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.

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.

This is a really cool museum! Our cruise ship was stuck in Port of Vancouver but don't threaten me…read morewith a good time! It was a quick walk to Science World and was a fun museum with interactive activities for all ages! They also have a garden so that guests can learn about bees, composting, and growing your own vegetables.

Exploring science museums is one of my hobbies whenever I travel, and I really enjoyed Science…read moreWorld; the FIFA theme was cool to see. Buying tickets was pretty easy at the counter, and they asked if there was intent on exiting and re-entering - of course not, one go! Compared to other science museums that I've been to, Science World feels smaller, probably because it is mainly one large floor with a ground level. However, it's very spacious and has many interactive and interesting pieces. My favorites were the flipbooks to learn about the human body, the tactile demonstrations of hinges in the body, and the amount of many integrations of physics and music / sound. One critique is that it felt more biology and physics heavy than chemistry, but the variety of stations that they did have were very impressive. Some outstanding ones on the chemistry side include their geology exhibit, including crystal structures. The ecology and earth science stations were also fun to explore. By the window, there's also a nice view of the bay / pier. It looks like there are a few things downstairs, although there aren't too many signs for it. My friend and I actually got lost and had to ask for re-entry - oops! Coming with children? They have some neat children exhibits, too, including a little treehouse!

This was a great historic house tour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and connected the lives…read moreof the original family members with the larger history of Vancouver.

This lovingly preserved, historic Victorian home belonged to Vancouver's first book-binder and is…read moresuch a hidden gem! The house itself is worth a look with its beautiful architecture - but it's also full of interesting pieces of Canadian history and Roedde family artifacts. You can do a self guided tour - but we opted for the guided tour just for funsies and I'm so glad we did bc we learned a lot I feel like we may have missed just browsing on our own - such as the scandalous story of the home's architect! The house was built in 1893 by British architect Francis Rattenbury - and his story itself was pretty fascinating - a scandalous divorce from his first wife and he was eventually murdered by his second wife's lover! Drama drama :-o The docent also showed us a really neat "Domestic Science Diploma" of one of the family - it even had grades for "cookery" and "housewifery" - I had no idea they even had diplomas like that back then! The pace of our cultural change never ceases to amaze me. They also had a really lovely exhibit featuring renowned Canadian poet Pauline Johnson - whose father was a hereditary Mohawk chief! The house is very well curated and the docents are very knowledgeable. I especially loved how the house really immerses you in the life of the era - one of my fave things was all the Victorian dresses on display! So this museum might seem small but there's a lot to unpack here if you have the time. Their opening hours are limited and seasonal but accurate on their website. The whole neighborhood is historic and very walkable. I regret we didn't have enough time to thoroughly explore! The price is extremely reasonable- it's $10CAD which is just over $7USD at the time of this writing. Parking is limited and street parking in the neighborhood- but we just walked from our hotel easily.

The Bill Reid Gallery downtown is a premier art gallery show casing aboriginal / indigenous art…read morefrom the Northwest Coast. Bill Reid was a master artist (of many talents) who brought aboriginal art to the public & the world in way prior to his works were aboriginal art was mostly ignored or never really seen in importance to Canada's history. One of his most famous pieces is located at YVR Vancouver International Airport - the famous Jade Canoe sculpture. It has appeared in many travelers photos as they pass through the airport - one not to miss. The Bill Reid Gallery is small museum but is a must check out, whenever you're in downtown Vancouver. Do not expect the same experience like at the Natural History Museum (NYC or London) nor the Met, which requires hours of time to get through. The BRG is way smaller. Budget to spend at least an hour here. I enjoyed the displays & was actually quite impressed with what I saw. If you're heavy into art & native history, I'd highly recommend a visit out to the University of British Columbia to check out the Museum of Anthropology. See my review.

Nice place to learn about indigenous art. Kind of dull if you aren't interested in art or history…read more Nice gift shop at the end, and some beautiful totem poles and wood statues.

The Chinese Canadian Museum is a recent addition to Vancouver and a must-add for both tourist and…read morelocals interested in Chinese Canadian culture. Inside are several interactive exhibits featuring lifestyle in the previous century as well as some contemporary ones, too. Some fun ones are the piano, the class photo, and the 1940s drawers. The gift shop will have many relatable items to most North American Chinese visitors. Some surprise items are recently published books (including cookbooks), punny stickers, and quick phrase books. After exploring the museum, there is also a ping pong table for quick games while waiting for a ride or for others in the group.

