Vancouver Museum and Gallery Guide for the New Year
The New Year brings an array of possibilities, including visits to the diverse museums and galleries across the city. Situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, Vancouver is home to vibrant Indigenous cultures as well as the many cultures of those who have settled on this land. On days that are less outdoor-friendly, you can learn about the richness of the past and present, appreciate amazing art, and have immersive and interactive fun.
Below are some museums and galleries to put on your Vancouver to-visit list in 2025:
The Vancouver Art Gallery, with its central downtown location, is an arts and culture hub. There is a ton happening at the Gallery, with many current exhibitions and upcoming ones for the spring. Presently, visitors can engage with boundary-pushing pieces in Multiple Realities: Experimental Art in the Eastern Bloc, 1960s-1980s (until April 21), with works by roughly 100 artists, particularly marginalized ones; be dazzled by paintings by Firelei Báez (until March 16); and consider thoughtfully the identity explorations in Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch (until February 17), in which the multimedia artist from the Six Nations Reserve represents issues related to gender, Indigeneity, and intergenerational storytelling. Other current exhibitions are Emily Carr: A Room of Her Own (ends shortly on January 5) and 1:1 Artists Select: Jin-Me Yoon and Robert Rauschenberg (until January 26), with works by the two artists in visual dialogue. Upcoming exhibitions include Emily Carr: Navigating an Impenetrable Landscape (opens January 25) and Riopelle: Crossroads in Time (opens March 21), a retrospective exhibition on the famed Canadian artist. A special event to look forward to is Hi-Fi Listening Session (February 6, 6pm-8pm), in which cultural producer Hafiz Akinlusi will use music and sound inspired by Firelei Báez’s works.
The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is a special place that pays tribute to master Haida artist, Bill Reid, whose modern artistic work drew from Haida tradition. Visitors still have time to catch GEORGE CLUTESI: ḥašaḥʔap / ʔaapḥii / ʕc̓ik / ḥaaʔaksuqƛ / ʔiiḥmisʔap (until January 19), an exhibit that celebrates the extensive impact of the artist on the Nuu-chah-nulth community; and Formline Calligraphy: The Creative Synergy of Bill Reid and Bob Reid (until February 2). Two new exhibitions are soon to launch: Kihl ‘Yahda Christian White (opens February 1), a solo exhibition covering a 50-year span of the Haida artist; and Spirit of the Ancestors (opens February 12), a look at Terrence Campbell’s jewelry (Wolf clan of the Tahltan Nation).
Reopened in June after seismic upgrades, the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is as incredible as ever. Located at the University of British Columbia, the MOA is housed in a striking concrete and glass building designed by renowned architect Arthur Erickson. Inside you’ll find exhibitions devoted to both local and global cultures, with particular focus on Indigenous communities. In addition to extensive permanent galleries (e.g., Pacific Northwest Galleries and Great Hall), MOA has a number of current exhibitions. In Pursuit of Venus [Infected] by Māori artist Lisa Reihana wraps up January 5, while three other exhibitions continue: To Be See, To Be Heard: First Nations in Public Spaces, 1900-1965 (until March 31), From the Land with contemporary ceramics (ongoing), and In a Different Light (ongoing) with over 110 historical Indigenous pieces of art. Nuxalk Strong: Dancing Down the Eyelashes of the Sun, which will showcase over 60 Nuxalk treasures, will open February 20. Daily cultural interpreter tours are available. Also, the next family Culture Club is set for January 26 (11am-2pm) on Moving Images.
Also found on UBC campus, Beaty Biodiversity Museum may be under-the-radar but well worth a visit. This natural history museum not only has a spectacular blue whale skeleton suspended in its lobby, but also houses over two million specimens (e.g., birds, bugs). They host provocative small exhibitions that often consider the interplays between the natural world as well as challenges to biodiversity. You still have time to view Food Planet Future (until January 12), which showcases photographer/educator Robert Dash’s work, which meditates on food security and climate change; and The Magic of Millets (until January 12), which highlights the necessity of this ancient group of grains. Another current exhibition is Source to Glass, focusing on drinking water. Opening February 20 is Peatland Mosses: A Printmaking Perspective by artist Lisa Matthias, which beautifully captures the intricacies and significance of peatland mosses. The Museum’s next Nature Club sessions will happen January 4 (10:30am to 1pm) on fish, and February 1 (10:30am to 1pm) on fungi, lichen, and algae.
The Vancouver Maritime Museum has been curating some fascinating exhibitions lately. Located in picturesque Vanier Park with views of the water, the Museum fittingly represents maritime life in the Pacific Northwest and the Arctic. The RCMP Vessel St. Roch, a National Historic Site, is its main draw, given its significance both locally and across the continent (e.g., first circumnavigation of North America). The Museum has numerous permanent and feature exhibits. Permanent ones include Lighthouses and Shipwrecks, and Tugboats, while current ones range from Heartbeat of a Vessel (until May 2025), which features artwork by Jo Scott-b depicting St. Roch’s engine; to snəxʷəł (“canoe” in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓) by artist Mekwalya (Zoe Juliette George), an exhibit that explores canoe culture (on until February 2025). Prebooked tours to the Museum are available for groups of 10 or more ($100 per tour plus admission cost).
Science World makes learning about STEM lively, interactive, and creative. Particularly exciting is Spectacle: A National Geographic Exhibition that just launched on December 20 (additional ticket required) and runs until May 19. Inspired by the book by the same name, the exhibition contains awe-inspiring photographs of the natural world and human connections with the planet. In addition, Science World has numerous permanent galleries, which include BodyWorks, all about aspects of the body (e.g., skin); Eureka!, a space for play and discovery; and Puzzles and Illusions for testing your brain. Their Discovery Studio has a bunch of fort building workshops scheduled (January 21-24), and the next Sensory-Friendly Morning will take place February 8 (8am to 11am) for those with neurodiverse and/or accessibility requirements.
The New Year will inform, engage, and delight with visits to Vancouver’s unique museums and galleries.