Art Gallery of Mississauga
The Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM) is a public art gallery in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
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The AGM is an interesting place. It’s not a large gallery by any means. The location is on the ground floor of the Mississauga Civic Centre (City Hall), and signage to the gallery is pretty much non-existent. If you enter by the front doors to City Hall off Celebration Square, turn right and you will find it.
There is a vast difference between this gallery, and, for example, the storied Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in downtown Toronto.
Nevertheless, it’s worth a visit, in my opinion. The gallery provides support for contemporary art and Canadian artists. The artwork on display is top tier and interesting. Staff are friendly and helpful. And you can view the entire gallery in under half an hour. It’s one of the best things to do in Mississauga.
The museum is open six days per week (closed Mondays) and it offers free admission and guided exhibition tours in addition to regular special events, art workshops for adult learners, and youth programs for schools, universities and community groups.
The AGM holds approximately 18 exhibitions a year on a rotating basis. We visited during a 2024 exhibition of works by Toronto photographic artist Sara Angelucci.
The AGM is a not-for-profit organization that is supported by the City of Mississauga, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, corporations, private citizens, and gallery members.
Where is the Art Gallery of Mississauga?
The Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM) is located within the Mississauga Civic Centre (City Hall), at the northern edge of Celebration Square, and across from the Hazel McCallion Central Library. It’s part of a cluster of tourist attractions that includes the Living Arts Centre. The art gallery is a two minute walk from Square One Shopping Centre.
Address: 300 City Centre Drive
Mississauga, ON. L5B 3C1
Phone number: 905-276-3200
Website: www.artgalleryofmississauga.com
Email: contact@artgalleryofmississauga.com
Gallery Hours: the Art Gallery of Mississauga has somewhat irregular hours
Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 10am – 5pm
Thursdays: 10am – 8pm
Saturday & Sunday: 12pm – 4pm
Monday & Holidays: Closed
Foundation Year: 1987
Pets: only service animals are allowed
Smoking: no smoking
Accessibility: wheelchair and stroller friendly
Public Washrooms: multiple, wheelchair accessible
Wi-Fi: there is free Wi-Fi at the AGM
Admission: free admission
History of the AGM
The AGM originally opened in 1987, in the new Mississauga Civic Centre (City Hall). It was originally called the Mississauga Civic Centre Art Gallery.
In 2014, the AGM launched an extensive re-branding campaign, characterized by a new name and logo.
Permanent Collection
In addition to its ongoing rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, the AGM also has an extensive permanent collection of artwork.
The AGM’s permanent collection numbers over 500 works by regional and national artists. In 2014, the Art Gallery Mississauga launched a digital archiving project which created an online database of these works of art, which is accessible to the public.
Because of space limitations, the Gallery has had a moratorium on collecting since 2008.
Expansion
The gallery itself is not a large space. It doesn’t have its own building. It’s tucked away in a corner of the Civic Centre. Some people have called it “the best kept secret in Mississauga” due to the lack of visibility of its location.
The AGM has had an expansion plan going as far back as 2011. The goal is to move the gallery into a new location to increase visibility and exhibition space.
One of the options that was considered included a move to the Living Arts Centre across the street. I have no idea whether this will ever happen, but it’s good to know that it was at least being considered at one point.
Community Programs
In addition to its regular exhibitions, the Art Gallery of Mississauga offers a range of programs and events, including workshops and artist talks. The art workshops often tie in with current exhibits on display. There is a strong sense of community engagement here.
How Do I Get There?
As mentioned above, the gallery is in the Mississauga City Centre area of the city. You can easily walk there from the dozens of high rise condominiums that surround it, and you can easily reach it by car from anywhere. Highway 403 is close nearby, as is the QEW highway.
Parking
The AGM Mississauga is next door to several underground parking lots that service City Hall, the Central Library, and the Living Arts Centre. These are all relatively inexpensive during business hours (approximately $1.00 per hour), and some offer free parking weekdays after 6:00pm and on weekends.
There is also metered parking on many of the surrounding streets, and if you are willing to walk a couple of minutes, there is plenty of free parking at the Square One Shopping Centre.
Public Transportation
The AGM is easily accessible by public transportation and is within walking distance of the Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal. This is the central hub for MiWay bus routes, and will soon be a stop on the Hazel McCallion LRT.
There are express buses that run from the Toronto Kipling Station to the transit terminal. Nearest heavy rail commuter train station is the Cooksville GO Station.
Conclusion
Attending an exhibition at the Art Gallery of Mississauga is a great way to spend a leisurely half hour in Mississauga. With its constantly changing exhibitions, there is always something new to see. It’s one of the best things to do in Mississauga.
Google reviews are very positive, averaging 4.2 out of 5, with hundreds of reviews given.
The AGM is more than just an art gallery. It’s a hub for Canadian artists and contemporary art. It’s an integral part of the cultural scene, and is one of the tourist attractions in Mississauga that everyone should see.
It has enriched the lives of many people through its diverse array of art exhibitions, art workshops, educational programs, and community engagement programs.
Whether you’re an art lover, a budding artist, or simply looking for a memorable afternoon out, the AGM is a small but important member among the art galleries in Canada.
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