Things to Do: Vancouver Art Gallery

The Vancouver Art Gallery building is one of the most prominent buildings in the city. Built in 1905, the building first served as a provincial courthouse, before the Gallery took over the space in 1983. The neo-classical architecture of the building's facade stands out against much of its surroundings - modern shops and glassy highrises - and so the Gallery is often a great meeting point for tourists in the city.

The Gallery itself was founded in 1931, and had its first home at 1145 West Georgia Street. Today, it features features works by world-renowned contemporary artists along with esteemed Vancouver artists such as Jason McLean, Jeff Wall, Ian Wallace, Stan Douglas, Rodney Graham, Roy Arden and Brian Jungen, to name just a few. The Gallery also houses the works of significant historical artists, including the most extensive collection of the work of painter Emily Carr.

The VAG has 41,400 square feet (3,846 square metres) of exhibition space and over 9,000 works in its collection, most notably its Emily Carr collection, which has its own floor. It has also amassed a significant collection of photographs. In addition to exhibitions of its own collection, the VAG regularly hosts world-class touring collections from world-renowned masters, including recent exhibitions featuring works by Pable Picasso, Georgia O'Keefe, Andy Warhol, Claude Monet and Salvador Dali. The VAG regularly sponsors or hosts a number of public programmes and lectures. The VAG is home to a gift shop, a cafe, and a library. For more information about events and lectures at the VAG, admission prices, and current exhibitions, please visit: www.vanartgallery.bc.ca.

For free entry to the Vancouver Art Gallery, along with many other Vancouver attractions, check out our Smartvisit card. The See Vancouver & Beyond Smartvisit Card is your best option to see everything there is to see.