  the royal ontario museum (rom, ) is a museum of world culture and natural history based in toronto, canada. it is one of the largest museums in north america, attracting over one million visitors every year. the museum is located north of queen's park, in the university of toronto district, with its main entrance facing bloor street. established on 16 april 1912 and opened on 19 march 1914, the museum has maintained close relations with the university of toronto throughout its history, often sharing expertise and resources. the museum was under the direct control and management of the university of toronto until 1968, when it became an independent institution. today, the museum is canada's largest field-research institution, with research and conservation activities that span the globe. with more than six million items and forty galleries, the museum's diverse collections of world culture and natural history are part of the reason for its international reputation. the museum contains notable collections of dinosaurs, minerals and meteorites, near eastern and african art, art of east asia, european history, and canadian history. it also houses the world's largest collection of fossils 
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