Granville, the Island in the Midst of Vancouver

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A sunny day was all I wished for a Granville Island visit.  After two rain-soaked trips to the Island, I finally saw this amazing part of Vancouver in bright afternoon sun.  

Don't miss Granville Island when visiting Vancouver!

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The Best Time to Visit

To avoid crowds at this popular place,  visit Granville Island during weekdays or on early mornings.  The Granville Public Market is a haven for culinary artists, rookie chefs, and everyone in between.  Early birds may enjoy coffee at Blue Parrot & JJ Bean after 7:30 am, and Petit Ami after 8:30 am.

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Winter Hours (October 1st – April 31st): 9 am – 6 pm daily
Summer Hours (May 1st – September 30th) 9 am – 7 pm daily

The Public Market is open on all statutory holidays except December 25th, 26th, and 

January 1st.  The Public Market is closed MONDAYS IN JANUARY ONLY.

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How to Get To Granville Island

False Creek ferries leave every five minutes for Granville Island from a dock behind the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, on Beach Avenue, near Burrard Street Bridge, and get off between the Bridges pub and the Public Market.  You can also take a 20-minute ride on Bus #50 to the edge of the island. Buses #4 UBC and #7 Dunbar will also take you within a few minutes' walk of the island.  The market is a short walk from the bus, ferry, or tram stop. 

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What to See on Granville Island:

• Granville Public Market 
• Waterside boardwalk behind the Arts Club Theatre
• Charles H. Scott Gallery
• Sea Village
• Granville Island Brewing Company
• Granville Island Museum, with fishing, train, and model-boat displays
• Railspur Alley is home to a mix of crafts galleries, studios, and workshops
• The Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, the province's leading art college
• Watch glassblowers at work at New Small Sterling Glass Studio 
• Net Loft shopping arcade
• Take the ferry back to downtown Vancouver or stay for dinner and catch a play
  at the Arts Club or the Waterfront Theatre

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My favored tour, however, is by one of the small ferry boats along the island and its amazing floating homes, then towards the Science Museum, over to the Yaletown marina, and back to Granville Island. 

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The skipper told me that despite the beautiful sunshine on this day, an evening sail is even more exciting when the sun sets, and all the high-rises glow in the last sun rays.  Sailing later (the ferry runs until 9 pm) becomes even romantic when the city is lit up with thousands of lights from the buildings and streets.

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Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, Canada

 

I finally made it to visit this wonderful, not to miss, gem in Vancouver.  Not many artists can compete with the fantastic native art that is displayed at the MOA on 6393 NW Marine Drive.  MOA resides on the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam people, and works by Musqueam artists welcome visitors to the site. 

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Arts in Canada lists more than 100 contemporary native artists in British Columbia. Most of them are from the Haida tribes of the West Coast. Their masks, sculptures, and original paintings can be found in Vancouver, on Vancouver Island, and scattered around the whole province.

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The MOA, on the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, is the premier place to view Northwest Coast art and artifact collections.  MOA initiated native carving programs in the 1950s, restoring old poles and creating new ones.  Don't miss the stunning yellow cedar carving "The Raven and the First Men" by the Haida artist Bill Reid, depicting the Haida creation story.

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One of the largest collections of historical and modern art is showcased in the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver’s west end, close to the USB (University of British Columbia).  The picturesque setting of this artful architectural gem has breathtaking views of mountains, water, and sky.  It is important for its role in preserving and showcasing Indigenous art and culture, besides the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Center in Whistler, BC.

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More than 3,000 years ago, Indigenous peoples of the coast of British Columbia developed artistic traditions that are heralded throughout the world for their imaginative and stylistic qualities.  The masks and totem poles of the Northwest Coast Aboriginal art powerfully impacted the work of major American abstract artists.  It gave rise to a revival of craftsmanship on the NW Coast over the past fifty years and shaped the work of contemporary native artists. 

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However, not only Canadian native artifacts are displayed here, but numerous ones from all over of the world, such as significant collections from Asia, including Chinese ceramics, calligraphy, and paintings, as well as Japanese prints, Buddhist and Hindu art, textiles, and clothing from various regions such Tibet, Sri Lanka, and Korea. 

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The African collection includes masks, Yoruba thorn carvings, Makonde figures from Tanzania, Asante gold weights, weaponry from South Africa, and mortuary objects from Egypt.  The museum houses a large collection of Northwest Coast First Nations art and artifacts, including works by the famous native artist Bill Reid.  MOA has objects from the South Pacific, such as Micronesia, including textiles and other cultural artifacts.  There is also a collection of European ceramics, which is one of the finest in Canada. 

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If you want to delve into the exhibition, a good idea would be to go at least twice to the museum:  One day for the Canadian exhibits and another day to see the native artifacts from other parts of the world.  Due to the favorable price for a yearly ticket, a second visit is already cheaper than purchasing two tickets.  

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The 75 year-old museum has permanent exhibitions of almost 50,000 works and hosts 3-4 temporary exhibitions a year.  The current, larger MOA building was designed by renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson and was opened to the public in 1976.

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Scientists and nature lovers alike will adore the MOA UBC’s Botany and National Herbarium.  Walk amongst stunning flowers and lush greenery, and check out the plant specimens within the facility – there are over half a million, from all around the globe.  It continues to expand as researchers discover new plants.  The herbarium is significant as a research facility for local and international scientists dedicated to studying plant life.

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Opening Hours and Admission

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm in Winter.  From May 15 to October 15 open on Mondays too.  The daily admission is $22, and the yearly is only $35.  UBC students and staff, Indigenous people, and children under 5 years old enter for free.  I took bus #48 from downtown, and then 2 stops via bus # 68, which brings visitors right to the museum.

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