Complete & Updated Guide to The Handmaid's Tale Filming Locations
In a dystopian near future, the world has become a very polluted place to the point that most women are infertile. The social unrest led to the emergence of a new totalitarian regime, that rose in a territory that used to be part of the United States. A Christian puritan dictatorship was established and all the remaining fertile women came under the control of the state, to serve wealthy families.
This acclaimed Hulu series is based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood. The cast is headed by Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) as the Handmaid, Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love) plays the powerful elite Commander Fred Waterford, and his wife Serena is performed by Yvonne Strahovski (Dexter).
The Handmaid's Tale was filmed in and around Toronto. The studio work was shot at the sets and soundstages of Cinespace Film Studios in the Canadian city. Welcome to our filming locations report in the Republic of Gilead:
This acclaimed Hulu series is based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood. The cast is headed by Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) as the Handmaid, Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love) plays the powerful elite Commander Fred Waterford, and his wife Serena is performed by Yvonne Strahovski (Dexter).
The Handmaid's Tale was filmed in and around Toronto. The studio work was shot at the sets and soundstages of Cinespace Film Studios in the Canadian city. Welcome to our filming locations report in the Republic of Gilead:
Where is The Handmaid's Tale filmed?
We can recognize many landmarks of Toronto in the series, like the City Hall. The executions from season 3 episode 7 Under His Eye were all staged here. Also the scenes in a government building in Washington, D.C. with Commander Waterford and Commander George Winslow are filmed in the lobby of the Council Chambers.
(You can open all the locations on Google Maps clicking on the links below in the captions ↴)
Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
The Ritz-Carlton and the CBC building at Wellington St W, featured in the background of a scene from the first episode of season one. A flashback scene was filmed at Ripley's Aquarium of Canada in downtown Toronto, also for S1E1. Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
A scene from S1E4 also with June and Moira was shot at the subway Lower Bay Station (pictured). In S1E3, June and Moira enter a coffee shop filmed at the junction of Queen St E and Degrassi St.
Image courtesy of Hulu and Joey Schwartz - Lower Bay Map / Coffee shop map
The banquet of episode S1E06 was held at the Ballroom of The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Also the secret night out at Jezebel's in episode S1E08 was filmed in this hotel. Image courtesy of Hulu and Muhammad - Map
The Eyes' headquarters seen in S1E08 is the Beanfield Centre at the Automotive Building, at the Exhibition Place in Toronto. It was also featured in S3E6. Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
Commander's Putnam mansion (episodes S1E9 and S3E4) is a property at 25 Park Lane Circle, Toronto.
Image courtesy of Hulu - Map
S1E9: The production was also filming at the Old Mill Bridge over Humber River in Etienne Brule Park.
Image courtesy of Hulu - Map
Also the city of Cambridge (Ontario) is a key location in The Handmaid's Tale. Several scenes were filmed at Main Street bridge, near the Presbyterian church. In season one, June and Moira hide from the troops entering The Grand Cafe located nearby. Image by Google Maps
Also in Cambridge, the Mill Race Park is the area next to the river that has been used in several episodes.
Image by Google Maps - Map
The Waterford's house is in a corner at Bay S and Aberdeen Street, in Hamilton. Many other scenes with the handmaids going for a walk were filmed in this neighborhood. Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
The church being torn down in episode S1E2, when Offred and Ofglen are taking a walk, was the James Street Baptist Church in Hamilton. There is a bit of CGI in this image, but the church was really in the process of partial demolition when filming took place. Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
The scene of the smuggling boat from episode S1E7 was filmed at The Fishway near Hamilton. Also according to one of our readers, the Red Centre is the old King George Public School at 77 Gage Ave N, also in Hamilton.
Image courtesy of Hulu and Tom Flemming - Map
The ceremony and meeting room, used in several episodes, was filmed at the council chamber of the Scottish Rite Club in Hamilton. Image courtesy of Hulu - Map
New Filming Locations from Season 2
Some ceremonial scenes were shot at Coronation Park in Oakville. The night scene with a funfair from episode S1E4 was filmed at Brick by Brick Park in Oshawa. Image courtesy of Hulu - Map
An elaborate set was built in the small Bernie Arbour Stadium in Hamilton for S2E1. The Fenway Park baseball stadium's stands and lighting towers were created via CGI. Image courtesy of Hulu - Map
Some buildings from University of Toronto Mississauga were used to film the place where Emily is teaching in S2E2. The scene from the same episode, when Emily and her partner try to fly out of Gilead, was shot at Terminal 1 of Pearson Airport in Toronto. Image courtesy of Hulu - Map
The memorial park that appears in several episodes are the Allan Gardens in Toronto.
