About
the Collection
McMichael
Canadian Art
Collection
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is the only publicly funded art gallery in Canada dedicated exclusively to Canadian and Indigenous art, both historical and contemporary.
Our permanent collection consists of more than 7,500 artworks, including masterworks by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, and generations of Indigenous artists who have shaped and expanded the story of art in Canada. The collection continues to grow, with an increasing number of contemporary works that reflect the evolving narratives of Canadian art today.
The McMichael is the gallery of record for works on paper from the Inuit community of Kinngait (Cape Dorset) and is the custodian of the Kinngait Archive, a resource of more than 89,000 artworks held in trust for the West Baffin Eskimo Co-op. Explore digitized works from this archive through Iningat Ilagiit (A Place for Family).
The majority of the artworks in the McMichael collection is viewable online, and we are adding new images all the time. You can search for specific artists or artworks through our eMuseum online collection search.
Researchers are invited to explore the McMichael Library and Archives, which house extensive curatorial resources, artist files, and exhibition documentation.
Please note: as a public institution, the McMichael is unable to provide appraisals for works of art, or opinions on value or authenticity.
David Hartman Films
Explore our ongoing collaboration with Canadian filmmaker David Hartman, a series of intimate portraits capturing the vision, process, and spirit of today’s leading Canadian artists.
Borrowing
From the
McMichael
Borrowing
From the
McMichael
The McMichael has an active lending program, which allows artworks from the collection to be enjoyed by museumgoers around the world. Requests from museums and institutions to borrow artworks from the McMichael Collection are carefully reviewed by our curatorial and collections team, balancing programming priorities and conservation requirements.
To allow adequate time for review and preparation, please submit your request with as much advance notice as possible. Include the following information:
Project Description
- Title
- Intent, relevance, and scope
- Objects requested
- Whether the exhibition will tour, with venues and dates
- Whether a catalogue or permanent record will accompany the project
Organizational Details
- Organizing institution and contact details
- Name of curator or principal organizer
- Object Information
- Full identification of requested artworks, including McMichael accession numbers (Our permanent collection is searchable through the eMuseum, and inquiries can also be made via the contact form below)
Rationale
- How the McMichael loan adds value to the project
- Whether the artworks will be reproduced in any permanent record
Please submit requests with as much advance notice as possible to allow sufficient time for review and preparation. Lead times vary depending on the number and complexity of requested objects.
Administrative fees apply to cover conservation assessment, valuation, photography, and special requirements for loans. Additional costs for conservation treatment, framing, packing, and crating will be charged on a cost-recovery basis.
Borrowers will be informed of any fees early in the loan assessment process.
A formal letter requesting to borrow objects from the McMichael must be submitted to initiate the review process.
Even when there has been comprehensive early communication, the loan review process will not be initiated until a formal request has been submitted in writing.
Please address requests to:
Sarah Milroy,
Tim and Frances Price Executive Director and Chief Curator
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
10365 Islington Avenue
Kleinburg, Ontario
L0J 1C0
smilroy@mcmichael.com
Image & Licensing Requests
Image & Licensing Requests
Photographic reproductions of artworks from the McMichael collection are available for use in publications, academic research, websites, merchandise, film, and television projects.
Explore our digital collection for inspiration or reference. If you cannot find the image you need, please contact us for assistance.
Please note that official permission is required to reproduce any McMichael image.
Contact
Collections
Gift of Art
The McMichael greatly appreciates the generosity of donors who wish to make gifts of Canadian art to the collection. The gallery urges any donor considering a gift of art to consult with his or her tax adviser before proposing such a gift.
The McMichael regularly receives offers of donations which are evaluated according to our rigorous Acquisitions Policy. As an Agency of the Government of Ontario, this policy is guided by professional museum standards set out by the Canadian Museums Association and is approved by the McMichael’s Board and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.
A range of criteria is used to evaluate each proposed gift, including:
- Condition, storage and maintenance requirements
- Provenance
- Suitability and appropriateness for the collection (i.e. does it fill an identified gap in the collection?)
We are enormously grateful to all those who consider donating works of art to the McMichael, but we must emphasize that many donations, however generous, regrettably cannot be accepted. We appreciate your understanding.
To inquire about a proposed gift of art please submit the form below.
Please allow two weeks for acknowledgement of your offer. A full evaluation may take longer depending on the size and complexity of the proposed gift.