City: Vancouver
Top Things to do in Vancouver
What to do and see in Vancouver, Canada: The Best Art Museums
Vancouver was founded as “Gastown” by an Englishman with a penchant for beer and storytelling. Today Gastown is a historic section of the Canadian metropolis, and the lively pubs still reflect the area’s former status as a sort of community drinking center. The city’s forests, grand parks, and impressive suspension bridge beckon travelers to explore them, as do the city’s shops and museums. Relive the glory of the 2010 Winter Games with visits to Olympic venues and the marvelous Olympic Cauldron.
Restaurants in Vancouver
1. Rennie Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
Contemporary art museum presents rotating exhibitions. Located in a historic building in Vancouver's Chinatown the museum is open FREE to the public on Saturdays through engaging docent led tours. Book your visit on the website.
2. Fazakas Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
3. Pousette Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
Come visit this Canadian contemporary art gallery for a boutique experience. Enjoy stunning 180 degree city, mountain, and ocean views. The rooftop gallery is located in WSix one of Vancouver's most interesting architectural buildings. This gallery showcases original Canadian art including impressionist, expressionist, realism, figurative and landscape. Many locals describe this gallery as the most beautiful art gallery in the city. Open Tuesday to Saturday 12-5.
4. Pacific Arts Market
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 34 reviews
Pacific Arts Market features over 60 local artists. Vancouver’s best art space to purchase quality paintings, jewelry, pottery, photography, leather goods and other crafts. The best place to buy art in Vancouver, BC. Open year-round and 6 days a week. Shoppers can expect to find unique and individual items that have been carefully made and displayed by the artist themselves. No commissions, the artists get 100% of the sale. Purchasing from the Pacific Arts Market supports the local economy by directly benefitting local artists and makers - making it the ideal shopping destination for everyone in our community, and tourist alike. Located on the south side of Broadway, just half a block east of Granville Street and the premier South Granville shopping district. Vancouver's favourite place for art and gift shopping!
Reviewed By 513isaaclewis
Lots of cool stuff in there, some of my paintings are in there too!! Nice destination for a family, date day or solo outing...
5. Museum of Anthropology
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,773 reviews
Explore traditional and contemporary art from Northwest Coast First Nations and other cultures across the world. See magnificent Indigenous carvings, weavings and contemporary artworks in a spectacular building overlooking mountains and sea. Admire the world’s largest collection of works by acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid, including his famous cedar sculpture The Raven and the First Men. Explore the Museum’s Multiversity Galleries where more than 10,000 objects from around the world are displayed. Stroll the Museum Grounds, where monumental Haida houses, poles and Musqueam house posts capture the dramatic beauty of traditional Northwest Coast architecture and design. Enjoy a wide range of special exhibitions and public programs, including free guided gallery walks. Visit the MOA Shop and relax in Cafe MOA. MOA is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people.
Reviewed By backpacker31 - Boynton Beach, United States
After visiting the Bill Reid Gallery I was told that to understand and appreciate First Nation’s history and culture I should go to the MOA. The museum is huge (and architecturally impressive) and features roughly a dozen galleries. Here, you will find totem poles, historical and contemporary Indigenous art, a 600-piece ceramics collection from the 16th-19th centuries, thousands of objects from around the world, an enormous and stunning Bill Reid sculpture housed in a former gun turret, two Haida houses, Musqueam posts and so much more. The staff is approachable and very knowledgeable, answering several questions I had. I happened to visit while a Diwali festival was taking place featuring dancing, henna painting, tea and sweets and more. There is a small cafe on the premises offering coffee/tea, soups, sandwiches, baked goods, etc. Price of admission is reasonable (adult is $17) considering the size and substance of the museum’s collection. I spent over three hours here.
6. Vancouver Art Gallery
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 1,235 reviews
Discover the power of art on your next trip to Vancouver with a visit to the Vancouver Art Gallery, one of North America’s most exciting and innovative visual arts institutions. Works by renowned Canadian Modernist painter Emily Carr are often on view as well as ground-breaking exhibitions and selections from the permanent collection. Open 7 days a week, a visit to the Gallery is an opportunity to meditate on more than a century's worth of Canadian and international art, from historical masters to contemporary visionaries. Enhance your experience by attending one of the Gallery’s engaging special events, educational tours or programs designed for families, youth and art enthusiasts of all ages. Weekly Family Programs are featured every Sunday and are free for children 12 and under. Spend time in the Gallery Store; a locals’ favorite or refuel in the Gallery Bistro (currently under renovation).
Reviewed By X2220SUjosem
Great Change, much better use for a beautiful structure. The curator for this facility does an excellent presentation of both current exhibitions-1: Cabins and Milne. Milne was a isolationist and you see in his work this trait of a person with a lot of ability. I like his first period in which he emulates Matisse.
7. Centre A
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 3 reviews
8. Residential School History and Dialogue Centre
UBC’s Residential School History and Dialogue Centre is a Survivor-centred and trauma informed space, facilitating access to records related to the Canada’s Indian Residential School System. Browse the exhibit, or use the interactive touchscreen wall to learn more about residential schools and their legacy in Canada. Research kiosks are available for in-depth access to the collections.
