The McMichael Canadian Art Collection, renowned for its Canadian and Indigenous art collections, has released renderings of its major forthcoming redevelopment. Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects (HPA) is leading the transformation, reimagining the museum for the 21st century with a focus on accessibility, sustainability, and artistic excellence.

Originally built in the 1950s as the private home of founders Robert and Signe McMichael, the site has grown into a nationally significant institution—welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors.

This revitalization marks the first major investment in more than forty years. In April 2025, Ontario announced a $50 million contribution, with the federal government committing an additional $25 million. The funds will create more space for exhibitions, education, conservation, and public programming.

As well, new classrooms and studios will nurture the next generation of Canadian artists, alongside purpose-built spaces for concerts, lectures, conferences, and banquets—including a new indoor theatre—all constructed to CAGBC Zero Carbon Design Standards.

An exterior view in the evening. Rendering by Hariri Pontarini Architects.

Sarah Milroy, chief curator and Frances & Tim Price executive director,  said the project celebrates the country’s natural materials, meets modern needs, and will inspire future generations. “Canada deserves a world-class museum that champions our past and present, showcases beloved artists in fresh new ways, draws out the deeper histories of Indigenous art and culture, elevates emerging talent, and brings attention to the many diverse voices that make up Canada today.”

A front view of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Rendering by Hariri Pontarini Architects.

Situated in the Humber River Valley, the building’s modernist timber-and-stone architecture, with its low rooflines and integration into the landscape, has come to embody a deep sense of place and connection for many Canadians.

“We have fallen in love with the vision set before us by the McMichael, as home to the art of Canada,” said Siamak Hariri, founding partner at HPA. “The big, sturdy roof automatically says ‘home,’ but it also says longhouse,or cabin in the woods. From the approach, the roof hugs the ground making it welcoming, intimate, warm and inviting. But as you enter, the experience explodes, engaging the extraordinary setting in a number of surprising moments with a rare and uniquely Canadian combination of nature and art.”

The interior gallery. Rendering by Hariri Pontarini Architects.

The McMichael’s permanent collection includes more than 7,000 artworks by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, Indigenous artists, and artists from the many diasporic communities that make up Canada