Secondly, you typically want to spend a good length of time in Toronto if you are coming from the Hamilton/Burlington area and with that means you will probably be stopping for a meal there. Once you add up your food, transportation and itinerary costs, you could be looking at a very expensive day!
Now, it doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive day/evening in Toronto. Of course there are some costs that are inevitable such as transit and parking. Aside from those, there do happen to be some museums in Toronto that offer discounted rates at more unconventional times.
These activities fall more into the arts and culture arena, which I believe to be the heart and soul of the city. There are so many diverse museums in downtown Toronto, but you could easily spend a fortune visiting lots of them. If you are willing to be creative and do some planning, you can experience some of the city's most interesting museums at little to no cost! Below I will name and describe a few for you that offer discounted rates at certain times.
The Art Gallery of Ontario: Featuring more than 80,000 works ranging from the 1st Century right to the current day, the AGO is a museum that has to be experienced at least once in one’s lifetime. Even if you aren’t a crazy art fan, you will definitely see something here that catches your eye. Architecturally, the AGO is an impressive building that underwent a major transformation in 2004. From the glass and wood front to the cascading spiral wooden staircase, this is one that would a shame to pass up on, especially on their “free” nights!
P.S: They
also have an amazing café!
*Discount: Free admissions on Wednesdays from 6:00-8:30pm
(excludes special exhibitions) 
Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art (MOCCA): I have yet to visit MOCCA, but as an
art lover, this one is definitely on the list. And once you hear about the
admission price, you will probably want to check this one out too! This not-for-profit
museum in downtown Toronto focuses on displaying innovative pieces by Canadian
artists. Since its inception in 2001 (formerly the Art Gallery of North York;
moved to downtown Toronto in 2005), MOCCA has hosted over 80 exhibitions
featuring more than 800 artists. In addition to that, their permanent
collection has amassed to about 400 works by more than 150 artists. MOCCA selects
work that expresses current issues and themes of Canadian society, so again
this is a place where everyone will likely respond to a piece.
*Discount: Admission
is “pay what you can” at all times.
The Gardiner Museum: I will first start by saying that
the Gardiner Museum is the only museum in Canada dedicated entirely to ceramic
art. With that type of standing, you have to admit you want to say you have
been there! Chances are if you have walked past the museum (opposite the ROM),
you have stopped to notice its distinct block modern architecture and thought “what
is that?” Well in addition to hosting a couple of yearly exhibitions, the museum
now houses over 2,900 pieces! The
ceramics you will see in here are from all different time periods ranging from
modern day to Ancient Americas. This is a pretty cool place!
*Discount: Half price admission every Friday (4-9pm)
Free Friday (Every third Friday of the
month; 4-9pm)
Free Tuesday for post-secondary students (with valid ID)
The Bata Shoe Museum: Okay, a museum devoted solely to
footwear (no pun intended)? Already,
this is intriguing. This is another one I haven’t visited but have heard great
things about. Showcasing more than
10,000 shoes spanning various points in history, this sounds like a fun one! The
permanent collection is so large that it is said to contain artifacts from
nearly every culture in the world. There is also quite a collection of
celebrity shoes that include Elton John, Terry Fox, Pablo Picasso, Elvis
Presley and Queen Victoria.
Discount: Every Thursday evening between 5-8pm
is pay what you can (suggested donation of $5)
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