Attraction
Stanley Park
Opened in 1888, Stanley Park covers about 405 hectares of forest, beaches and lakes on the Downtown peninsula, circled by an 8.8 km stretch of seawall.
Museum of Anthropology at UBC
Arthur Erickson's 1976 museum on the UBC campus holds around 50,000 ethnographic objects, Northwest Coast poles in its Great Hall and Bill Reid's The Raven and the First Men.
At a glance
- Type
- Anthropology museum
- Area
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Official site
- moa.ubc.ca
Good to know
- Café
- Shop
- Wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchairs to borrow
- Paid parking
Why we recommend it
The Museum of Anthropology stands at the northwest corner of the University of British Columbia campus, on the cliffs at Point Grey. It was founded in 1947, with roots in the university's 1927 purchase of the Frank Burnett Collection, and moved into its present home in 1976. That building, by Arthur Erickson, is mostly concrete and draws on the post-and-beam structures of Northwest Coast architecture, with tall glass walls that frame the poles inside.
The Great Hall is the main draw. After a seismic upgrade it reopened on 13 June 2024 and once again displays monumental carved poles and house posts. Bill Reid's The Raven and the First Men, a large yellow cedar sculpture of the Haida story of human origins, sits in its own rotunda; it appeared on the Canadian twenty-dollar note from 2004 to 2012. The Multiversity Galleries show more than 9,000 objects from around the world in visible storage, and the Koerner European Ceramics Gallery holds over 600 pieces. In all the museum cares for about 50,000 ethnographic objects and around 535,000 archaeological ones.
Temporary shows add a reason to return. Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision runs until 3 January 2027, In a Different Light: Reflecting on Northwest Coast Art is ongoing, and From the Deep opens on 19 November 2026.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm, and until 9pm on Thursdays, when tickets after 5pm are half price. It closes on Mondays from mid-October to mid-May. Tickets are sold at the door. Admission is free for children up to five, Indigenous people, UBC students and staff, and members. Allow two to three hours to see the Great Hall, the Reid sculpture and the Multiversity Galleries without rushing. The building is wheelchair accessible, four wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge and lightweight portable seats are available at the admission desk. The gravel path to the west of the building is uneven in places.
From downtown, take one of the many buses to UBC Exchange, including the 99 B-Line and R4, then walk about 15 minutes northwest. Paid parking is in front of the museum and at the Rose Garden Parkade opposite. The Cedar Café, up the ramp from the admission desk, serves food until 5pm (7pm on Thursdays), and the MOA Shop is in the lobby.
Museum of Anthropology at UBC FAQs
What are the opening hours?
Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, with late opening to 9pm on Thursdays. It is closed on Mondays from 15 October to 15 May.
Is there a cheaper time to visit?
Yes. Thursday evening admission after 5pm is half price.
Who gets in free?
Children aged five and under, Indigenous people, UBC students, staff and faculty, and museum members.
How do you get there by public transport?
Take a bus such as the 99 B-Line or R4 to UBC Exchange, then walk about 15 minutes northwest.
Is the museum accessible?
Yes. The building is wheelchair accessible, four wheelchairs can be borrowed free and portable seats are available.
What is the most famous work?
Bill Reid's yellow cedar sculpture The Raven and the First Men, which appeared on the Canadian twenty-dollar note.
Is there a café?
Yes. The Cedar Café is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm, and to 7pm on Thursdays.
Can you park at the museum?
Yes, there is paid parking in front of the building and at the Rose Garden Parkade across the street.