Friar’s Music Museum

At the busy intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets in Toronto there are many shiny, loud things vying for attention, from giant video billboards to busking musicians to blustery public speakers. There’s also a hidden cultural gem, the Friar’s Music Museum.

Inside a nondescript Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy, beside shelves of toothpaste and deodorant, you’ll find a corner space filled with musical instruments, vintage vinyl, stage clothing, and other artifacts from artists who once made this stretch of Yonge Street the place to be for musicians from around the world. The small but carefully curated space is bright and modern with video screen and interactive timelines to bring history to life.

Why here? This spot was once home to Friar’s Tavern, a legendary live jazz and rock ‘n’ roll venue where a folk singer named Bob Dylan discovered a band that would one day be called The Band. That venue closed in 1976, and from 1978 to 2017 it was was a Hard Rock Cafe. When Shoppers Drug Mart moved in, the local BIA convinced the new owner to donate a portion of their retail space for a museum to honor the heritage of the building and the street.

Opened in 2022, the free museum features rotating exhibitions dedicated to untold stories of Toronto music history.