Fort York National Historic Site

We had an amazing experience at Fort York. The exhibit inside is wonderful. The grounds are beautiful. Every staff member we encountered was so kind and knowledgeable. Our tour was very informative and interactive but we were still able to explore on our own and learn more! The washrooms are very clean as well!

A fantastic place to step back in time! Fort York offers a rich historical experience with well-preserved structures, engaging exhibits, and knowledgeable staff who bring the past to life. It's perfect for families—kids and adults alike will enjoy exploring the grounds and learning about Canada’s military history. The site is easy to navigate, with plenty of informative displays, and the atmosphere truly immerses you in the 19th century. Whether you're a history buff or just looking for an educational outing, this is a must-visit spot in Toronto! Don't forget to check out the show of the day and its schedules.

My family was pleasantly surprised with our visit here. While it is a little awkward to get to on foot, the site itself is wonderful to walk around in. The best way to see it however is to join a free tour. The tour in informative and explains a lot of the different buildings and rooms you are visiting. It was great to learn more about the war of 1812. Even though it wasn't great weather, we all enjoyed our little tour there. The fact that it is free of charge is excellent, I think more museums and historical sites should be this way, so that made me like it even more. I highly suggest adding it to your list of places to visit while in Toronto.

We missed visiting Fort York last year, so we made sure that we had it on our artillery list for this year. It was definitely worth the wait. Only a 20-minute walk from the CN tower, which was very pleasant. The opening time was 11. Clock. We got there a little early, so we enjoyed the quiet surroundings. Walking around the first part was soul searching and very eye-opening . Walking through the re-creation part was very over welming. The outside part is really interesting. And very photogenic. Overall, it was an excellent visit. And would highly recommend. All staff very warm and friendly.

Great way to spend a few hours in the city for free - I didn't know anything about the war of 1812 but came away with a much better understanding of this major event in Canadian history. All of the staff are amazingly helpful and full of knowledge that they were happy to share. Would definitely recommend visiting!

Fort York is a fascinating historic site, offering a glimpse into Canada’s military past. The preserved buildings, guided tours, and artifacts make it a great spot for history lovers.

Very well preserved historic site. Fort York is located on its original site, where Lord John Graves Simcoe founded Toronto in 1793. It was also rebuilt here after the war of 1812 when Canada defeated the United States army. This had an unexpected personal connection to me as I lived in the Lord Simcoe apartments in Victoria BC. Although the city has grown up around it, and the CN tower can be seem as a giant in the distance, this site maintains a historic charm and feel as you view the barracks and displays and see the soldiers marching under the original Union Jack.

Definitely a 5 star and a must to visit, great brief history of York>Toronto, how and why the colony was established and completely free, highly recommende the guided tour (there is one every 30 min and completely free!) Definitely a must!!!

This was a well respire in the middle of a bustling, modern city. They really should charge for this. I am amazed by how much is delivered for free. The entrance is a multi-media shock and awe experience that immerses one into the feel and chaos of the American invasion in 1813. It is interesting viewing and learning from the perspective of an American raised in a city steeped in the American Revolution. The War of 1812 was taught to us to as this inconvenience hiccup between our Founding Fathers and the Civil War. And yet over here in Toronto, it was a critical moment in the birth of Canada as we know it. We had the benefit of a slow day, so our tour guide onsite took time to provide so much context of what we are seeing. There was opportunity to try on even the replica clothing of the soldiers in the barracks and get a better sense of what it felt like to have been stationed there in the quotidien grind between battles and the like. A weicome encore were the tasty "daily cakes" in the "modern" kitchen of the officers' quarters. All in all, a welcome time.

We came to visit the Fort York National Historic Site in June 2022. Selected museums in Toronto are free and Fort York is one of them. It is interesting and fascinating to learn about the Fort York History and the war of 1812 (Battle for York). The buildings are open to public to walk in and to look at the artifacts. There are many canons outside to view. We do find that it is interesting how spread out the buildings are. You need about 1 hour to spend here if you want to see everything. It is not a huge museum but the museum itself is full of history and the war/Battle for York happened here. One of the things that B and I found interesting was back then the men must have been very short and small. It seems like their uniforms are quite small. But then there are these giant long rifles on display. So small men with big rifles? Another fascinating thing we found was the map of 1812 showed Fort York is by the water. We looked out today there is no water to be seen. Yes Toronto has expanded and the land was filled to allow population growth. Things have changed and the water was pushed. Very interesting and is definitely worth visiting.

I visited this historic site in 2018, after visits the Bentway. I know there is already a post of the Garrison common but there are no post on the actual exhibit Gallery featured inside thats free to access for all patrons. The museum has some featured interactive art, reason why I visited, and I beautiful feature of the British times and the aboriginal story within our region; just an education opportunity. There are lovely artifacts and you can navigate floor to floor, the place is stroller and wheel chair accessible and there are plenty of washroom access and sitting area making this location age accessible. My favourite feature is the War of 1812 and the Battle for York with the memories to see I just feel like I am transported to the text book stories I experience in elementary school history class. If you like movies, there is an Orientation Theatre that places on rotation with submersive audio visual experience. If you havent visited this place, please do, especially when you warm up from the Bentway during the winter. As well with the emergence of pay-for-entertainment during the pandemic, I thought to share a very free experience.