Friday Night Live @ The ROM

I’ve been here twice and had a good time both times. The first time I came on/​near Halloween and it was awesome mainly because of the costumes of the guests. I think people who like museums tend to be more creative than average and so put a lot more effort into their costumes. It was fun just to walk around and gawk at all the outfits! I highly recommend coming here at the end of Oct. for that reason alone.
I just went again for the May 20 Fashion-​themed night and it was fun too. The Fashion exhibits were a bit underwhelming but my favourite thing is actually just wandering through the regular exhibits. You can’t take food/​drinks into all of them, but unlike the AGO Friday Night event the ROM doesn’t block off rooms so you can still go and see the bat cave at night. I mean, not that you would know it’s night in the bat cave but it’s still cool to be there after hours. It plays into my ‘From the Mixed-​Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler’ fantasies (YA book where a pair of siblings run away & secretly live at the Met).

So you’ve hit a quarter life crisis. You feel like you’ve moved on from the fist pumping and gratuitous grinding at the club but you’re not ready to have wine and cheese dinner parties that end respectfully before 10pm. Friday Night Live is the perfect place for your maturing self.
I came here in November with my girlfriends. First of all, everyone should go online and buy the tickets beforehand or you WILL wait in line for hours, outside the museum (in the cold possibly). You can bypass all that and go straight to coat-​check with a ticket, which is at least another 30 mins. Once you do get inside though, it’s such a fantastic vibe with the lights and the music. For $ 15, you get access to the entire museum, even the special exhibits. They have food/​drink booths scattered throughout and the great hall is transformed into a dance floor. What an incredibly smart idea to get people to go to the museum!
The drinks and food can be purchased with vouchers that cost $ 6 each. They have bars all around the museum so you can always get your drank on. Some items are really worth it. There was a burger and fries combo that you can get for one ticket (don’t know about quality, but at least you are filled up). They also have more exotic items. I tried a Filipino noodle dish. It wasn’t the greatest, but at least I got to give it a try. The liquid nitrogen ice cream was really good! It was extremely flavourful and smooth but not really worth the $ 6.
The exhibits are very interesting and educational. The ROM has a huge variety of things to see, from ancient artifacts gathered from all over the world, to animal exhibits that range from prehistoric to modern times. I’m surprised they open up the entire museum, even the areas that might be risky to have drunk people stumbling around (precious gemstones exhibit maybe). I guess that’s why they have copious security though. I went when they had the special Pompeii exhibition. You’d have to pay extra to access this area normally, but during FNL, it comes with admission.
I actually enjoyed the dance floor! Yes, the music they played was a little odd sometimes (lots of rap for some reason when I went). But, this isn’t really a nightclub and I had a great time with my friends. The dancing is really just supplementary to the main attraction: the museum itself. It was a great way to keep the environment lively.
FNL is something everyone should try once. I’m not sure if I would return frequently just because the main exhibits in the museum don’t really change, just the special exhibit once in awhile. It’s also really crowded and there are huge line-​ups to get to the food. Still, this is definitely one of the better ways to spend $ 15 on a cold Friday night. :)
(7÷100)

LOVE partying with the dinosaurs! The $ 15 cover is well worth the awesomeness the ROM has to offer. Different exhibition, music, and food vendors every floor, different theme every Friday, never a dull moment here. $ 6 for drinks and food tickets, not too bad a deal, although some food portion could be quite small. The only down side is that the bar closes early (10:45pm), and the party ends around 11:30pm. No refunds on the drinks and food tickets, so don’t buy too many. It’s better to get more tickets as you need, the ticket queues are usually free on the upper floor later on. Door opens at 7pm, get your early bird tickets online to avoid a HUGE lineup. Too bad they don’t have FNL@ROM all the time, I’m looking forward to their next one in a couple months.

