Opened in 1847, the normal school was located at Church and Gould streets in central Toronto (after 1852), and was a predecessor to the current Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

[4] The school's landmark Gothic-Romanesque building was designed by architects Thomas Ridout and Frederick William Cumberland in 1852.

[5] The landmark building was demolished in 1963, but architectural elements of the structure remain on the campus of Toronto Metropolitan University.

An accompanying Provincial Model School was opened in 1848, in the renovated Government House stables, was created to provide practical training scenarios.

It was situated on a 3.2 hectare (8 acres) site, bounded by Gerrard, Church, Gould and Victoria streets, which Ryerson had acquired for the Normal School at a cost of 4500 pounds.

[2][4] The site was described in 1858 as follows: "The situation is a very beautiful one, being considerably elevated above the business parts of the city, and commanding a fine view of the bay, peninsula[8] and lake.

[2][6] Ryerson wanted the Normal School to be a focal point of the development of arts and education in Upper Canada.

[4] In 1857, Canada's first publicly funded museum, the Museum of Natural History and Fine Arts, was established within the Normal School building, with its initial collection based largely on Egerton Ryerson's own artwork, statuary and scientific apparatus acquired during his trips to Europe.

6 Initial Training Centre for the Royal Canadian Air Force, and a number of barracks and other auxiliary buildings were constructed on the site.

A two-storey portion of the Normal School front façade was preserved (later named "the Arch") and currently forms the entrance to the Toronto Metropolitan University Recreation and Athletics Centre.