The Rooms

A true gem in the heart of St. John's, The Rooms is an absolute must-visit for locals and tourists alike. The experience begins before you even step inside; the building itself is a gorgeous piece of architecture that beautifully complements the city's skyline. One of the first things you'll appreciate is the fair and reasonable admission price. It’s great value for the quality and scale of the facility. They also have special times when students can get in for free, which is a fantastic initiative to make arts and culture accessible to everyone. Once inside, the art gallery and museum collections are simply stunning. Everything is so wonderfully put together and immaculately kept. You can feel the passion and care that goes into every exhibit. It's clear that whoever is in charge of the galleries has a great love for what they do, as the attention to detail is evident everywhere you look. It makes for a truly immersive and enjoyable experience as you explore Newfoundland and Labrador's rich history and vibrant arts scene. Beyond the exhibits, the amenities are top-notch. The gift shop is incredibly cute and boasts a wide selection of amazing Newfoundland merchandise, as well as items specific to The Rooms. And while it deserves its own separate review, I have to mention that the on-site cafe is amazing. Overall, The Rooms is a world-class facility that St. John's should be incredibly proud of. I can't recommend it enough.

Fantastic museum, I really enjoy the art gallery of the Newfoundland local artist. Amazing pieces. And we learned about the history of indigenous people. It was so touching. And we found the interaction between the public the organizers is also very interesting. Ppl are creating their art pieces in The Rooms at night on Friday. Then there’s a wall full of their artwork.

I visited a few weeks ago with my child and had a great time. The WWI exhibit for the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was well put together and very informative. They had also many activities for children throughout. It was interesting to see all the Canada Games medals in the archives area. The view of the harbour was great too.

We visited The Rooms in St. John's, yesterday. It was Canada Day, and entry was free — we didn’t know that in advance, so it was a nice surprise! The place was beautiful and very interesting. It includes two art galleries and three museum sections. If you enjoy museums, this is definitely a place you'll love. To explore everything properly and take your time reading through the exhibits, expect to spend at least two hours or more. The washrooms were clean, and the gift shop was lovely, it had a great selection of local products at reasonable prices, which isn’t always the case in museum gift shops. Highly recommended for anyone visiting St. John's!

First time there. A beautiful, modern museum in the heart of St. John’s. Full of historical artifacts, arts and educational facts about NFLD. The restaurant there produces delicious food with an outstanding view of the harbour and Signal Hill. Good for all ages!

Wealthy in history! Walking through the history of the First World War and learning about its profound impact on Newfoundland and Labrador wells deep emotions. The layout and storytelling style is nothing short of Spectacular! This is a must visit for lovers of history.

The Rooms turned out to be one of the must explore stops in St. John’s. I spent a couple of hours exploring and could’ve easily stayed longer. The exhibits on Newfoundland’s history, especially the personal artifacts from people before and during the world wars, really made me pause. The whale section was another highlight, something you don’t forget quickly, the carved whale skull alone is massive, stretching several feet across, and it really gives you a sense of just how enormous these creatures are. And of course, the view from upstairs is worth the visit on its own, looking out over the harbour and Signal Hill is just beautiful. If you like reading through every exhibit, plan for most of a day. Otherwise, a few hours is enough to get a real feel. Either way, it’s a place that leaves an impression.

A very interesting museum on 3 floors. Here you will learn a lot about the First World War and the participation of Newfoundlanders in it, and also get acquainted with the animal world of the Arctic. There are 2 art galleries, a fairly large cafe and a large sports exhibition.

Customer Service: 5 Location: 5 WIFI: 5 Restrooms: 5 Cleanliness: 5 We visited the St. John's Rooms museum on Monday while we was docked for our port day. It was conveniently about a 15 minute walk from the cruise ship dock.  Upon entering the Visitors center we were quickly greeted by a friendly staff member. They were able to quickly provide us with alot of useful information. They pointed out that some parts of the museum were free, and there was like 4 rooms that required a ticket. We decided to not get a ticket because we were on a limited time schedule. This is a must stop museum, you could spend hrs just admiring all the history and scenery inside and out. Make sure you go up to the observation decks as well. They do have conference rooms and a cafeteria. I will add more info later... @glampedlife

Beautiful view of St. John's and Signal Hill. Amazing cafe that also includes the amazing view. Very interesting exhibits. The room with the animals was our favourite. Personally didn't care much for the art exhibit though, and also loses half a point for having the thinnest ply toilet paper ever in their bathroom.

