Museum of Vancouver

Visit the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) and take in Vancouver’s past—from Indigenous history in c̓əsnaʔəm through the 1970s in the Vancouver Stories Galleries. Gain a deeper understanding of our city through stories, objects and shared experiences.

The MOV hosts special exhibitions too, with different art, design and histories being featured every few months. And be sure to visit our website to stay up-to-date on the MOV’s workshops and special events too!

Featured Exhibitions:

Mirage: Disused Public Property in Taiwan On View from May 30 - September 2, 2024

Mirage: Disused Public Property in Taiwan covers 10 years of artist Yao Jui-Chung’s use of photography to expose Taiwan’s “mosquito halls.” Starting in the 1970s, Taiwan invested in convention centres, sports facilities, schools and other public structures, only to abandon them—leaving them to breed mosquitos, waste money and add to urban decay. Yao Jui-Chung, Taiwan’s leading contemporary artist and photographer, and his team the Lost Society Document (LSD), photographed and researched these haunting modern-day ruins, showing that photography is a form of social activism.

True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of Ancestral Tattoo Practices: On View from March 28 - September 2, 2024

True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of Ancestral Tattoo Practices explores 30-plus years of Indigenous tattooing from around the world and the artists who are reconnecting with traditional skin marking practices. The revival of ancestral tattoo designs and motifs, the re-envisioning of meaning and protocols, and the re-fashioning of ancestral application methods is part of Indigenous peoples’ efforts to reclaim their lands, cultures and identities. Tattoo artists Tristen Jenni Sanderson (Woodland and Plains Cree), Terje Koloamatangi (Tongan), Nolan Malbeuf (Métis), Mo-Naga (Uipo Naga), Julie Paama-Pengelly (Māori), Gordon Sparks (Mi’kmaq), Nathalie Standingcloud (Cherokee) and Dion Kaszas (Nlaka’pamux) use contemporary technologies to build upon ancestral design conventions as seen on ancestral belongings. Their work gives power back to Indigenous people to think through and theorize their own world and life views while taking away the colonial tools that separated them from the visual language of skin markings.

That Which Sustains Us - is a long-term exhibition that explores the convergence of different knowledge traditions in the Vancouver area through an examination of people’s interactions with forests and their natural environment. It does so by showcasing traditional ecological knowledge related to forests; consequences of the deforestation and urbanization of Vancouver; and the possibility of returning to sustainable land use practices in the Greater Vancouver area. The thread that connects these narratives is the idea that culture ultimately shapes how people choose to interact with the natural world.

Visit our website for more information on current exhibitions!