1. Cities & Towns
About.com
Vancouver

Discuss in my forum

Top 5 Museums & Galleries in Vancouver, BC

Vancouver's Art, History, People & Culture

By , About.com Guide

See More About:
Explore Canada and Vancouver's art, history, people and environment at the city's world-class museums and galleries.

1. Vancouver Art Gallery

Image Courtesy of Tourism Vancouver
One of downtown Vancouver’s most notable landmarks, the Vancouver Art Gallery's exhibits range from cutting-edge, contemporary work to historic masters. The Gallery is home to over 9,000 works of art, including the largest collection of Emily Carr paintings and a world-renowned collection of contemporary photo-based work.

2. UBC Museum of Anthropology

Inside the Museum of Anthropology at UBCImage Courtesy of Tourism Vancouver

University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology (MOA) is world-renowned for its collections of First Nations and Coast Salish peoples' arts, sculptures, and historic works, including magnificent large-scale sculptures and totems that shouldn't be missed.

3. Museum of Vancouver & H.R. MacMillan Space Centre

Photo by Dana Lynch

Two separate museums in one building, visitors to the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) and the Space Centre can get discount admission when seeing both museums on the same day.

MOV is Canada's largest civic museum; it's home to permanent displays, exhibitions and educational programs about the natural, cultural and human history of the Vancouver region, from First Nations to industrialization to today. MOV shares its iconic domed building with the kid-oriented H.R. MacMillan Space Centre: part space and science museum, part planetarium, and part observatory.

4. Science World British Columbia

Science World British Columbia in Vancouver, BCImage Courtesy of Science World British Columbia
Arguably Vancouver's best museum for children (particularly young children) and--along with the Vancouver Aquarium--a good place to take kids on a rainy day, Science World is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching kids about science and technology through hands-on, interactive exhibits and displays. Like the Space Centre (above), Science World is aimed at kids 1 - 12, rather than adults.

5. Vancouver Maritime Museum

Photo by Dana Lynch
Boats, boats, and more boats: The Vancouver Maritime Museum is Canada's premiere Pacific Coast maritime museum and home to the fully-restored St. Roch, a 1928 schooner that traversed the Northwest Passage and circumnavigated North America.

©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.

A part of The New York Times Company.