Opening of the ROM in Toronto by Daniel Libeskind

On Saturday, June 2, 2007, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto was reopened. Due to its unmistakable handwriting, it is easy to guess that the author of the new museum wing is none other than architect Daniel Libeskind. The crystalline extension was named after its sponsor, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. The angular shape clad in metal plates uncompromisingly bites into the stone building of the existing museum built in 1914 in the Neo-Romanesque style. The new wing cost 154 million US dollars, making the entire museum the largest Canadian building for hosting international exhibitions. In Libeskind's extension, an area of 18,600 m² spans four floors (however, tall as an ordinary ten-story building) with eight new gallery spaces, two restaurants, a gift shop, and the main entrance to the museum. The individual galleries will be opened in the coming months. The new wing is part of a five-year program, during which the entire museum will be reconstructed and expanded with an amount of 240 million dollars. The completion is planned for 2009. Link>