Museum Station

Museum Station, a subway stop on Toronto’s Line 1 Yonge-University, isn’t like most stations—its pillars are sculpted to resemble cultural and historical figures from ancient civilizations, making it one of the most visually striking stops in the city.

In 2008, the station underwent a major renovation that transformed its support columns into large-scale replicas of artifacts, turning the station into an underground gallery of world civilizations. Among these designs are Egyptian deities, Toltec warriors, Greek Doric columns, and motifs from Beijing’s Forbidden City. The theme was chosen to reflect the influence of the nearby Royal Ontario Museum, one of Canada’s most important cultural institutions.

The walls and ceiling colors were also updated to complement the new look, making the space feel more like a museum exhibit than a transit stop.