Across the street from the ROM, North America's only specialized ceramics museum houses a great collection of 15th- to 18th-century European pieces. Unfortunately, the Gardiner will be closed for most of 2004 and part of 2005; the good news is that when it reopens it will be grander than ever. Like its neighbor across the street, the museum will undergo a massive renovation. The C$15-million (US$11-million) All Fired Up plan will increase the Gardiner's floor space from 19,000 square feet to 29,000, and will allow far more of the vast -- and growing -- collection to be on display.

In case you manage to get to the Gardiner before the work begins, here's a taste of what you'll see. The pre-Columbian gallery contains fantastic Olmec and Maya figures, and objects from Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru. The majolica gallery displays spectacular 16th- and 17th-century salvers and other pieces from Florence, Faenza, and Venice, and a Delftware collection that includes fine 17th-century chargers. Upstairs, the galleries contain 18th-century Continental and English porcelain -- Meissen, Sèvres, Worcester, Chelsea, Derby, and other great names. All are spectacular. Among the highlights are objects from the Swan Service -- a 2,200-piece set that took four years (1737-41) to make -- and an extraordinary collection of commedia dell'arte figures.