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The 52

Stories of women who transformed Toronto

Did you know that 52% of Torontonians are women? Join Museum of Toronto as we bring their stories to life.

The 52 shines a spotlight on change-makers, rebels, and revolutionaries from Toronto’s past and present. In fact, while some of these women’s stories are well known, many others have remained untold – until now.

Above all, through this exhibition, we honour their legacies, elevate their voices, and challenge the narratives that have excluded them for too long. By highlighting these stories, we celebrate the impact women have made and continue to make in every facet of life.

Plan Your Visit

On now until December 20

The 52: The Exhibition

Discover the stories of 52 women who shaped Toronto through photos, artifacts & monologues. Moreover, the exhibition offers an engaging, accessible space for all visitors to explore these impactful narratives.

Events

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Saturday, September 6, 2025 | 1:00pm-2:30pm

Curatorial Tours: In Her Own Words with Min Sook Lee

Join a tour with Min Sook Lee, one of the 52 women, as she her shares stories, memories & insights.

Watch

Who is Phyllis Bomberry?

A trailblazer for Indigenous women in sports. As a vocal advocate for racial unity within sports, her legacy lives on in Canadian sports today.

Video

Playlist

Watch the Stories Come to Life

Short, powerful videos spotlighting 52 women who transformed Toronto – one video at a time. To illustrate, each video adds another layer to the women’s rich and complex legacies.

The 52: Women Who Transformed Toronto

53 Videos

Video

Explorer

Adrienne Clarkson

Angela James

Ausma Malik

Beatrice Worsley

Bernice Redmon

Bianca Andreescu

Blanche Lemco van Ginkel

Cathy Crowe

Cecilia Krieger

Cheri DiNovo

Clara Cynthia Benson

Columbia “Coco” Diaz

Elizabeth “Elsie” MacGill

Emily Stowe

Fanny “Bobbie” Rosenfeld

Flora MacDonald Denison

Frances Loring

Gar Yin Hune

Hazel McCallion

Jackie Shane

Jane Jacobs

Jean Lumb

Jeanne Parkin

Jennifer Hodge de Silva

Jill Andrew

Josephine Mandamin

Judith Snow

June Rowlands

Karen Kain

Kathleen Taylor

Kit Coleman

Laura Bulger

Lee Maracle

Lillian H. Smith

Margaret Atwood

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

Mary Fix

Menaka Thakkar

Min Sook Lee

Myrtle Cook McGowan

Penny Oleksiak

Phyllis Bomberry

Roberta Bondar

Rosalie Silberman Abella

Rosemary Sadlier

Rowena Hume

Saadia Muzaffar

Slova Greenberg

Susan Bailey

Verna Johnston

Read

Jackie Shane’s Story

How a Black, trans woman from the American South took Toronto's local music scene by storm.

Article • 12 min read

More Articles

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Hazel McCallion

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Adrienne Clarkson

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Jane Jacobs

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Flora MacDonald Denison

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Verna Johnston

Jean Lumb

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Rosalie Silberman Abella

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Menaka Thakkar

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Frances Loring

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Jackie Shane

Margaret Atwood

Encyclopedia of Canada

Fanny "Bobbie" Rosenfeld

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Verna Johnston

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Josephine Mandamin

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Jean Lumb

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Kit Coleman

Jackie Shane

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

Jennifer Hodge de Silva

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Lee Maracle

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Penny Oleksiak

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Myrtle Cook McGowan

Angela James

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Bianca Andreescu

Roberta Bondar

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Elizabeth "Elsie" MacGill

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Emily Stowe

Josephine Mandamin

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Jean Lumb

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Kit Coleman

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Elizabeth "Elsie" MacGill

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Jackie Shane

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Emily Stowe

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Josephine Mandamin

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Elizabeth "Elsie" MacGill

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Angela James

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Jennifer Hodge de Silva

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

The Canadian Encyclopedia

More About the Project

This impact-filled, multi-year project aims to celebrate the myriad ways women have shaped city life. For example, their influence is seen in art, culture, politics, sports, technology, and business. Moreover, the exhibit encourages reflection on Toronto’s evolving identity.
How It Began: The journey officially started with a participatory performance on September 23, 2023, during Nuit Blanche. Since then, the project has grown in scope and reach. Looking ahead, 2025 will mark the launch of both The 52 exhibition and a live theatrical experience, presented in association with Luminato Festival.

Presented in
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Supported by

Learn More About our Monologues
As part of The 52 exhibit, Canadian playwrights were invited to create original monologues inspired by the lives of the 52 women featured in the project. In conclusion, these powerful works bring voice to personal and political histories that have shaped Toronto. Therefore, we are proud to premiere filmed versions of these monologues, written by 24 award-winning Canadian playwrights.
Meet the Playwrights Behind The 52
Contributors include Aida Jordao, Ali Joy Richardson, Anna Chatterton, Ashley Naomi Skye, Cheri Maracle, Coleen MacPherson, Diane Flacks, Erin Shields, Falen Johnson, Jo SiMalaya Alcampo, Jordi Mand, Julia Hune-Brown, Julie Tepperman, Kanika Ambrose, Keira Loughran, Lisa Ryder, Marcia Johnson, Marjorie Chan, Meghan Swaby, Ophira Calof, Sarena Parmar, Sedina Fiati, Shandra Spears, and Sharada Eswar.
The Stories Come to Life On Stage and Screen
To bring these stories to the screen, a wide network of performers and creatives collaborated from across the country. Among them are:
Aida Jordao, Alexandra Crenian, Ange Loft, Asha Vijayasham, Ashley Naomi Skye, Athena Lemarre, Barbara Gordon, Bryn Kennedy, Cara Rebecca, Carolyn Fe, Cheri Maracle, Danielle Ferrier, Diana Tso, Diane Flacks, Erica Anderson, Gloria Mampuya, Jane Miller, Jessica Greenberg, Krystal Kiran, Krystle Chance, Lara Arabian, Leesa Kopansky, Linda Goranson, Lisa Kovack, Lisa Ryder, Lori Nancy Kalamanski, Lyla Porter Follows, Margaret Evans, Mary Kelly, Mayko Nguyen, Mirabella Sundar Singh, Monica Dotter, Nicole Stamp, Niki Landau, Rebecca De La Cour, Sabrina Friedman, Sachi Lovatt, Sarah Horsman, Sasha Wentges, Sedina Fiati, Shandra Spears, Shira Leuchter, Soo Garay, Steph Jung, Susan Burnett, Teri Lake, Tiffany Claire Martin, Tommie-Amber Pirie, Tonjha Richardson, Tracey Hoyt, Valerie Boyle, and Vicki Kim.

In the space, you can explore films, personal objects, photographs, letters and mementos of the women – as well as material culture from our city. Moreover, we display objects from personal collections, the City of Toronto Archives, and Toronto History Museums’ Fine Art and Artifact Collection.