Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada

The Vancouver Art Gallery is one of the most popular attractions in the city for good reason. Its permanent collection includes over 10,000 works of art and it regularly stages internationally recognized temporary exhibitions. The Vancouver Art Museum, as it is also sometimes called, is the biggest museum in western Canada and the fifth largest in the country. Some of the most notable Vancouver Art Gallery exhibits include the over 200 works by Emily Carr and the collection of illustrations by Marc Chagall. The gallery was founded in 1931 and its present location is at 750 Hornby Street in Downtown Vancouver.

An important dimension of the Vancouver Art Gallery is its commitment to displaying the works of regional artists. The works in the gallery are not restricted to only Canadian artists, and in fact a vast array of international artists are on display, but there is a large focus on art that is produced in Canada. A perfect example of this is the impressive display of the iconic Canadian artist and writer, Emily Carr. She was one of the first Canadian artists to seriously engage the post-impressionist style of painting, and she lent this style to her avid interest in the indigenous cultures and people of the Pacific Northwest. If you are at all considering a visit to the Vancouver Art Museum, be sure to set aside plenty of time to spend with this full exhibit. Guided tours of certain Vancouver Art Gallery exhibits like this one provide excellent insight into the life and work of the artists and provide background for the many exhibits that are bound to engage your interest.

Sometimes the most interesting exhibits are the temporary ones that pass through the Vancouver Art Gallery. This is not at all because the permanent collection lacks in any way, but rather because the VAG regularly brings some of the most alluring attractions into the gallery. One of the most popular recent exhibitions was a look at the great Impressionists. Visitors of the Vancouver Art Museum had the distinct pleasure of getting to see works on loan from Musee d’Orsay in Paris, France. The work of Degas, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, and many more were on display. Spectacular Vancouver Art Gallery exhibits like this one are a big reason why the VAG remains one of the top attractions in the entire city year after year.

The Vancouver Art Gallery is open every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Tuesdays when it is open until 9 p.m. You can take group tours or opt for a self-guided, audio tour. There are discounts available for senior, small children, and groups of school children, so in advance of any trip to the gallery, be sure to check in to find out if there are any savings you can take advantage of. The admission for an adult is around 20 dollars.

If you are contemplating a trip to Vancouver and are shaping up your itinerary for things to do, a visit to the Vancouver Art Gallery if you enjoy fine museums or artwork. You can even enjoy lunch at the café and buy gifts at the gift shop after your museum visit is over.