Fun, Family Activities At The Royal Ontario Museum

This year's ROM for the Holidays, inspired by the current Italian Arts & Design: The 20th Century exhibition, will inspire your inner Bugatti, Boccioni or Beccio. The program encourages visitors to experiment with the principles and elements of design.

Create an interactive 3D sculpture; build a miniature model to complement a futuristic cityscape; use collage, sketching and colouring techniques to transform basic shapes into works of art; or use a little imagination and a lot of innovation to craft a piece of functional furniture. These are only some of the family-oriented activities offered during the festivities in the Samuel Hall Currelly Gallery.

On the second floor, let your hands do the walking in the interactive Keenan Family Hands-On Biodiversity Gallery. Handle, examine and explore hundreds of specimens to get an intimate look at the living world around you. Younger visitors can uncover the journey of discovery in the CIBC Discovery Room. Real artifacts bring the museum's collections to life. Try on a suit of armour, examine live insects or piece together a puzzle - each activity will inspire wonder and curiosity in museum visitors of all ages. The CIBC Discovery Room has limited capacity: timed tickets are available at the entrance. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

To please the palate, the ROM offers visitors two dining options. For casual family fare, visit Druxy's Deli open daily on Level 1B. Guests who desire a delectable dining experience can indulge at the Rotunda Café, located on Level 1 underneath the ROM's historic domed ceiling of mosaic glass. The Rotunda Café is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, Fridays from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. To accommodate visitors during the holidays, the Rotunda Café remains open Tuesday, January 2, 2007.

Make sure to visit both of the ROM's retail stores for the perfect holiday gift. The ROM Museum Store carries an array of Italian inspired merchandise, from home décor to collectibles and jewellery. A diverse representation of designers and brands can be found in this boutique, as well as newly-branded ROM merchandise. ROM Reproductions sells an exclusive assortment of reproductions and adaptations of pieces from the ROM's own collections, including sculpture, ceramics, clothing and jewellery.

Aside from the permanent collections on display, be sure to visit the current ROM special exhibitions. Italian Arts & Design: The 20th Century, presented by Sentry Select Capital Corp., explores the innovative designs that put the passione into Pucci, the bella into Bulgari and the va-va-voom into Vespa and runs until January 7, 2007. Carlos Garaicoa, presented by Sentry Select Capital Corp. and the Institute for Contemporary Culture at the ROM, features the artworks of Cuba's leading contemporary artist and runs only until December 31, 2006. Déco Lalique features over 60 fine pieces created by the famed French designer Rene Lalique and runs until March 18, 2007. The newest exhibition, Heaven or Hell: Images of Chinese Buddhist and Daoist Deities and Immortals, presented by Manulife Financial, features more than 20 Chinese religious paintings and prints from the ROM's collection from the 10th through 20th centuries.

Admission to the Museum during ROM for the Holidays includes the special programming, the permanent galleries and the current exhibitions. Admission rates: Adults $18; Seniors and Students (with ID) $15; Child (five to 14) $12; Infants (four years and under) and Members, free. Admission rates during ROM Friday Nights (4:30 pm to 9:30 pm): Adults, Students and Seniors (with ID) $5; Child (five to 14) $2; Infants (four years and under) and Members, free. Admission is free one hour before closing from Saturday to Thursday, except for specially-ticketed exhibitions.

Hours of operation are: Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm; Friday from 10 am to 9:30 pm; and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. The Museum closes at 4 pm on December 24 (Christmas Eve) and December 31(New Year's Eve). The Museum is closed on December 25 (Christmas Day) and January 1 (New Year's Day).

By www.rom.on.ca