The beauty of Ontario's landscape and waterways has been an inspiration to Canada's greatest artists.  It is said that the work of artists such as Carl Rungius, Tom Thomson and the members of the Group of Seven has captured the very essence of our Canadian spirit.  This extraordinary connection with our land and our visual arts heritage is available for travellers to experience through the Wilderness Legacy Passport, developed among five museums and galleries: the McMichael Collection Gallery, the Hudson's Bay Company's Ken Thomson Gallery, the Algonquin Gallery, the National Gallery of Canada, and The Canadian Canoe Museum. 

"These locations form a triangle in Ontario that recreates, to some degree, the route taken in the 1920s and 1930s by Canada's most recognized modern painters, Tom Thomson and members of the Group of Seven," states René Brunet, Executive Director of the Algonquin Gallery, and founding member of the Wilderness Legacy.  "Now visitors may come to further appreciate our cultural treasures by experiencing the beauty and power of the land that inspired their creation."

The entire route comprised of a 7-day, 6-night trip, can begin either in Toronto, at the Ken Thomson Gallery, located at Hudson Bay Company headquarters or start with a visit to the National Gallery of Canada situated in Ottawa, the heart of the Nation's capital.  Travellers can take the arts tour all at once or make selected visits during the seasons and view the canvasses and sketches that became icons in our interpretation of the Canadian landscape. 

Part of the arts tour combines a scenic drive through Algonquin Park to experience the true wilderness.  By following the paths via water or land where artists of yesterday and today find inspiration visitors will make the correlation between art and nature.  The route extends further to offer the public a lifetime opportunity to see the spectacular Group of Seven and Tom Thomson canvasses as they are displayed in the holdings of collections, at the magnificent National Gallery of Canada, picturesque Algonquin Gallery in Algonquin Park and McMichael Gallery in Kleinberg.  The final destination, The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, home to former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's famous buckskin jacket and birch bark canoe, offers an understanding of how the vessel itself has played a significant role in the historical and social fabric of our country. 

The launch of Wilderness Legacy this year has also been timed with presentations of special exhibitions by renowned Canadian artists, including Carl Rungius at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, A.Y.  Jackson at the Algonquin Gallery, Tom Thomson at the National Gallery, and Bill Mason at The Canadian Canoe Museum.

Visitors may take advantage of special promotions developed in partnership with the Hudson's Bay Company and Delta Hotels and Resorts.  Over 50,000 Wilderness Legacy passports have been produced that include value-added incentives to travel to all 5 venues.  Those who have visited two or more venues will have the opportunity to enter a draw for specific prizes provided by sponsors and partners of the Arts in the Wild tourism alliance.