Toronto Zoo

To attend these special attractions, make sure you plan beforehand.

You’ll need to log in to the Toronto Public Library Map reservation site with your library card and choose from the listed attractions. Then, reserve your date and print or download your pass. The pass is what will gain you free access, not your physical library card.

Easy peasy. A fun (and free) day touring the city awaits! Don’t forget to rent a few books, too.

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Taylor Lucas

Regional Editor – Taylor is a Toronto-based journalist with a passion for story-telling. Whether chasing a story, writing, or editing she brings a creative spin to the media world and has a blast doing it. Taylor brings years of journalism experience in sports, local/national news, and entertainment. In her spare time, you can typically find Taylor trying out a new restaurant or cocktail bar, cooking, golfing or binge-watching true crime documentaries.

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