The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art was opened in 1984 by George and Helen Gardiner to house their collection of ancient American artifacts and European pottery and porcelain.From 1976 when they started collecting ceramics to 1981 when they decided to share their treasures with the public, George and Helen assembled several astounding specialized collections in the fields of pottery from the Ancient Americas and European ceramics that would become the core of the museum when it opened. In their depth and breadth, the Gardiner’s collections of Meissen porcelain, rare Du Paquier porcelain from Vienna (the second factory to successfully produce hard-paste porcelain in Europe), and Hausmaler decorated porcelain are of world importance. The Gardiners also established one of the best collections of Italian Renaissance maiolica in Canada, and the most comprehensive collection of figures from the commedia dell’arte in a public institution.
