Zanzibar Tavern Memorial Exhibit Opens in Toronto
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
A new collection of memorabilia and photography honors the legacy of the landmark adult entertainment venue following a devastating fire.
A new exhibit titled HOMECLUB is bringing the memory of the Zanzibar Tavern back to the city, as blogTO first reported. The collection showcases the history of one of Toronto's landmark adult entertainment and live music destinations and is hosted at Memento Film Club, located at 216 Ossington Ave, where it runs through Nov. 8.
The exhibit was curated by Simone Andrea, a film photographer, artist, and former dancer and employee at the club. Andrea began collecting tokens and photographing the venue in 2023, prior to a three-alarm fire in August 2025 that caused the second floor to collapse and destroyed parts of the 130-year-old building.
HOMECLUB features over 10,000 photographs, including images from Andrea's own collection and those provided by former colleagues. The display includes a variety of physical keepsakes, such as a matchbox from the 1960s, a broken shoe worn by Andrea during her time at the club, T-shirts, and a business card from her former boss. Andrea told blogTO that while she documented the day of the fire, many items remained trapped in lockers within the building because the structure was too damaged to enter.
Andrea stated that the goal of the exhibit is to honor the lives touched by the venue and to remind visitors not to take such spaces for granted. She expressed intentions to take the archival tribute to other cities in the future.