A World of Art and Culture at the Museum of Anthropology

I’ve always had an interest in history, archaeology and anthropology, so wherever I travel, visiting museums is a top priority on my ‘to-do’ list. Museums are our link to the past and a connection between the cultures of the world.

The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia (MOA) in Vancouver has one of the best collections of material representing not only the First Nations people of coastal B.C., but collections from the South Pacific, Asia, Africa and Europe as well as the Polar regions.

I set out on a sunny day to visit the newly revamped and expanded museum.  As I went by bus, I enjoyed a stroll through the university campus and rose gardens to reach the Museum which is located on Point Grey Road.  Before entering, I walked around outside to enjoy the view of the North Shore Mountains and Burrard Inlet.  Behind the museum building are Haida houses and totem poles by renown Haida carvers Douglas Cranmer and  Bill Reid. 

Outside the new entry there’s a water and sculpture installed by Musqueam artist Joe Becker. Titled “Transformation” it features a small waterfall spilling into a pool with two stylized salmon. A mosaic by Musqeum artist Susan Point titled “Salish Footprints” emphasizes the First Nations people’s connection to the land. The wooden front doors that were carved by four Gitksan artists have been moved inside to the Museum gift shop and clear glass doors open up the views into the building.

The newly expanded and renovated building was designed to enhance the late Arthur Erikson’s world-famous design which was inspired by the post-and-beam construction of  traditional North West coast village longhouses.  The museum exhibits 36,000 objects and among the changes in the museum are the visible storage cases, made especially for self discovery.  As you browse the exhibits you can open these cases and see some of 10,000 objects from the museum’s vast global collections.

As you walk up the ramp into the open, airy Great Hall you’ll be thrilled at the spectacular exhibits of our Coastal people, with each object’s name shown in the First Nations language and illustrations showing where the particular totem or artifact stood in a village. I’m always in awe when I stop to admire the late Bill Reid’s monumental sculpture in yellow cedar titled “The Raven and the First Men”. Now it’s protected under a new roof and there are steps allowing visitors to get a closer look.  There are other notable Bill Reid works on display as well as Musqueam artifacts, totems from Haida Gwai and other First Nations Villages.

Raven and the First Men

I was especially intrigued by an extensive collection of artifacts from the South Pacific including a totem carved by a guest artist from Papua New Guinea.

There’s so much to see at MOA you need to allow yourself lots of time to take it all in.  Besides the anthropological exhibits,  the Koerner Ceramics Gallery contains over 600 “European ceramics.  Currently, in the Satellite Gallery to January 23,1011 is “No Windows” a collaboration between the Departments of Anthropology, Art history and Curatorial Studies at UBC with work by local and international artists.

The Public Program Series has “Man Ray: African Art and the Modernist Lens” which includes an eclectic series of talks, films, jazz concerts to January 23, 2011.

The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) – 6393 N.W. Marine Drive, Vancouver B.C. (map)

• Winter Opening hours:  (to May 20)  Tuesday 10 am – 9 pm; Wednesday to Sunday 10 am – 5 pm.  Free guided Gallery tours: Tuesday – Sunday 11:20 am – 2 pm plus 6 pm on Tuesday.
• Admission:  Adult: $15.68; Student and Senior $13.44; children under 6 free; Family $44.00.  Group rates available.   Tours included in admission.
• How to get there:  By Public Transit:  Buses   to UBC, disembark at the bus loop and walk north to Point Grey Road or take a shuttle bus from the loop. See Translink Trip Planner to plan your bus route.
• By car:  Drive west on 4th Avenue, 10th Avenue, 16th Avenue or 41st Avenute to Southwest Marine Drive. Parking available near the Museum.

Photos by W. Ruth Kozak