I had no idea that this event had a listing or else I would’ve reviewed it last year when I went for the first time in the summer. We couldn’t buy tickets online since they were sold out and had to settle waiting in the line outside the ROM. (The second time I went, I bought tix online and omg this made life 100x easier) The line was way too long but since it was summer, it was tolerable. I’d hate to imagine how the line would survive in colder weather though.
I don’t like the idea of ROM bucks, although I kind of understand how it’s easier for the different vendors to operate without handling cash. They are kind of expensive, especially when you’re using them to buy a small mixed drink. Some of the vendors are worth going to and a lot of them are not. I like how some are very unique while others are meh– I can get cupcakes and ice cream anywhere, why would I overpay for it here? I remember one vendor had interesting filipino food + other unique items such as ear cartilage (it tasted good regardless of knowing what it was). If you’re not really hungry/​thirsty, try not to waste your money on ROM $. But of course, that’s coming from somebody who is expert on wasting money on stuff I don’t need. I like the ROM a lot and I find it to be one of those creepy places that can be very lively. (Yes, the ROM IS one of the most haunted places in Toronto!) The exhibits are all very interesting to me and it seems like a viewing party during FNL– is that what adults do? I wouldn’t know. Who let me adult again? My favourite exhibit are obviously the dinosaurs. The first time I came to FNL, it was the night where china’s forbidden city was opened, so it was extremely cool going into it and seeing all the new things.
FNL is definitely not a place I’d want to spend a friday night if I wanted to have the ‘party’ or ‘club’ kind of vibe. The music is terrible and sounds like mainstream radio mixed with terrible beats and drops. Dancing in the crowd is definitely awkward because it feels like I’m dancing in a failed club with awkward people that probably feel the same as I do. Personally, I am not comfortable ‘clubbing’ with middle-​aged or older adults watching, so I definitely avoided the dance floor as much as I could. This party and crowd is definitely not for me.
Overall? I recommend going to this at least once because partying in the ROM after hours is quite the experience. Would I waste $ and time to go over and over again? Probably not.

This was my very first FNL@ROM, but definitely not my first party at museum, and I’ve been excited for a month about going to this «Day of the Dead» themed FNL the night before Halloween. Who doesn’t love a fancy dress evening at a museum?
I had my costume all sorted to go with the day of the dead theme, then about two days before the event, ROM posted on their event page that masks and fake weapons are not allowed at FNL. Fake weapons I would understand, but masks? I sent this query to ROM and this was their response (directly from their private message to me): «It’s a question of security. We don’t want anyone tripping and hurting themselves or knocking into an object by accident etc.» Pretty vague but I had no plans on complying anyway since my costume would make no sense without a mask and I hated face paint, I thought if they really give me trouble about it, I would put the mask on my hat.
I got there around 7:30pm and there was a queue outside, but apparently there were three queues, which you wouldn’t know unless you were in the very front. I had a small canvas bag where I put my mask in plus a little handbag, the security barely checked it, I was fine with that. I passed security and as I was walking toward the ticket entrance of the museum, I overhead someone being asked to check their mask in, then another security person told me I needed to check my hat in, I told him they said no masks and fake weapons, my hat was neither, he didn’t even try to pursue it further and I continued on.
As I was the first of my friends to arrive, I waited for them right by the dinosaur butt in the atrium, admiring all the other costumes, and moving along to music pumping in the main corridor that they had transformed into a dance floor. More people start to arrive and I start to see people with masks on. After seeing about 10 masked costumes, I figured it was safe to pull mine out of hiding and put it on and I had it on ALL NIGHT travelling through all the floors, and only ONE security person mentioned I shouldn’t be wearing my mask. ONE. To be fair, my mask did look like face paint so it wasn’t as noticeable than others, but it did feel like some security people took it too seriously and the rest couldn’t be bothered.
You have to get the ROM currency called ROM bucks because the vendors do not handle money, considering the vendors are pretty spread out, it made sense for security reason. It didn’t take them too long to purchase their bucks on the fourth floor. It’s a bit silly to have to purchase separate tickets for drinks and food because they were priced differently, why do drinks that you have in-​house, cost more than the food you outsourced? When you get to the food vendors, it’s unclear where you order or if the person in front of you is in a queue for what you want or just trying to walk through, you just have to yell, «Where do you order?» And hope someone responds to you.
I am fairly certain they oversold tickets, because at around 9:30pm, we went for a walk around each floor coming from the fourth floor. All the floors were packed and I had to push people away just so I could walk by them, especially people who wore oversized costumes who had no perception of how much more space they needed.
By the end of the night, I saw a lot of mask-​wearing people, many other things that were more cause for concern in regards to security than masks. If it was such a concern for people tripping and knocking things over, maybe you shouldn’t allow any ovesized costumes (like those Mario Kart people who wore a massive box on their body), or any costumes that would come apart easily (like those «grapes» who kept losing their their balloons) and maybe not sell alcohol because I definitely saw some people who I’m pretty sure was over-​served at the bar (s) and some who shouldn’t be taking the stairs because of their inebriated state.
Honestly, I was put off about FNL just days before the event because of the lack of clarity from their «Digital Engagement Specialist». It was apparent on the night of the event, that the «security» policies the Communications team posed was not conveyed properly to everyone else involved with FNL, or vice versa.
While I have all these complaints, I did have tons of fun, I really enjoyed the live music performances, the ability to dance at a museum and a pretty good night out without having to stay out too late. The programming and activities are good, but logistics need work.

