The Rooms — Attraction in St. John's

I didn’t quite know what to expect when visiting The Rooms, and I have to say that I was presently surprised.

The museum is on one side of the building, split between the third and fourth floor. The third floor does a great job acknowledging the natural world of Newfoundland, and the history of the Indigenous People here. The fourth floor focuses on more modern European colonial history, acknowledging it as such. I was very impressed.

The other side of the museum has the art museum split over the third and fourth floor. I was absolutely blown away by some of the pieces. There was excellent Indigenous representation, and the questions with the pieces on the fourth floor to help you think about the art I found compelling. What a great way to help guests learn to engage with art!

The views of the city from both the third and fourth floors were excellent. There is a cafe on the fourth floor, and other components to the museum, such as the archives, but we didn’t visit these. The first floor had a gift shop.

We were impressed by how accessible the building was, with electronic door openers and multiple elevators, as well as the fact they had signs downstairs by the gift shop around scent sensitivity.

Over all - well worth a visit (we came at the end of the day and were able to complete it in 1.5 hours, but we are very efficient museum people. I’d suggest at least 2. More if you really want to read every sign and...

A true gem in the heart of St. John's, The Rooms is an absolute must-visit for locals and tourists alike. The experience begins before you even step inside; the building itself is a gorgeous piece of architecture that beautifully complements the city's skyline. One of the first things you'll appreciate is the fair and reasonable admission price. It’s great value for the quality and scale of the facility. They also have special times when students can get in for free, which is a fantastic initiative to make arts and culture accessible to everyone. Once inside, the art gallery and museum collections are simply stunning. Everything is so wonderfully put together and immaculately kept. You can feel the passion and care that goes into every exhibit. It's clear that whoever is in charge of the galleries has a great love for what they do, as the attention to detail is evident everywhere you look. It makes for a truly immersive and enjoyable experience as you explore Newfoundland and Labrador's rich history and vibrant arts scene. Beyond the exhibits, the amenities are top-notch. The gift shop is incredibly cute and boasts a wide selection of amazing Newfoundland merchandise, as well as items specific to The Rooms. And while it deserves its own separate review, I have to mention that the on-site cafe is amazing. Overall, The Rooms is a world-class facility that St. John's should be incredibly proud of. I can't...

A fantastic museum. Art, history, and natural history all rolled into one in a fantastic building.

Couple of things to know: backpacks are not allowed to be worn (you can carry them but they cannot be on your back) in the galleries and, while they do have free lockers, they are limited in number and first come first serve. I arrived just before 11 on a Tuesday and there were lots of lockers left but there was a post lunch rush as I was leaving and it looked like they had run out. So I suggest arriving early or reducing what you are carrying with you.

There are 4 floors connected by stairways but almost everything is accessible by elevator (there are a couple of areas that are sort of alcoves positioned mid stair.

Some older displays have some outdated language but they are aware and are working on it.

Great views of the harbour from the 3rd floor sitting area and the observation deck on 4.

Only complaint is that I was walking and while it seems most everything is in walking distance from where we were staying (waterfront area) it is, unfortunately at the top of a hill. I am a Prairie person and while I can walk all day in Winnipeg, elevation just kills me. If you could move the museum to the bottom of the hill that...