Rogers Centre, formerly known as SkyDome, occupies 11 acres beside Toronto's CN Tower. Home of the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Argonauts, this domed stadium features a sprawling retractable roof for open-air entertainment. Facilities Magazine has awarded this venue the "Prime Site of the Year Award." As Toronto's largest indoor concert venue, Rogers Centre hosts rock concerts by international artists. The 143,000 square feet of exhibition space offers year-round events such as auto shows, conferences and circuses.
Founder Sonja Bata, whose husband belonged to the Bata family that started the international shoe manufacturing company, began collecting shoes from around the world. The Bata Shoe Museum's collection of more than 12,000 shoes represents 4,500 years of civilization. The Canadian collection includes footwear of aboriginal and immigrant populations and the stories of hand-crafted skills and the process of mechanization in the shoe industry. The museum's exterior features a roof plane resembling a lid on an open box.
Located in the Rouge Valley, the Toronto Zoo houses more than 5,000 animals and more than 500 species. The 700-acre site includes the Waterside Theatre, a water play area, and a zoomobile. Habitats for animals include seven geographic regions. A polar bear habitat forms part of the Tundra Trek that allows visitors to watch these Arctic mammals in an underwater viewing area. The Toronto Zoo focuses on animal and plant conservation, with programs such as invasive species management, reproductive research and behavioral studies.
Opened in 1993 at Toronto's Brookfield Place, the current home of the Hockey Hall of Fame houses Canada's largest sports shrine dedicated to ice hockey. The Hockey Hall of Fame features extensive exhibits, a retail store and a resource center. Zagat Survey has voted the Hockey Hall of Fame as "Toronto's Top Appeal Attraction."
The World of Hockey Zone showcases world, Stanley Cup and Olympic champions. Permanent exhibits such as The Top 100 Moments in International Hockey include the hockey puck from Team Canada's gold medal victory at the 2010 Olympics. The Women's International Hockey exhibit spotlights Women's World Championships and the rise of the sport.