Museum after dark for food, live music, and dinosaurs! It doesn’t get any better than this, and the price is amazing (less than regular admission to the ROM!)
Staff: In terms of the ROM staff, they were great in getting us in quick. Always recommend getting tickets beforehand for the fall season because it can be quite rainy and chilly in Toronto. Coat check is available for a nominal fee (free if you’re a member of the ROM). There were food and drinks not only on the main floor but throughout the facilities. So don’t feel confined to one spot! Staff were also available explaining some exhibits at certain locations and staff were throughout the museum providing assistance and maps. All in all, top notch staff!
Ambience: It sort of felt like it was a fundraising gala of sorts and I enjoyed that. There were different music on different levels. Could be considered a bit loud if you are looking for a more peaceful time. Unfortunately some of the exhibits on the higher level were more crowded due to limited space food and drinks were allowed but you can go in once you ate your food or finished your drink. Each night is a theme so they try to incorporate it based on music or presenters.
Food: You need to get ROM bucks to buy food and drinks. They are $ 6, and each items usually costs 1 ticket. I think it’s a great opportunity to try some of the food truck vendors that you may not catch or see on the streets. In addition, they took payment all over the place (avoid the line ups by going to the higher levels, they’re usually less busy).
A great place with a group or an evening out, I found myself thorough enjoying everything about this night. Will definitely return again!

Friday Night Live is definitely one of the best events I have ever been to in Toronto.
I mean, I could spend hours getting lost in this museum while going dry, but with a few cocktails and pumping music, this venue has just become my perfect place to nerd-​out on Byzantinian art history while dancing to electronic house music.
This event is like Night at the Museum 2.0, but with more glam, flashing lights and inebriation.
Other than the fantastic exhibits that are open for viewing till 11 pm, each floor has a different music scene. My favourite definitely was the electronic music on the 2^nd floor and jazz bar on the 3^rd. There are also pockets of random activities you can do on various floors. For instance, at one point of the night I remember being subjected to a gruelling trivia game on Canadian history. Despite being completely clueless, we won squishy bear-​shaped stress balls to take home.
All drinks and snacks are $ 6. The selection is limited but definitely a lot lower than most clubs in Toronto.
Friday Night Live is basically like prom, but for adults.
Evening dresses, art, dancing, cocktails, history, furniture, taxidermy, music, random trivia– honestly, what more do you want out of life?
I am so impressed.

Fun Fridays at the ROM!
Too bad the line ups were ridiculously long when I went back in November. Food was good but some were not worth the $ 6 tickets.

Amazing energy in a unique environment. Fabulous food and a reasonably priced cultured Friday night out.

This is a great event! There was fun music great tables if a variety of food and drinks. It was expensive and you do need to use your «rom bucks» wisely. It gets crowded fast so come early for sure! I like how it’s themed each time and it’s a good excuse for a good time, fun Friday and it makes you feel like your being cultured! I recommend getting your ticket online cuz u can a bypass line and b feel Hollywood

For a person who doesn’t clubbing very much. This is probably the best option for me for a fun night out. The ROM becomes a giant lounge with performances, music, food and artifacts. It normally starts at around 7:30 and ends about 1:00 am. This event only runs in the spring and fall.
Tickets can be purchased online for 14 dollar each and buy fast as they sell out quickly. These tickets allow to go thru line bypass and not have to wait in the cold. There are coat checks all over the place which cost 2 dollars. Once you are in ROM bucks must be purchased to buy any drinks or food available in the museum. These ROMbucks are 6 dollars each, which is not so bad, and makes it easy to pay for items.
The food that are served are simply amazing, but be quick to order as lines build up fast and foods do run out. One restaurant that stands out is the Filipino station that serves poutine and palabok which are the bomb!!! Drinks are offered and my favourite bottomless pop is unlimited pop for 1 ROMbuck.
The music are great and the vibes are great. People are there to have fun and no fights like you find in clubs. Mature crowd and a great place to bring a date. It’s definitely a must check out in Toronto! Have fun!