Came to learn about the Beothuk people and the indigenous history. Should have started here during stay since it has a great restaurant, professional staff and fantastic view. From the restaurant you can see signal hill, the neighborhood with colorful houses, the fishing fleets, and get a great view of downtown. They also have a great gift shop.

Gayle and I were very impressed with the Rooms, including an excellent Lunch at the upstairs restaurant. It's easily accessed and located "high" above Downtown St. John's and features killer views of the City harbor and the Narrows. The Rooms is a modern community center with a gallery of local art & a museum dedicated to various aspects of Newfoundland history and society. The building's name, as well as its architecture, is a reference to the simple gable-roofed sheds (called "fishing rooms") that were once so common at the waterline in Newfoundland outport villages. Besides the restaurant, Gayle and I particularly enjoyed the indigenous-themed art gallery, a section on Irish migration to Newfoundland, War history, and various cultural and historical displays. We started on top (Lunch) and worked our way down the building. And like many of St. John's streets, there were not a lot of right angles as we proceeded to each full exhibit. Sometimes it's hard to reconcile spending time within an inside museum when there's so much beauty outside throughout Newfoundland in general and outside of St. John's in particular. But if you want some really good Provincial perspectives before you head out, the Rooms is the place and so worth the reasonable price of admission. There's a nice gift shop too!

Lovely museum with a terrific restaurant featuring local favorites. Restaurant definitely has a million dollar view! Great service and value!

Great place to grab a bit after walking the major hills. Also nice place to learn the history of the area. Very busy the day we were there since we were on a cruise and we went the only ship in port. Lots and lots of walking so wear comfortable shoes.

Great Museum! We had a full day left in St Johns before going home. I've read great thing about The Rooms. We decided to spend our morning here. Paid parking in front of the museum, but if you don't mind crossing the street, street parking is free! Entrance fee $10 per adult. The museum has a cafe / restaurant with amazing views. I wish we has time to have afternoon tea here, next time. The museum is great, it has a lot history, modern art, shops, and so much more. We started at the top and worked our way down. The views of the harbour and the city from the museum is amazing, I would come just for the view. Overall, Im glad we came.

This is a manageable sized museum and art gallery, although with three teenagers we did not see everything. I was hopeful that the thunderstorm would play out over the inlet while we were there, but timing was off and we had a flight to catch. There was a helpful guide on the second floor. The real iceberg ship he showed us was cool, but perhaps he should have read the horrified teenage girls better when he was trying to get them to pet the animal skins. As far as the cafe, it was quite nice. Gorgeous view and good service. Some food items were better than others, with the risotto cakes probably being the best. Cute gift shop. A whimsical tea towel with whales on it to go home.

Went to both the museum and the restaurant. Overall, a very good experience. For the price of admission, the experience was worthwhile. There were many displays about the history of Newfoundland. Many exhibits were quite interesting with many audiovisual components. I enjoyed the paintings the most and found those the most rewarding. Unfortunately, those are also the ones that cannot be photographed. The cafe at the top was great! Excellent service. Great view of the city. Well worth it for the price. The menu was also quite comprehensive for the size of the cafe. Ordered a coffee and fish tacos. Coffee was quite basic, and nothing to write home about but refills were given. Fish tacos were above average. Came with a very fresh salad and the portions were decent sized. Fish was crispy and the taco was warm. Overall, I would suggest going to the museum for a meal and explore the archives. Enjoy the view while you are at it! That would make a good half-day of activities!

