Imagine Van Gogh has been an incredibly popular exhibit in many cities, and I was excited when it…read morecame to Vancouver this summer. There was such high demand for tickets that you had to purchase them months in advance, but I managed to snag a pair for June 18th at 6:30pm (due to Covid restrictions, you had to know months in advance the exact time you wanted to go, which was annoying). I don't know if the exhibit is different in other cities, but the event in Vancouver was a disappointment. For those of you who aren't aware of what Imagine Van Gogh is, it is an "immersive experience" where you are surrounded -- immersed -- in Van Gogh's paintings. Projected onto screens are Van Gogh's paintings, with classical music playing. Sounds cool, right? However, the Vancouver experience was not worth the hefty price of $50 a ticket. The projected images and classical music were lovely -- no complaints about the content -- but the execution of the event had something to be desired. The website said to allot at least an hour, and mistakenly I thought it would be an exhibit where you walk through different displays. However, the exhibit was one room*, in which you just stand there, watching the projected images, which change every few minutes, while listening to music. While you are surrounded by lovely images and music, just standing there gets pretty damn boring. Also, there wasn't one bench if you needed to sit, so the event wasn't appropriate for people who may not be able to stand for long periods of time. And if you needed to use the washroom, you were not allowed back into the exhibit. As much as I enjoyed the projected images and music, we left after sticking it out for half an hour, which made the $50 price feel like a rip off. In summary: the projected images were lovely, but the execution was a flop and definitely not worth $50. *Technically there were two rooms. The first room consisted of informational boards about the exhibit's technology and Van Gogh's life. However, due to rigid Covid protocols, if you finished reading a board or wanted to move on to the next one, you had to wait for the people ahead of you to finish, and couldn't just skip to a free board. It was such a frustratingly slow and dull process, that we decided to skip the last few informational boards instead of waiting for the illiterate slow pokes in front of us, thus not getting the full value of our tickets.

I loved this exhibit. I visited on opening day with my artsy friend. We were both impressed with…read morethe COVID safety measures in place here, and the fact that they only allow "x" amount of people in the exhibit at any given time means that it will never get crowded. We enjoyed the informational boards in the room prior to entering the "immersive" projection area, as they give you, the visitor, a good amount of information about the works you are about to see and the background behind them. My friend and I are quite knowledgeable about art history and Van Gogh in general, but there were still a few tidbits of information about him on the info boards that we were unaware of, so we learned a few new things (always a bonus!). All the other visitors who were in the same room with us were polite and didn't crowd us, as we all moved along at a good pace. Once in the main, cavernous projection room, it was, like, wow. You truly ARE immersed into Van Gogh's world. There are angled screen "islands" free-standing in the middle of the room, like off-kilter pyramids, and the paintings - and close-up details of paintings - are projected all around you. On the walls, angled screens, on the floors, with vibrant colors, and close-ups of details. You can practically feel the texture of the brushstrokes, technically done with a pallet knife, as the images ebb and flow and stream around you on all sides. To fully experience it, it is best to slowly walk through the room, standing in one place for a few minutes, and walk to another spot, experiencing the images from a variety of angles. (There were four older women who were seated on chairs in one area of the room, so I assume if one needs to sit, chairs are available if you ask the attendants). There is classical music playing which is in synch with the flowing images. This is truly an all-sensory experience. The only thing missing is piped-in scents! (I found out later that my neighbor went to this exhibit THREE times!). After you walk through the projection exhibit, there is a small pop-up gift store with objects for sale (all Van Gogh related, of course). Like any museum store, the merchandise is extremely pricey but all of high quality. There were shirts and notecards and jewelry and more. My friend got a gorgeous case for her eyeglasses. Whenever I see this case when we go out, I am reminded of our wonderful experience seeing this exhibit!

The Vancouver Art Gallery has the feels where from the outside it looks like it can be as extensive…read moreas one of the large metropolitan museums you would expect from big cities. However, once you enter you see the exhibits are a bit more subdued and it isn't as large as it seems from the outside. Still, that shouldn't discourage you from having a good time and getting a big old "VAG" hand stamp on you to experience this art gallery. The exterior of this museum is all Victorian in the scope of its columns and use of concrete materials. It could be a museum perfectly placed in any other Commonwealth country. Entering inside you go through a long hallway with a gift shop at the very end with a good selection of art related and niche items to buy. On one side of the hallway are lockers and restrooms. On the other is a stairway up to their cafe/restaurant as well as the entrance to the actual galleries for the museum. It doesn't feel aged and instead quite modern and efficiently designed. As most museums, there is a rotation of different exhibits and featured artists. During my visit one of the most visually stunning pieces was an atrium area with curving staircases on both sides with a rainbow pattern of waves on the ground. It was a nice visual and interactive piece and definitely one meant for social media. Continuing on I enjoyed seeing lots of interactive art pieces. One was a prompt on the wall where you could put sticky notes on the wall to answer the question. Another similar piece was found but instead of sticky notes you could hang pieces of paper with words or artwork as your response to their prompt. One of my favorite parts of the Vancouver Art Gallery was their offerings of easy to carry foldable chairs. This meant if you really found something you wanted to spend more time on you had a chair to help sit for a while. I wish more museums had this amenity. First Fridays of each month means free admission, though it is first come first serve so you might be waiting a while. But a free admission to this museum felt worth it. However, if you have to pay to come in unless they have a specific piece of art or artist featured that you like it might feel a bit expensive for the price of admission. Either way, museums are a great insight into any city and if you want to experience the creative side of Vancouver, the Vancouver Art Gallery is a good place to visit while exploring the city.