Image courtesy of Hulu and Kenn Chaplin - Map
The domes from the colonies are from Halton Biosolids Management Centre, near Oakville.
Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
The flashback from S2E6, with Serena trying to give a conference in a college, was filmed at David Braley Health Sciences Centre from McMaster University in Hamilton. Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
The new Red Center (the Rachel and Leah Center) from S2E6 was shot at Vaughan City Hall.
Image courtesy of Hulu and Grid Engine - Map
At the end of S2E7 there is a scene with the handmaids filmed at the Artscape Wychwood Barns (Toronto).
Image courtesy of Hulu and Simon P - Map
In S2E9, Gilead's delegation goes through University Ave in Toronto. The hotel where Serena and Fred stay at in Toronto is made up of multiple locations: the bar is in the Ritz-Carlton, the lobby of the Hotel X (pictured) and the exterior entrance driveway where the protesters gather is in the Hilton. The greenhouse is located at the Allan Gardens Conservatory. Images courtesy of Hulu - Map Hotel X - Map Allan Gardens
The snowy mansion where June meets her daughter in S2E10 is off of Cruickston Park Ln in North Dumfries near Cambridge. Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
The swimming pool from S2E11 was shot at the McMaster University in Hamilton.
Image courtesy of Hulu - Map
Commander Lawrence's house where Emily is posted at the end of season two is the historic Sunnyside mansion, located at 13 Main Street South in Saint George, Ontario. Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
The last scene of season two was filmed in the tunnel under the 403, just past the Hidden Valley Park in Burlington. Image courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
Season 3 New Filming Locations
S3E4 opens with a parade shot in Main Street Bridge and Queens Square in Cambridge. Then the entourage goes up the staircase of the Historic City Hall, located half a mile away from there. The interior of the church (pictured) was set at Trinity-St. Paul's Church in Toronto. Below, the scene of baby Hannah's baptism was shot in the Trinity Anglican church on Blair Rd. in Cambridge. Also in this same episode, the house used for Emily's visit to Sylvia and Oliver is at 451 Euclid Avenue (Toronto).
Image courtesy of Hulu - Trinity-St. Paul Map / Trinity Anglican church Map
Dozens of extras dressed in red cloaks were filming scenes in the National Mall in Washington D.C. for the new episodes of season three. The Monument was transformed into a massive cross in the capital city of Gilead.
Image courtesy of Hulu - Map
The busy station in Washington with multiple escalators from S3E6 was shot in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The Loaves and Fishes grocery store that appears in several episodes throughout the season seems to be set in an old Denninger's shop in Burlington. Images courtesy of Hulu - Map
In S3E5 Luke goes through the Bridge of Light (Puente de Luz) in Toronto. The bridge June and Eleanor cross in S3E7 is Glen Road pedestrian bridge between St. James Town and Rosedale (also in Toronto).
Images courtesy of Hulu - Bridge of Light Map / Glen Road Map
Also in episode S3E7, the Waterfords dance the tango under the stained glass dome of The Conservatory in Casa Loma. The exteriors of the hospital in S3E9 are the Humber College's Lakeshore Campus, featuring four parallel red brick chimneys. Images courtesy of Hulu - Casa Loma Map / Humber College Map
The small theatre from episode S3E10 is located at the Mississauga Civic Centre.
Images courtesy of Hulu and Google Maps
Can you help to improve this post about the shooting locations for The Handmaid's Tale? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!
NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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Finally, if you enjoyed the show, we recommend the brilliant novel by Margaret Atwood The Handmaid's Tale
that inspires the series (just check out the great reviews it has following this link):
that inspires the series (just check out the great reviews it has following this link):
93 comments
The scene pictured was shot at Coronation Park in Oakville:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.ca/maps/place/Coronation+Park/@43.4072952,-79.6932297,3a,75y,273.33h,89.32t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-hDXh9iWh3zI%2FV4WJJVyCXXI%2FAAAAAAAAGdU%2FRiJe4ydx4N41pVQkwx1Lxs0s_bOWIu5bwCLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-hDXh9iWh3zI%2FV4WJJVyCXXI%2FAAAAAAAAGdU%2FRiJe4ydx4N41pVQkwx1Lxs0s_bOWIu5bwCLIB%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya161.57024-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352!4m5!3m4!1s0x882b5c2ce43aa149:0x479b8552349f98f0!8m2!3d43.4085772!4d-79.6933087!6m1!1e1
And the exteriors for the Commander's house are shot in Hamilton, at Bay and Aberdeen:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.2474872,-79.877663,3a,41.2y,239.59h,97.74t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1srIbpVLjBB6xWI6BbOQyf-A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1
Amazing, thank you!
