The Royal Ontario Museum is preparing to transform into one of Toronto’s most unusual Halloween party destinations this weekend, with two nights of music, dancing, performances and after-hours access to its galleries. Taking place Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31, ROM After Dark will bring thousands of years of history together with contemporary nightlife, offering guests the opportunity to explore ancient civilizations, encounter towering dinosaurs and dance beneath the museum’s iconic architecture.
For the first time, ROM After Dark is hosting two nights of Halloween programming, with different musical performers and entertainment planned for each evening. Both events are listed as sold out, reflecting the popularity of a programme that has become an established part of Toronto’s nightlife and cultural scene.
But beyond the costumes and celebrations, the events are part of a broader effort to change how Torontonians experience one of the city’s most recognizable cultural institutions.
We spoke with Adam Moffat, Manager of Performance Programs at the Royal Ontario Museum, about the upcoming Halloween festivities, the evolution of ROM After Dark and how the series is helping introduce new audiences to the museum.
Two Nights of Halloween at the ROM
This year’s Halloween celebrations will offer two distinct evenings of entertainment, with the museum’s galleries serving as the backdrop for a Halloween party unlike most others in Toronto.
On Friday, October 30, the museum will host ROM After Dark: All Hallow’s Eve, featuring Niagara-based band My Son the Hurricane. The evening will also include drag bingo, DJs, dancing and other programming throughout the building.
Saturday, October 31, will feature ROM After Dark: Trick or Treat, with local group Big Gay Night performing Halloween favourites alongside DJs and additional entertainment.
One of the event’s more unusual attractions is the Dinosaur Gallery Food Hall, where local Toronto food vendors set up inside the museum’s dinosaur galleries. Guests can enjoy food and drinks while surrounded by prehistoric specimens, with pop-up performances adding to the atmosphere.
The museum will also feature bars, performances and activities across its three floors, allowing guests to move between the dance floor, exhibitions and interactive programming throughout the evening.
“One of the most exciting things is that this is the first year that ROM After Dark has done two nights of Halloween programming,” Moffat explained.
The expanded format reflects the public’s enthusiasm for the series and gives the museum an opportunity to feature more artists and programming.
Bringing a New Generation Back to the Museum
While the Halloween celebrations promise a memorable night out, ROM After Dark serves a larger purpose for the institution.
The programme evolved from Friday Night Live, a popular museum event series that ran for approximately a decade before being reimagined following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The concept remains relatively simple: open the museum after hours, introduce a different theme each month and combine exhibitions with live entertainment, performances, food and drinks.
“The core of ROM After Dark is to allow guests and patrons to view the museum in a whole new way,” said Moffat.
For many Torontonians, these events represent their first return to the ROM since childhood.
Moffat said he regularly encounters people who haven’t visited the museum since an elementary school field trip or their teenage years. ROM After Dark provides a reason to return, sometimes after 10 or 20 years away.
Rather than asking visitors to choose between a cultural outing and a night of entertainment, the programme combines the two.
Guests might spend part of their evening dancing to a DJ before wandering into an exhibition about ancient Egypt or stopping to speak with a museum curator.
The approach also helps introduce the museum’s exhibitions to audiences who might not otherwise seek them out.
For example, the ROM’s upcoming exhibition, Raptors: Fierce and Feathered, opening in December, will connect with the museum’s popular Dino Night edition of ROM After Dark in February.
By linking its nightlife programming with exhibitions, the museum can introduce visitors to collections and subjects they may want to explore further.
A Different Kind of Toronto Nightlife Experience
Toronto has no shortage of bars, clubs, concerts and cultural events, but ROM After Dark occupies an unusual position within the city’s entertainment landscape.
Few nightlife destinations allow visitors to enjoy live music, explore historical artifacts, interact with curators and visit world-class exhibitions during the same evening.
“Where else can you buy a beer and go see a dinosaur at the same time?” Moffat asked.
The museum’s architecture and collections also provide a distinctive setting for performers and audiences.
Beyond the entertainment, Moffat emphasized the importance of creating a welcoming environment for guests.
ROM After Dark is a 19-plus event, and its combination of organized programming, museum security and multiple entertainment spaces provides an alternative to traditional nightclub experiences.
For younger adults in particular, the events offer an opportunity to socialize and experience Toronto’s nightlife within a major cultural institution.
Moffat believes that combination of entertainment, education and atmosphere is what distinguishes the programme.
Visitors can spend an evening dancing with friends while still discovering something new about the world around them.
Measuring Success Beyond Ticket Sales
The impact of ROM After Dark isn’t measured solely through attendance.
According to Moffat, the programme has developed considerable recognition throughout Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, attracting both local residents and tourists.
The museum also collects information about its audiences to better understand who attends and how they experience the events.
Moffat said visitors frequently arrive in groups of two to four people, and museum data indicates that women make up a majority of the audience.
Repeat attendance is another important measure of success.
While some arts and cultural organizations have struggled to maintain audiences, Moffat said ROM After Dark continues to attract visitors who return for different monthly themes.
The programme has also become increasingly appealing to Toronto’s creative community.
Artists regularly contact the museum about performing, while previous participants express interest in returning.
These relationships allow the ROM to collaborate with musicians, DJs, performers and other creative professionals, providing them with a distinctive platform to reach new audiences.
For the museum, the result is a programme that helps reinforce its identity as more than a place to view historical objects.
ROM After Dark sits alongside the institution’s lectures, exhibitions, fashion programming and other cultural initiatives, demonstrating the different ways a museum can engage with its community.
What’s Next for ROM After Dark?
With the programme continuing to attract audiences, the ROM is already planning future editions.
Moffat said the team is exploring new themes, potential collaborations and opportunities to connect with additional communities across Toronto.
The flexibility of the series is one of its greatest strengths.
Each event can reflect a different exhibition, cultural celebration or creative discipline, allowing the museum to experiment with programming while maintaining a recognizable format.
Future planning also involves considering the timing and frequency of events, as well as how each edition can complement the museum’s broader priorities.
Moffat expects ROM After Dark to remain an important part of the institution’s programming for years to come.
For a museum that has welcomed generations of Toronto families, the series represents another way to maintain its relevance in a changing city.
And for visitors heading to the ROM this Halloween weekend, it offers something that few other parties can match: an evening where contemporary Toronto culture shares the stage with millions of years of history.
ROM After Dark Halloween Event Details
Dates: Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. both nights
Location: Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto
Age requirement: 19+
Friday, October 30: ROM After Dark: All Hallow’s Eve, featuring My Son the Hurricane, drag bingo, DJs and additional programming.
Saturday, October 31: ROM After Dark: Trick or Treat, featuring Big Gay Night, DJs and Halloween-themed performances.
Both nights: After-hours gallery access, food vendors, pop-up bars and entertainment throughout the museum.
Tickets: Both Halloween events are listed as sold out. Regular admission was listed at $40, including a complimentary drink.
For more information about upcoming events and programming, visit the official ROM After Dark website.