This small museum is located in an historic building and explores various aspects of Chinese…read morehistory in Canada. The featured exhibit dealt with Chinese pop music which I found very interesting. I also found the exhibit about Chinese Canadians in the military during WWII to be compelling. There are recreations of of old school room and residence, and other displays showcasing how Chinese people were exploited building the railroad. Highly recommend.

I joined Civic Holiday event (free admission!) And I enjoyed very much exploring…read more This time, SFU's forensic department joined and had quick lecture using active maggots! They are silent messengers from dead body telling when and how that person died. For me, "the axe killed a whole family" display was very interesting. I mean as I'm nerd, I enjoyed. But some people might get sick to see that because there are still victims hairs on it. VPD preserved those archives very well.

Cool little tourist spot to visit if you are in Vancouver. Check hours before showing up.read more

You have no idea what treasures both modern and historical live behind the unassuming doors facing…read morePender. But a couple of clicks on their website will unlock an hour long tour, complete with a peek at an old school room, a trounce down the old Market Alley, and a frolic on the rooftop where stunning views, sculptures and the famed "Everything is going to be alright" neon sign meet the sky. Our tour guide's name was Caroline and it was her very first day as a guide. She rocked it. The current exhibit features Amy Bessone and Thomas Houseago, husband and wife, with a colourful mixture of paint and sculpture. It was quite educational, friendly and refreshing, not to mention the space itself is impressive and inspiring. I wonder what a party would be like here.... magical?

I first heard about Bob "Condo King" Rennie's art collection in a Vancouver Sun article by John…read moreMackie in October of 2009. While this collection and its space are a benefit to Vancouver, there are many things that I dislike about this new gallery. First, Bob Rennie is a tycoon trained in the art of selling, schmoozing and fabricating. This is not necessarily the type of person that I associate with the collecting of *good* artwork for public consideration. Second, this is a private gallery, and Rennie never lets you forget it. You must reserve a spot on a tour, which runs every Thursday during each particular show (there will be three per year). When you enter the historic Wing Sang building on East Pender, a clueless receptionist from Rennie Market Systems greets you in a tasteful yet corporate lobby and prompts you to sign a waiver, really hitting home the fact that the owner is not comfortable with the public all up in his bid'ness. Third, I read a quote from Rennie stating "The only goal [of the gallery] is that artists want to show there." This one sentence proves that the rejuvenation of the Downtown Eastside, the educating of the public, the supporting of BC arts and the meaning of the artwork come a distant second to the promotion of the Rennie brand. Despite the misdirected motives and corporate principles behind this gallery, I must admit that it is a valuable addition to East Pender. With the infamous Carnegie Centre just one block away and the sad architectural situation in Strathcona, this building demonstrates some of the ways in which neighbourhoods can be revitalized from the inside out. Of course, gutting heritage buildings and opening new, popular establishments within old and/or run-down neighbourhoods always comes with the risk of gentrification, but Rennie's conversion of the Wing Sang building succeeds as a symbol of both preservation and progression. Rennie has created a hidden lair of idiosyncratic artwork and commerce in one of the oldest parts of Vancouver, but at least his Ivory Condo fails to infiltrate the atmosphere and ethos of Chinatown. The gallery provides Rennie with a surprising amount of space, and an even more surprising amount of wall space. There is a small exhibition area of about 400 square feet on the groundfloor which is perfect for smaller pieces, such as photographs and canvases. The two primary rooms are on the "second floor". I use quotations here because the second floor is comprised of the the top three floors that were destroyed and transformed into exhibition space. There are basically two rooms upstairs, and the main room is actually too lofty in my opinion, but it does give Rennie and the curator(s) freedom to present larger installations. My favourite thing about the building is the way in which elements from the original interiors have been incorporated into the gallery space, such as raw brick wall and distressed wainscoting. I encourage you to visit the gallery for the architecture alone. Book your tour: office@renniecollection.org I just hope Rennie's Wing Sang project doesn't lead to a Starbucks opening within Sun Yat-Sen Garden!