DeleteNo improvement needed! The only mistake I think I saw was that the baby being baptized was actually Hannah,not Nikole. This is wonderful and so educational and I was quite curious! Thank you so much for Ponting out all the landmarks in context! So very much appreciated!
DeleteThe red centre is in the old King George school on gage st in Hamilton.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your help!
DeleteThe jogging/coffeeshop scene takes place at Queen & Degrassi.
ReplyDeleteCool, updated!
DeleteThe business itself is Bonjour Brioche.
DeleteThe Commander's house is specifically 105 Aberdeen.
ReplyDeleteThey filmed some scenes on Park Lane Circle in Toronto. That's in the bridle path. Not sure the scene but I work there.
ReplyDeleteThe scene in Birth Day when Offred and Ofglen are walking and people stop to grab a man on the street is Jackson St. and James St. South in Hamilton. The church being torn down is St. James on James St.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jaylynn, updated!
DeleteSorry, James Street Baptist Church in Hamilton
ReplyDeleteYes James st baptist not graceworks.
DeleteThe court room was perth hall at Western in London, Ontario
ReplyDeleteThe courtroom is actually the City of Cambridge Council Chambers at 50 Dickson Street.
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteThe Main Street Bridge in Cambridge, Ontario is featured when June and Moira and the other protesters are raided by the troops. The coffee shop they flee to is called The Grand Cafe https://www.grandcafe.ca/slideshow . The cinematographer makes Cambridge look so beautiful, in stark contrast to the horror of the political situation.
The hospital in the second episode is a combination of Lakeridge Heath in Oshawa (outside) and Bridgepoint Health in Toronto (inside). The inside of the offices from the third episodes at int he Ernst & Young Tower at Bay & Wellington.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post! In ep 5, where were June and Luke meeting for coffee?
ReplyDeleteThe coffee shop is Dark Horse Espresso Bar at 416 Front Street East.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the banquet in episode 6 shot? Is it the king eddy?
ReplyDeleteI'm fairly certain most of that was the Royal York: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ballroom_at_Royal_York.jpg
DeleteThanks, updated!
DeleteWhere the handmaid's are lined up ready to go inside the banquet is shot at Liuna Station on James Street N in Hamilton.
DeleteThe banquet was at the Fairmont Royal York.
ReplyDeletehttps://moviemaps.org/locations/31m
The place where they catch the boat is at The Fishway near Hamilton: http://www.rbg.ca/page.aspx?pid=752
ReplyDeleteLittle America at the end is David Crombie Park (with a fake CN Tower)
Anyone recognize the church, abandoned town, or offices at the end?
the scene where Lucas escapes into the woods looks a lot like the Hermitage Conservation Area in Ancaster
ReplyDeleteYes! have been searching to find out if that is the location...we hike in the Dundas Valley Conservation often and recognized the large moss covered rocks. Trying to figure out exactly where in the woods it was filmed though.
DeleteWhere is the wall where they showed the people who were hanged?
ReplyDeleteAt the Mill Race Park in Cambridge, near the river.
DeleteThe headquarters of the eyes looks like the Automotive Building at the CNE grounds.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Cari!
DeleteThe diner is Ted's Restaurant in Scarborough and Jezebels is once again the Royal York.
ReplyDeleteThe Putnam house is at 25 Park Lane Circle. The bridge is Old Mill Road Bridge.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your help, Arbron
DeleteThe hanging scene in Episode 3 was at/across from the MacNab Transit Terminal in Hamilton https://goo.gl/maps/6B4LfdEYvTR2
ReplyDeleteBeanfield Centre is located at Exhibition Place https://www.explace.on.ca/venues - the CNE is an annual event that happens on the Exhibition Place grounds.
ReplyDeleteOk, corrected!
DeleteThe council chamber is the Scottish Rite in Hamilton (the one in the big picture at the top of the page).
