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In an endeavour to put more of its major collections on permanent display, as well as increase the number of objects within each gallery, the ROM, led by William Thorsell, Director and CEO, embarked on a major fundraising campaign in 2002 named "Renaissance ROM." With seed money of $60 million provided by the Federal and Provincial governments, support for the project received a major boost with a generous gift of $30 million from Jamaica-born Toronto businessman ​Michael Lee-Chin. Lee-Chin's generosity inspired other gifts from the community and the "Renaissance" project which began in earnest in 2003 and formally ended in 2010, ultimately created major improvements. These have included, among other things, new and renovated gallery spaces that have allowed for a doubling of artifacts and specimens on display, a renovation of the ROM's educational facilities, a Digital Gallery to provide students with an interactive multimedia experience digital access to collections for scholars,...

The ROM's collections currently comprise over 6 million objects. The Natural History and World Cultures departments contain collections related to anthropology, Near Eastern and Asian civilizations, Western art and culture, biodiversity, earth sciences and palaeobiology and other disciplines. The ROM houses archaeological collections from all areas of the New World. Its ethnological collections are world-wide in scope, with Canadian North-West Coast, Plains, Inuit and Woodlands being the most comprehensive. The Near Eastern and Asian collections contain exceptional Chinese holdings, including tomb figurines dating from Hang to Tang dynasties; it also boasts the most comprehensive collections of Egyptian and Near Eastern artifacts in Canada, as well as Canada's largest textile and costume collection (see textile, woven). The World Cultures department holds the largest Greek and Roman collections in Canada, as well as the most extensive Byzantine collection; its European decorative ar...

The work of curatorial staff in the field and at home provides a solid academic base for all public activities of the Museum. ROM archaeologists conduct field excavations in many parts of the world, including Central America, China, Egypt, the Middle East and Canada; palaeobiologists conduct fieldwork in Canada, the United States and Central Asia. ROM curators provide consultations to a variety of international, national and provincial agencies. A large number of general and scholarly publications are produced each year.

The ROM showcases art, archaeology and science in galleries covering more than 23 500 m2. The 1999 expansion saw the opening of 3200 m2 the new and renovated gallery spaces. Through travelling exhibits and school kits, the Outreach Department provides museum experiences to more than 450 000 people each year in hundreds of different communities in Ontario and across Canada. In addition, the Outreach Department's Travelling Education Kits are used by over 125 000 people during an average year. See also Toronto Feature: Royal Ontario Museum.