There’s only so many bars and clubs one wants to go to before it gets overdone, y’know?
This was definitely a hit from the start. Just think about it! Many of us have entered the age where you’d LIKE to think you’re a bit classier than going straight clubbing every week, and that we’ve now acquired a taste for culture. That’s where the ROM steps in, providing a venue for you to kid yourself in! You’re still drinking, still dressed to the nines (well, I am, anyways), but you’re drinking and dressed up in a MUSEUM *emphasis*.
My love for FNL comes from a few things. The theme nights are a huge plus for me. In the time I spent abroad in the UK, I learned what «fancy dress» meant. Essentially, Halloween every week. FNL allows for that with their changing themes each week. They have special exhibits, live performers and street food stands open inside! The currency inside is «ROM Bucks», which goes for about $ 6 each. Drinks = 1 ROM Buck = $ 6. Not bad, except wine comes in a plastic cup. This kind of partying allows for more movement, since you get to roam the different floors, look at dinosaurs, and have quieter areas for you to just chill!
The con — if you’re like me, and sometimes don’t plan ahead to buy tix, you’ll be standing outside in the cold for 1.5 hours waiting to get in. Once, I got in 45 minutes before closing… but dayum, those 45 min was fun!
Note that the hours are from 7pm-​10pm, so if your next destination is STILL clubbing, then pat yourself on the back for being classy first!

I la-​la-​LOVED it. What a novel idea! Who wouldn’t love dancing with the dinos?!
This weekend, I had a few American friends in town so I made a point to find Toronto-​exclusive events for them to bask in the wondrous differences that make our land and city (mildly exaggerated, but you know Toronto/​Canada is awesome). I was a little skeptic because I had never gone to the ROM (yes, yes, I know… what kind of Canadian, let alone TORONTONIAN hasn’t been to the ROM), let alone gone to FNLROM. I was very pleasantly surprised.
Pros:
+ very decently priced alcohol. You can purchase ROMbucks ($ 6) which entitles you to a beverage/​food item. For food, that’s a little expensive but for the alcohol? Not bad.
+ there was a sense of class and sophistication. Having read the Unilocal reviews prior to going, I didn’t know what to expect at first so I played it safe and wore in a business-​appropriate dress. I’d say casual dressy/​cocktail works well. There were a few girls who were dressed in clubbing attire… which offset the entire ambiance (aka you knew they didn’t fit in).
+ Waiting for the dance floor to get live? Go check out some history! I loved the layout of the museum, from a floor on different continents (Asia, China, Korea, etc.) to animals (reptiles, mammals, birds, etc.)
+ Second City’s presence was the highlight of my night. I had checked out their shows before but it really allowed my American friends to get a sampler prior to paying for admission to see their show (they really do want to check out their Improv shows now!).
+ I loved the music. I’m not a Top 40’s kind of girl, I personally like older music from the early 2000’s. I just lost it when they played, «your sex is on fireeeeeeee»
Cons:
— there wasn’t a huge selection for the alcoholic drinks: they only had a few spirits to choose from. Then again, it’s the ROM… you can’t go to a museum expecting strawberry daiquiris and mojitos.
— I can’t imagine finding parking in Toronto; park at a subway and take the subway!
I believe that they host FNLROM from May-​June & Oct-​Nov. It’s a great lounge/​dancing experience where you don’t get sticky floors from alcohol spills and crazy underaged teenagers.

FNL was a lot of fun. It was my first time going and I was not too sure what to expect. The event is a combination of music, dancing, food and drinks. There are a number of food stations throughout the ROM all featuring local, food truck style offerings. We did four or five of them, from tacos and Japanese style fried chicken to ice cream sandwiches (the best!) and apple pie.
The drinks are all $ 6 and the beer/​wine selection is not great, but good enough I guess. I would have preferred to see some local beers, but Perroni is obviously a sponsor.
The main dance floor is on the first level. The DJ was pretty good when we got there, but by the end of the night they had switched to a live rock band which was not as conducive to dancing. The stage on the second floor had a great band from Montréal. If you go make sure to check the schedule and plan which acts you want to see.
As others have said, make sure you buy tickets online first. It gets cold fast waiting in line if you don’t have tickets. Also make sure to stock up on the ROM bucks so you don’t have to waste time in line buying more all night.
In terms of the crowd it is a real mix of older and younger, people dressed to go clubbing and others in pretty casual clothes. My advice is to dress up more than less, but either way you will fit in.

The ROM is a great museum at anytime but transforming it into a social venue was a brilliant idea. The main floor and an area on the second floor are turned into a dance floor, each with different genres of music. The 2^nd floor is generally more top 40 while the main floor is DJ’d (house/​electronic) or they have a live band.
There is something fantastic about being able to wander through the exhibits with drinks while talking with friends/​strangers in something other than hushed tones. The crowd is very eclectic both in age and dress and people come to have a great time. The event is never pretentious.
I love the food that is on offer but the lines for drinks are too long. They need more staff or more drink stations. Other than that, I like that it is only offered seasonally (it is something to look forward to) and don’t mind that it ends early. Its a great way to start a Friday night in Fall or Spring. In particular, its a fantastic way to start Halloween. Just make sure to get your tickets early.