Coming from Chicago, this Art Gallery is on the smaller side. However with that being said - they…read moremade the best with the space they have with some interesting pieces. We really enjoyed the variety.

Nice newish Art gallery and performance place with theatre and nice stage and seating for live…read moreperformances. Has a snack bar, gift shop and even rents out art which is unique for my limited experience in the arts area. Came for the Festival du Ballet performance and with the large foyer area there was lots of room to relax during the day.

I went there for the opening of their "Views from the Southbank III" exhibition. Above-average…read moreexhibit. Excellent snacks, or "hor d'oeuvres" as they are often called at these type of events. The white macadamia nut cookies were splendid. Would eat here again.

This gallery was a pleasant stop amid the bars, restaurants and retail shops in Lonsdale Quay…read more Romilly greeted us and cheerfully gave us the history on the artwork and sculptures displayed. This is a wonderful free museum dedicated to indigenous people. Moderate selection of art to choose from. While most of it was $$$, it is definitely worth the investment. Definitely recommend popping in.

I rarely fail to come visit this absolute goldmine of Native American art. Fantastic, friendly, and…read moreknowledgeable staff especially Mark. Always interesting and informative conversation to learn about the artists and the interpretations of their outstanding art. Very highly recommended. I have built an extensive collection from here over a decade of visits!

Lovely gallery with a very interesting selection of beautiful art. Definitely worth a visit!read more

Always enjoy strolling thru this gallery…read more The artwork is always distinctive and intriguing!

My husband chose to visit this location and I'm glad he did! He is a Southwest Native American art…read moreconnoisseur, so it was great to watch him experience the exquisite northwest Native American art at this fine gallery. We were especially intrigued with the masks. This is quality art with the appropriate $$$$$ prices. Sales personnel very knowledgeable about NW art and artists. They also have totem poles, jewelry, etc. This is the place to go for great NW aboriginal artwork.

This is such a fun place to browse through. I suppose it is a tourist spot, but I enjoy looking at…read morethe items. Growing up quite a bit south, totem poles were just items in old history books. So I find their presence here meaningful and incredibly artistic. The staff here is friendly, but also allows you browse in peace. Prices are high, as one expects in a gallery, and further in a gallery aimed at tourists.

Visited the Polygon Gallery near Lonsdale Quay and The Shipyards area. Lucky enough to see the…read moreexhibit of Vancouver photographer Greg Girard. All photographic works were by Greg Girard, courtesy of the artist and Monte Clark Gallery. Curated by Reid Shier, Director and Elliott Ramsey, Curator. It was a brilliant exhibition not to be missed, showcasing Greg Girard's collection of works from 1972-2026. The exhibition runs until October 25.

My friend and I visited this gallery late last night and we both were blown away by the gift shop…read moreinside! (We unfortunately did not check out the actual gallery or exhibition as we were there just 30 minutes before its closing at 9pm). The gallery gift shop is fantastic. I admit, we are suckers for museum gift shops, and this was just like a smaller version. They had gorgeous artisan jewelry, artsy household decor accessories, clever and unique games, candles and potions, greeting cards, etc., all the types of high-end and clever and artsy items you'd find at most art museum stores. Prices are high, yes, but most items are unique, that you'd not find elsewhere, and are of high quality, and support artists and the art gallery. Also, they do have a section of sale items here, too. I really appreciated how family-friendly the staff is here, and how they have programs and items designed to get kids interested in art. Case in point: at the counter they advertised free kits for kids, to make these AWESOME, cool articulated puppets. These puppets are super neat, made from thick, colored cardboard, with funky graphics on each section, with each section attached to each other by metal rivets or brads, so the joints are all articulated and move. Super fun. And FREE! My friend asked for one for her toddler niece and the lady at the center asked if she wanted more than one kit. So my friend got three kits, for her niece and her little friends. I asked for two kits, for my two kids (who are older, but would enjoy them) and the lady said, sure, no problem! So I got a few of these fun puppet kits, too. I thought that was amazingly nice. I should note, too, that this building is gorgeous, with clean lines and infused with light as the walls are all glass. And they have these comfy, cozy, round cobalt blue sofas by the window wall facing the water. Perfect for reading or just getting some sun rays and taking in the view. Lovely lovely building.

A free (small) art gallery right by LaFarge Lake thats open to everyone. It was a nice surprise to…read morebe able to go while on a walk. We were there on a weekday afternoon and so there were no other patrons. The room is quite spacious and quiet. Even before entering the actual gallery, we were greeted by art and poetry. The staff are super nice and told us to feel free to ask any questions.

I'm always so impressed by this Art Gallery - they offer several professional + curated exhibitions…read moreevery year, and all of them are thought-provoking and tie into things happening in the community. The gallery has free admission and is open on weekends, so it's perfect for a Saturday stroll around Lafarge Lake (literally next to the gallery) and an art break for all ages!