Typically I am not one to be in to museums... And when the GF asks me to attend a museum I come up with excuses or alternative solutions... But also, you have to "put in work" in order to stay out of the dog-house!... This museum was awesome! Super, super scenic!!! Really well done. They had a really nice natural history timeline for Newfoundland with pictures and dated details. Also, a really great exhibit on COD! I love COD!!! Best tasting and most useful fish imo... With admission you get a free coffee or tea in they're restaurant area. Which is on the fourth floor with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the St. John's harbor... Simply beautiful. Borderline stunning. Food looked extremely tasty too. Then, when you are done. You walk down hill to the town, hit up a couple pubs, and call it a day. Excellent museum.

The Rooms is a cultural centre, art gallery and museum under one roof. There is also a cafe that serves breakfast and lunch. There are 4 levels in the building. The ground floor is admission, gift shop and coat room. The exhibitions are on 2nd to 4th levels. The exhibits are well organized into rooms: World War I, ecological development, social development, Native Americans, ways of living, art, famous people, etc.. Each room has large quantity of artifacts, pictures, illustrations to tell the stories. This is a rich and meaningful content. I can spend a whole day here. The interior of the building is modern looking, airy, well laid out and clean. It is comfortable to walk around. A cafe is on the 4th floor. It is called Red Oak. It serves breakfast and lunch. While the pricing is higher than places outside of the centre, it is in line with the pricing of cafes inside many museums and galleries in North America. There were regular appetizers, sandwiches, burger and pasta on menu when I visited. But when I saw Traditional Cod Cakes on menu, I just couldn't resist. The Rooms was the only place that I saw this traditional NFLD dish during this trip. Other places that I patronized had altered the recipe to cater to modern tastes. But then I shouldn't be surprised; this is a museum after all. Historically, Cod was salted before sale for practical reasons. The traditional NFLD Cod fish cake was salted Cod meat cooked in milk. The entree came with 3 fish cakes. The first cake didn't taste salty to me. It tasted bland to be honest, as I expected it to be salty. This first impression proved to be faulty. The impact of the salt accumulated. I started tasting the salt in the second cake. The third cake saw me reaching for the iced tea repeatedly. I continued to feel the impact of the salt in my stomach for over an hour after the meal. I eat rather salty in my regular Asian diet. These 3 Cod fish cakes tested my limit. And this entree was not even big portioned. In fact, I estimated that most gentlemen would not find the meal sufficiently filling. I nevertheless found this venture into the food history interesting, though I care not to repeat it.

The Rooms is a beautiful art gallery / museum. We first had a late lunch at the cafe before seeing the rest. The food at the cafe is slightly pricey but definitely worth it in my opinion. We had the cod cakes, fisher mans catch & sticky toffee & that came to $50.00. But everything was super delicious & fresh. They were even able to make my dish non-dairy (I'm allergic). As for the exhibits there's a lot of local artwork here & also natural history. It's was interesting to see the clothing of bygone days from the livyers to inuit & other natives. The top floors are dedicated to the exhibits while the ground floor is the admittance desk & gift shop. I love the architecture of this building its modern & refreshing. There are also some great views from the windows & observation deck on the top floor. I would recommend this to all tourists coming to St. John's.

One of the nicest museums we have ever visited. As you enter there is a desk to get a tickets and/or sign up for a guided tour. There is a very nice gift shop[ to the left. We wanted to take our time so we chose to just get an admission ticket to tour the 4 floors of the museum and then have lunch in the cafe. The 2nd floor has an amazing collection of WW1 historical artifacts all about the men from Newfoundland who chose to fight for their country. It is very nicely done. The 4th floor has a large area about the history of Newfoundland and on the other side is the cafe. We ate there and the food was delicious including our first try at "Cod Cheeks". If you visit here and want to learn about the country this is the place.

The Rooms aside which is first rate in every way - the World War I in particular - the cafe is equally impressive. I mean, it's a gallery and a museum and how good can that be? But it is good. The menu is very interesting in it's own way. The salmon was a bit dry for my tastes but that's a personal thing. Extremely accessible and a must for any visitor to St John's.

Has the greatest font of Information on what newfoundland is and what the provinces impacted the world and how it still dose. A must see for any new to the island.

Superb exhibits, beautiful building and very helpful staff. The cafe was an added bonus. We had fresh baked muffins and coffees to keep us going through the fabulous galleries. A 'must see' for everyone local or CFAs.

