It isn’t unusual to see Toronto playing other cities on film or TV. Toronto pretends to be New York in shows like Suits, for instance. But I went Hey! with delight seeing our city cast as a place on a different planet in a recent episode of Star Trek: Discovery.
Welcome to a celebration on Vulcan! That accounts for its greenish tinge. In real life, it’s the Aga Khan Museum, shown as it looks in late autumn. It’s one of my favourite times to visit this monumental public plaza, when the allées of serviceberry (Amelanchier) are in their blaze of fall colour. Spring blossom season comes a close second.
Here’s how it was when I visited for the first time, back in 2014.
The Ismaili Centre shares the plaza, and the two buildings have photogenic views of each other’s architectural drama through the trees.
On the inauguration of the Aga Khan Museum, I got to share the press podium with the brass, and watched an artisan create this amazing relief in the Ismaili Centre lobby while I was waiting to be admitted. Mind boggling.
12 comments
I KNEW I recognized that scene!! Thanks for the validation! LOL!
You are most welcome, Traci-Anna.
Oh my it is stunning! We loved this garden and museum. I would love to visit it again some day!
I live about 20 minutes away, Laurin. Let me know if you’re ever back in Toronto.
Vulcan! Very cool. The Serviceberry is gorgeous! It never gets red here, but is a lovely orange and gold.
The colour is variable, even here, Gail. But whatever cultivar was selected for the Aga Khan Museum looks like one of the more reliable ones.
I am still waiting for my serviceberry to change colour here in south end Etobicoke. Strangely the plaza design reminds me of the 911 memorial site in New York, with large plantings of the same tree variety (oak I believe) and large square water pools.
I shall try to visit the Aga Khan Museum soon -that relief sculpture is gorgeous.
Mine is taking its time, too, Jessica. BTW, I updated the post to note that the relief is actually next door in the Ismaili Centre. However, there’s lots that’s beautiful to see at the museum. I hope you get a chance to visit.
Wow – that’s pretty incredible! Now I need to watch that episode, don’t I?
Yes, you do, Margaret. The museum is shown in Season 1, Episode 6 (Lethe).
It’s a beautiful setting and so perfect for Star Trek (although I haven’t seen the new series). One of the companies I worked for, an aerospace firm, was used in the original series. That happened decades before I worked there but the setting was instantly recognizable to me the first time I walked through the campus. Coincidentally, it also featured a huge reflecting pool.
I found ST: Discovery a little hard to get into until about Episode 3, when the CGI started to take a back seat to characterizations. Toronto often shows up on screen, so it’s fun to recognize the settings. It pokes a hole in the 4th wall, doesn’t it?