The Design Exchange

Nice space. Just went to private event hosted here yesterday. I never even knew about this museum until I got an invite. Lol.
Tucked away in between buildings and with only a door and small sign, my friend and I almost passed this place. It’s 3 stories and while we didn’t get to browse around much to see the art. I would come again for a more detailed look. I think it’s free admission but not 100% sure. Please double check before planning to head here.

I am super late on this review but I came here last year for the Pharell Williams «this is not a toy» exhibit. I brought my hubby and two children. They really loved it and I just love how kids are free.
The world needs more art in it and I love that I can share it with my kids and not have to pay a hefty price for it. The building itself is beautiful and very well kept as far as cleanliness. Their gift shop downstairs is a bit ridiculous.
The security they have there are so whack,. They will not really like when you take pictures but whatever we pay the money so we should be able to. Other than that minor annoyance this place is still great.

Overpriced and underwhelming. The exhibition took less than 30 mins to complete and was $ 18.

I had never heard of this place until my sister announced they were having a Louboutin shoe expose. Hells bells we’re going!!!
Fantastic exhibit. If you are a shoe freak, have any taste, want to feast your eyes on something gorgeous get your booty here before the show is over. You have never seen so many shoes you’ll want to drool over in one place. There is also a nice coffee shop and gift shop to hit before you make an exit.

The long standing home of the «Barons of Bay street». Before moving to the stock exchange to the Exchange Tower, this was ground zero of Canada’s financial industry. Now it’s a kind of museum/​gallery devoted to design. They’ve left the exterior and pretty much built the TD tower around it.
I mostly like to visit this place to use the bathroom and check out the gift shop. You can sometimes find those «one of a kind» items for that hard-​to-​buy-​for relative at Christmas time.
The main floor usually has an interesting free display.

The DX is a small but interesting gallery space in the TD bank tower right in the Financial District. It’s not where you normally expect to go to look at art — sort of a hidden gem in the middle of all the banks and businesses. And unlike most things in the Financial District, they are open on weekends! Also, I have been there a number of times and it is never crowded. Actually, on several occasions I’ve had the gallery to myself. Kind of nice!
It’s housed in the old Toronto Stock Exchange, but the trading floor is not open to the public. It is used for private events, mostly. I was there for an exhibition opening party and the hall is very Art Deco, clean, and elegant.
The main gallery is on the 3^rd floor. Again, it is small — probably 30 mins. is enough for most people to walk around. They have a variety of special exhibits (no permanent collection) that rotate every few months. I have been there for an exhibit of Princess Diana’s dresses that were being shown before they were auctioned. They also had a photography exhibit in May as part of the CONTACT festival. They had a Chinese Industrial Design exhibit a few years ago and every year there are Canadian Design Awards and you can see some of the winners here. Currently, the exhibit is a collection of ballet costumes and sets in collaboration with the National Ballet of Canada, which is celebrating its 60^th anniversary.
Entrance to the main gallery is ~$ 10 (student discount available, $ 8), but look out for free exhibits on the main floor. Tuesdays from 5−8pm are PWYC. Considering the size of the gallery, the admission prices are a bit expensive IMO. Also, check out the little design shop on the main floor that sells great gift items, stationary, and home accessories mainly by independent Canadian designers.
In addition to the exhibits and store, they organize lectures and events pretty regularly. Check the website for details:
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Very cool. Was walking down bay street and the design exchange had their doors wide open welcoming people as part of open house Toronto.
We were lucky the tour guide is very knowledge had many interesting things to say and show us. They had two model wedding dresses for the newly princess Kate.
But, what I was most interested in was the old trading floor upstairs, the photo exhibit, and display of our loved princess diana’s dresses. It was free, but I would definitely pay to see.

This was a great venue for the conference I was at. Nice décor, spacious, and friend;y staff to help me navigate. What stops me from giving this more stars is that I believe the good experience I had, had more to do with the company executing the event and not the Design Exchange itself. So not being able to distinguish between the two I’ll settle on a solid 3 stars for this venue.