Vancouver Art Gallery

Overview

The Vancouver Art Gallery is the fifth-largest art gallery in Canada, housed in a 1906 neoclassical former courthouse designed by Francis Rattenbury. It holds more than 12,000 works with a particular strength in the paintings of Emily Carr.

Highlights

• Emily Carr Collection: The world's most comprehensive permanent collection of Carr's forest and Indigenous village paintings, numbering over 200 works.
• Photoconceptualism: Major holdings by the Vancouver School including Jeff Wall, Ian Wallace, and Rodney Graham.
• Rotating Exhibitions: Ambitious international exhibitions change roughly every three months.

History

Founded in 1931, the gallery moved into the former provincial courthouse at Robson Square in 1983. Plans for a new facility designed by Herzog & de Meuron have been under development.

Visitor Tips

• Tuesday Evenings: Admission is by donation after 5 PM.
• FUSE Events: Quarterly late-night events with DJs, performances, and bar service inside the galleries.
• Duration: 1–2 hours.