Museum of Anthropology

Yesterday my sister suggested we visit the Museum of Anthropology out at UBC campus. It was free to the public for their "A Celebration of Creativity" event which marked the launch of new exhibits and a grand reopening since their renovations. She actually spent hours there the day before but found the dances and performances so powerful, she couldn't wait to get back to experience more.

I hadn't been to the MOA in several years, but I used to go frequently when I was a UBC student, especially when I was taking Charlotte Townsend-Gault's First Nations art history class. It had always been considered the apex for learning about the diversity of First Nations cultures, but it's not exclusive to local indigenous cultures, it focuses on contemporary and traditional cultures of the world.

Yesterday was extremely busy, but exciting. There were entirely new exhibits, new interpretations of previous exhibits, a completely renovated and reorganized visible storage area, plus a variety of dancing, performances, and even Cantonese opera! The new cafe upstairs was crazy busy, so we didn't get to try it, but the gift shop now rivals that of the Vancouver Art Gallery downtown.

The Museum of Anthropology is still my favourite museum in Vancouver and certainly one of the most impressive museums in western Canada. If you have two days in Vancouver, it's definitely a must-see.

Here's a taste of yesterday:











Oh, and for what it's worth, the cherry blossoms out at UBC campus were in bloom.