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.

To sum it all up in one sentence, the Khatsalano street festival is very much worth a visit…read moreespecially if you love to vibe with people and enjoy great music together. If you want a comparison to the richmond night market, read around the middle part of this review. The only thing that i didn't like was the staff at the information booth because when i asked them about directions, they acted annoyed that i asked them a question. Their tone when they answered my question was not pleasant either. Maybe i caught them when they were in a bad mood. Luckily, that's the only single negative i have to say about this festival. The live music was SO good. I spent a good 15 minutes at each concert stage i passed by because it was so great watching people dance along and just vibing to the music. There was so much variety of music too. From what i remember, there was R&B/hip hop/rap in half french and english by Missy D. i also heard punk rock, and pop rock. The beer gardens near the block ends had a live DJ playing super upbeat stuff like pop, latinx, and EDM. There was so much activity around the beer garden. The queue to go inside snaked around the entire place until there was no more room to let more people in. People were vibing to the music and forming a crowd near the DJ showing off their best moves, it was so awesome to see. There was so many vendors selling and promoting things. I saw vintage clothing, music record labels, cell phone plans from carriers, arts and crafts, jewelry, informational booths promoting startups promoting various things, radio stations giving away stuff, and much more. A lot of the street vendors were giving samples or selling things at the booths outside their own store right behind them. I personally bought a bunch of instant noodles from an asian noodle vendor because they were having a pretty good deal and it came with some swag freebies as a bonus. I then spun a wheel at a startup company booth promoting their pop and won a free can of reduced sugar root beer. Score! The festival was crowded but the street was so wide that it was pretty easy to walk anywhere. The only real traffic jam of people was at the food truck area. It was very crowded because of the lines spreading towards the middle of the road partially blocking people who were passing by. There was plenty of portapotties evenly placed along the street with minimal wait which is great. They were disgusting inside but that's pretty normal at big festivals. The garbage situation appeared very well maintained because the streets were spotless. It was very easy finding a garbage can so I didn't have to hold onto my litter very long. There was definitely police present for crowd control at every block and walking along the street so i felt completely safe at the festival. COMPARISONS TO THE RICHMOND NIGHT MARKET: Compared to the the richmond night market, richmond tops khatsalano it in terms of variety of asian and fun instagram worthy pic making food. But khatsalano had awesome looking grilled burgers and so many food trucks that filled an entire block. Even more, they had actual restaurants selling food outside their retail shop which you could order from and enjoy eating outside. i didn't see any rides, carnival attractions, or carnival games at this event which richmond night market had a ton of. The music here is phenomenal and the vibes are so way more exciting here. Richmond night market, based on my last visit, appears to invite talent from basically anybody who *thinks* they can sing instead of established artists. The most lively area was only near the food area at richmond night market. Khatsalano was super lively wherever upbeat music was present which was basically around every block. The type of vendors selling stuff at khatsalano is way better. So much more variety of things you could buy instead of knock off anime merch or phone cases or the usual made in china stuff they got a richmond night market. Biggest difference is the admission is 100% free at Khatsalano. Richmond charges 7 bucks per person. (edit: $8.50 as of 2025!) OVERALL: Overall, If there's one free street festival in vancouver you shouldn't miss, it's the Khatsalano street festival. If you haven't been yet, don't miss next years event! 4 stars.

huge crowds turned out for the city's largest free music and art festival, taking over ten car free…read moreblocks along west 4th, from burrard all the way to macdonald. with over 200,000 people in attendance, the energy was high from start to finish. best to take transit or walk, parking is limited and can be a nightmare. caution, many cars get towed, if parked in the wrong spot. we always enjoy this event. it's well organized, lively, and fun for all ages. there were eight stages with live music, licensed beer gardens buzzing with people, and rows of food trucks dishing out everything from tacos to lemonade. water refill stations and a misting station offered some relief from the heat, a thoughtful touch on a hot july day. love all the community booths, tents, and brand pop ups lining the street, from small vendors to big corporate sponsorships. my favourite was the fjällräven tent with its spin the wheel and the ever popular blundstone boot toss where people lined up to test their aim. there was a lot of swag to be had and prizes to be won, some based on luck, others on skill, answering a question or by scanning and entering your name and email. the festival runs for one day, from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, and everyone we encountered was in great spirits, friendly, patient, and just happy to be part of the fun. a sun soaked day of sound, street eats, and community. wear comfy shoes, bring sunscreen, and stay hydrated, you'll want to soak up every moment.

I don't know why it was named The Mergatroid Building because The Moss Green Building is a better…read morename. It's a small to medium sized art gallery made up with mostly of pottery artists, glass artists, sculpters, and painters. A bunch of friendly talented artists cramped inside a tiny building on the second floor. If you're into the first three items I listed, then this is your one stop shop.

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.

Very fun and welcoming. Came with my Canadian husband. Will have to return for their roast beef…read moredinner one of these days.

I love the Billy! This is the bar for you if you want to avoid the jocks and yoga pants that…read morepermeate Kitsilano. No one cares about your muscles and highlights here :) The room is like a history museum full of memorabilia and it is super cozy with its fireplace always glowing. There are darts and pulltabs for your entertainment and a selection of boardgames too for those so inclined. We always order caesars and beer. You can bring your own food as they don't have a kitchen but there are small snacks for sale. Seriously, bring your whole crock pot if you so desire. Oh, they do have a roast beef dinner many Friday's though, just ask ahead. The other customers are super friendly. That's the best part. All ages here. We befriended one sweet lady and she gave us the bacon she won in the Sunday meat draw. Score! In the summer the garden patio outside can't be beat. Get your butt to the billy and support a wonderful cause. P.S. You don't need to be a member, just sign in the guest book when you arrive.

Great collection of pieces; however, the personality of those that work in the gallery is rather…read moreflat and comes across elitist. Simple exchanges in communication lacked any real customer service. I felt as if I was dealing with a robot. Unfortunately I will no longer be doing business with them.

This gallery is wonderful! My dad and I commissioned a Haida frog from them for my mother's…read morebirthday and we had little over a month to get it done. The gallery worked with us and went out of their way to make sure the piece was done on time, even early. They thought to help us customize it ( aquamarine eyes to match her birthstone instead of topaz), in order to to make it more speical without our initiative and we did the whole transaction online because we live in Seattle and my dad was in the hospital at the time. I cannot say enough good things about this gallery!

On now at the Polygon Gallery, until July 14, 2024, dani…read moregal: historical records and until June 2, 2024, velvet terrorism: p#ssy riot's russia. *note: sensory-overloading exhibition. noise cancelling headphones available at bookstore.

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 great place to go on weekends, free admission, spacious and interesting architecture with lots of…read morehistory. Great for young families. Everything was well kept, clean and manicured. The staff there were friendly and actively made conversation and offered demonstrations for visitors. Would even better if there were more parking and food options. Only have a handful of parking at the centre, so you may have to look for residential street parking. Only one cafe there with a very simple menu of hotdogs, coffee and pastries.

Burnaby Village Museum is like stepping into a time capsule. The heritage buildings and vintage…read morecarousel make it feel like you're in a storybook. You can walk through the old shops, schoolhouse, and watch the blacksmith at work in their workshop. During the holidays, there are lights, festive displays, and hot chocolate to sip on. Burnaby heritage museum is also educational and preserved with care. Perfect for families, history lovers, or anyone who loves to experience small-town charm