ReplyDeleteThanks, updated!
DeleteThe scene in episode 10 with the song "Feeling Good" is filmed on Bay Street S between Inglewood Drive and Charlton Ave in Hamilton
ReplyDeletei THOUGHT PART OF THE BANQUET SCENE, BEFORE DINNER, WHERE THE HANDMAIDS ARE LINED UP, and some scenes at the elevator was Senate House in London? But I guess I am not correct. Was everything shot in Canada?
ReplyDeleteIn episode 9, when Janine goes to OfDaniel's house, the house is located at 51 Aberdeen in Hamilton.
ReplyDeleteWhen Luke was escaping in EP 7 the roads and woodland were shot around Crooks Hollow Road in Greensville just outside Dundas.
ReplyDeleteSo not the Dundas Valley Conservation?
DeleteThe City of Cambridge developed a really cool map of all the locations used in Handmaid's Tale. Will be updated with Season 2 locations as they air.
ReplyDeletehttps://cityofcambridge.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?appid=cdc3cfc4f3e942598a50281ba1b71b73
love it!
DeleteThe university where Emily teaches was shot at the CCIT Building at the University of Toronto Mississauga
ReplyDeleteThe gym in the school where Offred ate in the season 2 episode 1 or 2 looked so familiar. But I need to know where is it filmed. Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeletethe red centre is a church in the beaches in s1. st aidan's. i think it's safe to assume it's the same in s2.
DeleteThe school that Emily taught at was shot in one building, the CCT Building at the University of Toronto Mississauga.
ReplyDeleteMy mom works at the hamilton spectator. They were filing for season 2 there for a while. In the 2nd and 3rd episode you can recognize areas of it when you are watching if you know the space and it looks like when they pull out of the location at the beginning of episode 3, it looks like the loading docks on the frid street side of it
ReplyDeleteS2:E2 - The scenes where the lesbian couple (can't remember their names) is trying to fly out of Gilead were shot at Terminal 1 of Pearson Airport in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteS2:E3 - The scene early where Moira is running in a snowy park is Allan Gardens, Toronto. (I walked by when they were setting this up and the "little America" flags gave away it was for for Handmaid's Tale).
No update? on reflection, I might be wrong about Pearson but S2:E3 was definitely the Allan Gardens Conservatory (when you live three blocks away and see the set with "Little America" flags, nooses hanging from trees, and "missing persons" photos, it's hard to be mistaken).
Deletehttps://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-gardens-beaches/gardens-and-horticulture/conservatories/allan-gardens-conservatory/
Sorry Darren and thanks again, we missed your comment! It is updated now :)
DeleteGlad to help and thanks for the great work!
DeleteWe suspect that Aunt Lydia's flashback/"dinner date" scene in S3:E8 was filmed in Sultan's Tent/Berber Lounge on Front Street.
The last image on your site (the new Rachel and Leah Center) from episode 2.06 is Vaughan City Hall in Vaughan (2141 Major MacKenzie Dr W, Maple).
ReplyDeleteThanks, updated!
DeleteThe last photo above is a biosolids place in Milton...the domes. Follow the driveway off of 25
ReplyDeletenear Unnamed Road, Oakville, ON
https://goo.gl/maps/WWT9zmRVJpx
Thank you very much Neil!
DeleteI think that final image is the Highland Creek water filtration plant.
ReplyDeletehttps://goo.gl/maps/qjV4mocmeAt
The greenhouse visited in "Toronto" S2 E9 is the greenhouse at The Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mandi!
DeleteNo it really isn't. It's Allan Gardens. They look nothing alike. RBG is mainly outdoors and does not have a domed conservatory like Allan does.
Deletes2e10: The mansion where June meets Hannah is off of Cruickston Park Ln, near Cambridge ON. (There's not a good view on Google Maps).
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot, this was a difficult location to find!