Easily one of my favourite attractions in St. John's, the Rooms are a combination of the city's museum exhibits, art galleries, and archives along with a full performance theatre, café/restaurant, and one of the most epic views of the narrows you'll find outside of Signal Hill. The architecture is completely unique with two house-style buildings (but much larger, of course) connected with a glass atrium that surrounds the lobbies and stairwells. Very, very cool. What I love most about my visits here is that the museum and gallery complement each other so well. In the museum, I get to experience parts of Newfoundland's culture from its Irish routes to the cod-fishing industry, and seamlessly walk into modern works of art inspired by their days of independence or staggering David Blackwood prints. CAA member discounts on both entry and gift shop purchases are always a plus but be warned if the very, very icky giant squid on the third floor.

Nice museum with different exhibits from mammals to art to history. A nice restaurant here too.

If you're a first time visitor to St. John's I urge you to make The Rooms one of your first stops. It will not only give you a good sense of the geography of the city and its harbor, but also of the culture of Newfoundland. The relatively new building sits at a high point overlooking St. John's (more about the exterior later in this review). It houses a good restaurant where you can eat and drink with a panoramic view of the city. It also has spaces devoted to an art gallery, to the history of the Irish in Newfoundland, of the natural history of the island, the provincial archives and also special exhibits. During my most recent visit there was an exhibit about the huge number of men from Newfoundland lost in 1916, during World War I, as well as what happened to those who made it back. There's always something worth seeing, and the restaurant is great for lunch. The Rooms also has one of the best gift shops in town. I wondered why they call it The Rooms. It's because it's built in the shape of the fishing shacks, or rooms, that once dotted the coast. A problem is that the building is so large, you'd never guess what inspired its design--a modest little fishing shack. So, while the interior is five star, the huge structure that dominates the St. John's skyline is aesthetically dissonant with the scale and style of other structures. It also overwhelms the adjacent cathedral that long marked the highest point in the town. Minus one star for the tasteless exterior of The Rooms. The interior is five star.

I went to The Rooms for the first time yesterday. I was very impressed. The exhibits are on floors 2,3 and 4. Very clean, and an awesome staircase in the centre of the building (elevators are also available). The food at the cafe on the 4th floor was amazing. A bit expensive but well worth it. I had the Avalon scramble, and the eggs were probably the best I have ever tasted. The view of St. John's is spectacular and a must see for out-of-towners and locals alike. My favourite part was the Beaumont Hamel exhibit. It had a lot of heartbreaking letters, journals, commendations and stories of the fallen soldiers. Admission is $11 for adults with discounts for students and seniors. Parking costs $2/hr

From Signal Hill you can't miss The Rooms sitting high above the harbour keeping watch over the city. If you talk to the locals there's a love/hate relationship with the architecture. While it beckons memories of life in outports it also sticks out like somewhat of a sore thumb. Inside though it speaks volumes of the life and times of those who call Newfoundland home. While the outside is traditional in nature, the inside feels extremely modern in comparison. Lots of glass and open concept design. There are many sections to The Rooms and each tells a different facet of the storyline of this island's people. Travelling exhibits are featured and there's literally something for everyone inside the walls here. Don't miss a quick bite in The Rooms Cafe on the upper floor - if only for a snapshot of St. John's Harbour and the Narrows from the cafe's small balcony. The view is truly unparalleled.

From the outside The Rooms is a modern-ish hulking mass on top of the hill overlooking St. John's. Once inside the place offers great views of the city and large rooms dedicated to the art, natural history, and local history of the city and Newfoundland. Everything is laid out beautifully. As museums go, you will not see Van Gogh's or a whale in a billion gallon tank. You will see a beautifully curated tribute to the rich history and culture of Newfoundland. The cost is 10$ per adult. They have a nice cafe inside as well.

The view alone is reason enough to head over for brunch. They don't take reservations but if you get there before 11:30am, you should get a table pretty easily. They have espresso based coffees for those of us who need a proper cup. The menu isn't large but it's good! You can order off the brunch or lunch menu, so there are a good number of options that should suit anyone. Food has always been fresh, tasty and well prepared. Have some local delicacies like cod tongues, mixed with more standard brunch fare. Did I mention the view? Full panorama of the Harbour!