Amaaaaazing experience. Get dressed up, Round up a few friends (keep the numbers low because it’s super hard to keep track of each other), and head for a great night out.
Tips:
1. buy entrance tickets and ROM bucks (how you get food and drinks) ahead of time. It’ll cut down on the wait at the all annoying long lines.
2. Scope out the food and bands before you go.
3. Have a plan for what you want to see/​eat
4. Eat dinner before you go!!! (6 $ for snacks is NOT worth it although what we had was tasty. So buy a few items for the experience but save your ROM bucks for the drinks because 6 $ for a drink in downtown Toronto IS worth it.)

Went back to FNL@ROM for the second time in November. It seemed a lot busier than in the summer. I was in a bigger group, so navigating around was difficult. The food vendors were not as good as in the summer, we got to try a few things but there wasn’t a lot of options. And there weren’t much of a performance in the main room.
That night there was a play based on Shakespare plays but we didn’t stay longer than 10 minutes because I felt the actors weren’t able to connect with the audience in the way that they should.
The end of the night was the best because the DJ played good music and we got to dance a little. That made the night worth it.
Also this time around we ordered our tickets online, which was the best decision cause I can’t ever imagine lining up in the cold. It was very windy and cold that night.

AAAAAAAAAAAANDDD… we are back for our second time! Can you get sick of this place, you know what, I didn’t! (Sorry, this review was in draft form and forgotten! Our night was May 3)
This time it was with Unilocaler friends: Bobby, Sara… also saw Yvonne, Tony, and Jen C.
I didn’t have advanced tickets (boohoo) so I arrived at 6pm to line up. The line was from the entrance all the way to Bloor’s traffic lights. But when they started admitting people, the lineup was very quick. Plus! There was a fun man at the beginning of the line telling stories about Ancient Egyptian’s favourite perfume (which he was holding a sample of!)
The line went by fast, it was very smooth compared to my first time’s chaotic experience.
FNL at The ROM 101:
— you need ROM BUCKS to buy drinks/​food, they are food tickets
— you cannot bring your drink to the elevator and to some parts of the museum
This second time, compared to my first time:
— ROM bucks can be purchased in LOTS of places!!! Downstairs, upstairs, between floors, right out the elevators.
— More bars set up. In fact, LOTS. Lots of tables for seating as well, thumbs up up.
— Different food this time too! Sisig Fries: with pig’s ears and snouts, and pork belly. How gross is that??? We had it, it was amazing.
— MORE FOOD upstairs!
— Lineups were extremely well managed.
— MORE PLACES ALLOWED FOR DRINKING!
WOW what an improvement. I am so proud of them!

So much fun !!!
Can’t wait for the next Friday Night in May 2013.
For $ 10, you get to dance to awesome music and have a fun with the dinos.
I enjoyed checking out the various food vendors on different floors. Drinks are available too, which is a nice plus.
Woohoo, waahoo, yoohoo

Oh my GOD, I love EVERYTHING about ROM Fridays.
They turned an otherwise unprofitable time into an amazing time. I didn’t go in the summer when it first started but methinks I’m benefitting from the summer test run as the fall season seems to be less crowded (not b/​c lessened attendance but due to better organization).
1) Buy tickets online first. Better option than waiting in line.
2) 2 $ coat check is a-​ok but not totally necessary. ROM Bucks necessary and you won’t need that much– I only bought 12 $ worth and only used half for some reason…
3) AWESOME entrance space with food vendors, a nice standing/​sitting combination and a REALLY good DJ. Seriously. there is nowhere in town where you can find some good electro-​house like this before 11pm.
4) Different floors with piano lounge and beer gardens, coffee corners
5) Walking around the ROM with drink in hand? WIN!
6) Yes, dancing goes on. And YES it’s awesome.
Most awesome points:
–Different vibes on different floors
–Plenty of randoms to make friends with and unexpected familiar faces to catch up with.
–an AMAZING date idea– so many great corners to steal a kiss. Can definitely be a romantic time.
–Washroom availability– there was never a line for the washrooms!
Most confusing parts:
–Since when did this turn into an event to pickup? There are plenty of creepers ready to pounce– watch out!
–That one dude off to the side of the dance floor who seems to be grooving in a still fashion. Is he high or what?
–The super cute bartenders. Like… when did the ROM employ such hotties?
I love everything about this event. go, Go, GO!