Toque! was great this weekend. I actually took care of my Christmas shopping in one location and…read moreleft feeling creatively satisfied. Glad I found out about this event.

I went to a show there, and the performing space was uncomfortably warm. A few industrial fans…read morewould help! Also, it is disturbing that the only refreshments they have on offer are ALCOHOLIC. There was no bottled water, or soft drinks on offer. I guess the Western Front is rich, and doesn't need the extra money.

After I read an article about free admission over Family day weekend, I decided to join the early…read moregroup which starts 10 am. $18/adult is not cheap honestly and I'm very thanksful for this free event. Also right now, we have Beijing Winter Olympics, it was nice opportunity to learn Olypic history and sport archives. Basically most of museum goods were donated by real Olympians. Very generous and touchy to know hidden story behind the glory. There are corners for Terry Fox and Rick Hansen. Especially Terry's handwriting journal for the day before he started for Marathon of Hope was worth to read.

Newly renovated and reopened earlier this year, the BC Sports Hall of Fame seems like a great place…read moreto hold a kid's birthday party that would coincidentally coincide with a game day event. The reasons for this are as follows: - A complete kids area. It comes with a mini track that times your sprint, a rock climbing wall on a horizontal conveyor belt with a timer to see how far you can go, a soccer and hockey shoot out area, and a car racing arcade game. There's also air hockey, foosball, and a mini curling game as well. And the 4D experience ride for bobsledding featured during the Olympics - A viewing window into BC Place with a great view of the field. Perfect for game day! - Permanent exhibits for Terry Fox, Rick Hansen and Greg Moore filled with their personal items (Terry Fox's artificial leg!) and lots of information about the heroes. - A large temporary exhibit on the 2010 Winter Games which houses several of the official clothing from participating countries, the ice dancing outfits of our winning pair, and plenty of other items to ooo and ahhh over. - The three Olympic mascots to greet you at the door. SO. CUTE. And then, for the extra dorky people like me, a very large collection of Olympic pins. I spent far too much time there, but I'm so attracted to shiny things. We also got a fantastic tour of the entire Museum by a very knowledgeable and passionate staff member. It's a great place to spend an afternoon if you're interested in sports, and I'm sure there'll be lots to do with the kids. Entrance fees are a bit on the pricier side at $15 per adult, but it's half price if you go with your day-of BC Place event ticket. Students and kids are $12.

This is suppose to be a tourist attraction place but over time it is no longer is. There are a few…read morebusiness upstairs but the place is so run down that you don't want to go there. The business I am talking about are business that tourist would have no interest to go to like a notary office, accounting office, tutoring classes etc. There is the Sun Yat Garden inside but that is actually separate from the Chinese Cultural Centre. Also because of the area its in, I don't even think its safe to come here especially at night. My friends are here doing the lion dance. They have it during Chinese New year and Canada Day. There is a hall inside but again its so run down that I don't think people really rent it. But I guess people who actually come here are part of the Associations near by. And mostly old aged people (but again even my Grandparents have no interest in this place).

Pretty good turnout. Unfortunately the advertisement for the movie says the movie starts at 6p. We…read morerushed down to make it on time to find out that it actually starts at 8:30p. We did however get to watch the lion dance as a result, which is always intense and empowering. As promised, there were plenty of ping pong and mahjong tables set up and being put to good use outside the courtyard. Weather was great and the courtyard was nice and secluded while security kept an eye on who was entering the free event. We would have liked to try the dumplings and mango pudding stands in the courtyard but since we paid $4.50 for parking for 2 hours, were had too much time left to kill before the show started. We ultimately decided to leave to eat at Bao Bei nearby then headed back home to grab lawn chairs and something warmer to wear before coming back. Brought our own chair to the movie because we knew by the time we came back there would not be enough seats based on the turnout. We got great seats and did splurge to try one bag of "Asian Flavoured popcorn" each right as the movie was starting which only cost $3/bag but was worth it... it was (shoyu flavour?) popcorn with a pleasant surprise twist of crispy rice crackers in the mix. Very peaceful experience. Meditation Park movie had us crying and laughing. It doesn't appear to be on the Canadian Netflix (maybe American) so if you can stream this movie somewhere I recommend it.