Incredible view and setting. The food, presentation and service I was all top notch. If you are in St Johns, this is a must stop

What can one say about the place that now houses the museum, the art gallery, and the archives. A noted Canadian personna, who orginally hails from Newfoundland is reputed to have said: "The Rooms looks like the box that the Basilica came in." Basilica: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/TezG4Qybjty7qPJXV73ySw?select=I1POLBCQWpFwPdQyTXjwYg The Rooms: http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/CCBH9SleETMmbrlt1B1T6Q?select=Myvzlw_saGS13fVadiAKpw Side-by-side: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rexton/111647596/ As is typical with most museums and art galleries there are a host of things to see from the permanent and temporary displays and exhibits. Archives are well, timeless. Viewing platforms out various sides of the structure which allow you to marvel not only at the structure itself, but also glorious panoramic views of the beautiful City of St. John's from a breathless, bird-like perspective. Well, they also have a damn fine dining room / cafe / bar. Perfect for a meal or a drink during your visit here. Exceptional service. Delicious local ingredients (and inspired) dishes. How can you argue with offerings like Newfoundland Pea Soup or Seafood Chowder, Atlantic Smoked Salmon Panini, or Cariboo Bolognese to name a few. On your way out be sure to visit the gift store. A bit of an art gallery/museum exhibit of its own.

The restaurant on the top floor at The Rooms is a must-visit spot for me every time I'm in St. John's! You don't need to pay admission to the museum to eat at the restaurant, just walk up! (But of course the museum's worht checking out at least once too!) The restaurant has a panoramic view of the harbour, with a beautiful little lookout deck perfect for snapping a few picutres. For a little over $5, you can get a bagel with smoked salmon, capers, red onion & cream cheese which is fresh & delicious. Their coffee (from Jumping Bean) is also great, and they serve it with a nice, thick cream. The service is friendly & fast too! All around GREAT.

The Rooms Cafe - Very good food! A bit pricey in itself and then there is also the museum admission too. Amazing views (provided no fog) :) :) :)

Beautiful experience. The food was really good and very tasty. But the view still the show. It is amazing.

Food, location, service, view - all top notch! The clam chowder was one of the best I've had in some time and the chicken sandwich with aioli dressing and fish tacos were delicious. Definitely worth a visit!

This was the first place I visited when I was at St. John's, and I loved it. Had a good lunch at their restaurant and went around The Rooms. They had some very nice art and historical items about Newfoundland.

The Rooms has a restaurant with a great view of the harbor. We really didn't stay in the museum too long but the food at the restaurant was delicious. Its worth the trip just for the restaurant.

Went back to St Johns for the day to finally check this place out , the exterior has never really intrigued me but after hearing the story behind the design which actually is intended to mirrors the "fishing rooms" it seemed a little less shall I say unattractive in appearance. In anycase I was glad I went, we spent time checking out the exhibits and learning and had a fabulous lunch at the cafe ..and I would definately recomend including time for the cafe in your visit. The food was all so good , The chowder was yummy and the cod cakes and salad which were great but the chicken breast sandwich with cheddar, mushrooms, caramelized onions on foccacia looked so good that I actually agreed we would all benefit from sharing just so we wouldnt miss out! I was sorry I missed the Toutons and Beans but will try and get them the next time!

Came to have a beautiful lunch and always love going here when I visit in town. Particularly with the view of the harbour. Today proved the good quality of the restaurant had gone downhill. The service and speed of food was our problem. We sat down shortly after noon by ten minutes to one we still did not have our main dishes we ordered. All we got was the appetizer which was finished we waited 20 minutes for our lunch to come which it never did. A table next to us that came in after us was served their meal before us and we ordered before them. Our server kept giving us the line "it should be ready any minute" twice. Our patience for lunch grew thin and we left with only having fish cakes and water. If you are coming to The Rooms for the view save your money going to the cafe because there are other spots in the building where you can get the same view for free or you can explore a wonderful museum.