DeleteThe mansion where June meets Hannah is called Cruickston Park. It has been the backdrop for a lot of hollywood movies. Such as Cold Creek Manor, RED, Bitten, Hero's Reborn, Murdoch Mysteries, etc. There is a lot of history with this property. Here is a rare look inside and the family that lives there. https://www.cbc.ca/life/video/step-inside-a-restored-elizabethan-manor-with-30-ft-ceilings-and-a-baby-goat-1.4681449 For more history Google Cruickston Park. It is gorgeous! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteS2E9, the green house was shot in Allan Gardens too
ReplyDeleteS2E12. The scene in the pool was shot at the McMaster University pool in Hamilton ON
ReplyDeletehttps://rec.mcmaster.ca/facilities/pool
DeleteThe building where Serena makes her speech is also inside the David Braley centre (McMaster ) and she is shot outside (as you have noted here)
ReplyDeleteThe jogging scene past the vigil in the park in Toronto is Allen Gardens, as I remember seeing the set up when walking my dog in the winter there when the crew took over the park, and I am fairly certain the greenhouse scene in S2E9 (Where they go to Toronto) is at the Conservatory in Allen Gardens
ReplyDeleteThe final scene of the finale is in Burlington, just past Hidden Valley Park, in the tunnel under the 403.
ReplyDeleteAlright, updated!
DeleteThe hotel Serena and Fred stay at in Toronto is made up of multiple locations. The lobby bar, where Serena meets Mark Tuello, the CIA agent, is the Ritz-Carlton Toronto's DEQ Lounge. The lobby of the hotel, seen in multiple scenes, is the lobby of the Hotel X Toronto. The exterior entrance driveway, where Luke and the other protestors gather, is the Hilton Toronto, at 145 Richmond St. The "Hilton" signage is all covered with prop signs for the fictional "Broderick Hotel." Interestingly, the Hilton is also easily visible in the establishing shot of Toronto, as Serena and Fred's limo drives up University Avenue, and the huge "Hilton" name on top is clearly visible in the shot.
ReplyDeletealmost certain the room Fred & Serena stay in is at the Ritz as well.
DeleteI thought the outside was the Hilton. It looked so familiar. I stayed there this past December.
DeleteThe greenhouse that Serena visits in Toronto in S2 E9 is not The Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. There is no domed greenhouse there. It is the Allan Gardens Conservatory in downtown Toronto.
ReplyDeleteThe scene when June get on the train while trying to escape to Canada, is filmed on the UP train that operates between the airport and Union Station in Toronto. You can even see the "UP" logo on the head rests.
ReplyDeleteSeason 3 (so far) grocery store scene is at
ReplyDeleteThe Old empty Denningers in Burlington, south of prospect on Guelph line.
Saw them filming a few months ago.
The Red Centre where the handmaids were trained and tortured in the basement, and the handmaids's barracks in the auditorium, in the first season were filmed at Church of St. Aiden Anglican Church on Queen Street East at Silver Birch Avenue in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteSerenas mother's house was filmed in the beaches of Toronto I love my city
ReplyDeleteThe bridge June and Eleanor Lawrence cross to reach Brookline in S03E07 is the Glen Road pedestrian bridge (in Toronto).
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/maps/@43.6728734,-79.3749437,3a,75y,345.59h,80.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sAg3KzISpVGmdrrbdgMBlYg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
The house used for Emily's visit to Sylvia and Oliver appears to be 451 Euclid Avenue in Toronto. (S03E04)
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for all your comments, we updated the post with your suggestions!
ReplyDeleteThe Waterfords dance the tango in Casa Loma.
ReplyDeletehttps://ericcheng.ca/casa-loma-engagement-wedding-photos/
ReplyDeleteThis is casa loma - The location of the season 3 episode 7 ball attended by the Waterfords.
The City of Cambridge, Ontario has a map dedicated to all the locations used by Handmaids (sorted by season) - https://cityofcambridge.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?appid=cdc3cfc4f3e942598a50281ba1b71b73
ReplyDeleteThey also have one for ALL projects filmed in Cambridge - https://cityofcambridge.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?appid=9c95090c8eb54736a24719c03153d2ca
Thanks for this! Watching S3 E13 I was sure the hangar used was the one at Waterloo airport. Your link confirmed it!
DeleteThe photo with handmaids in the "band-shell" structure, with skyscrapers in the background, is located at the Mississauga Civic Centre.
ReplyDeleteIn s3 e11 'Liars', Commander Waterford allows Serena to drive the convertible car on this road (South direction) 43.246416, -80.212079 Harrisburg Rd, Troy, ON L0R 2B0, Canada
ReplyDeleteSeason 3Ep5. The conference/roundtable where Serena is invited to join at the beginning of the episode is the Carlu in Toronto at Younge and Bloor.
ReplyDeletePardon me - Younge and college
DeleteAll comments are reviewed prior to publication