The Vancouver Art Gallery has the feels where from the outside it looks like it can be as extensive as 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. read more

Vancouver Art Gallery - They knew what they were doing with this hand stamp - Art Museums Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Is that all there is??? (Cue Peggy Lee) I feel strange giving an art museum a 2 star rating, but... I visited VAG last week - it had been over a decade. The admission fee (no senior discount) was $35. Was looking forward to the Emily Carr exhibit (4th floor) - but it was puzzlingly small. I'm aware that VAG has a large collection of Carr's work in their permanent collection - why isn't more of it being shown??? The second floor gallery was off limits - apparently while a new exhibit is created. OK, the first floor had a pottery and a photography exhibit. Where is the permanent exhibit?? The old masters? The Group of Seven?? I was left with a feeling of scarcity. Until the museum is built up I'd suggest lowering the admission fee to something more commensurate with what's being shown. Honestly, it's a stately building with not very much being offered for public viewing. In the meantime, I enjoyed a tasty well-presented appetizer at 1931 Gallery Bistro. read more

Vancouver Art Gallery - A well-presented appetizer at 1931 Bistro. - Art Museums Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We lucked out and were in Vancouver the first Friday of the month when evening admission was free to the Vancouver Art Gallery. It was probably more crowded than normal, but we went an hour before closing and there was no line. There was about 4 levels, but one level was closed as it was getting set up for a new exhibit. There was a small arts & crafts table where you can create your own art and seeing other reviews, this changes. Coming from DC with large museums that are free, the exhibits were a bit underwhelming. For the normal admission price of CAD $35, I would've given it one less star for the value especially since it seems there's always a floor or area(s) closed off for set ups. But if you're going on the evening of the first Friday of the month for free, then it's worth a visit. read more

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Wonderful exhibition of Emily Carr's paintings. Really worth seen.. One of the best. Congratulations Vancouver Art Gallery. read more

What a beautiful museum, inside and out. It was a great day to enjoy some contemporary art and time with the family. There were multiple floors and we took the stairs to get to multiple exhibits. Each exhibit was as exceptional and thought provoking. I'd highly recommend a visit when in Vancouver! read more

The exhibits on the first and 3rd floor are horrendous. A bit psychotic, underwealming and strange. Its as if an angry disturbed child created them. The fourth floor by Emily Carr was the smallest and the best exhibit, revealing well thought of and themed pieces. Unfortunately it's not enough to excuse the price of visiting this museum. The only reason it's not getting a 1 star is the staff at the front desk was kind, professional and offered a warm welcome. Not worth the time or money if you are visiting Vancouver. read more

Vancouver Art Gallery - Art Museums Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Unique collection. Nice art gallery but second floor was under construction. First Friday of every month is free from 5-8pm. read more

Vancouver Art Gallery - Art Museums Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Modern collection from 2000 -1950s. Not too much to see compared to other Art museums. read more

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Really enjoyed the art gallery even though the communist art really wasn't my thing. I did enjoy the Emily Carr exhibit. read more

Vancouver Art Gallery - Art Museums Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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First off, there is no permanent collection at this art gallery. Secondly, it is not a cheap ticket price to enter at approx. thirty dollars a person. My girlfriend and I were done with the three levels, a few pieces to each level, in about one hour. Guess I should have gone on yelp to read some of the reviews instead of ending up with a lackluster experience. If you are a big fan of art and live in the area I highly recommend researching when it is free and only go on that day. But if you are in the area on vacation this is a hard pass. There is another art gallery within walking distance from here that is always free however there is basically two pieces in the whole building. One was just a bunch of white blocks shaped like a castle with no placards or notes on it. I don't know what they are going for here, but I would suggest lowering the price : / As always people SYOY!!! read more

There appears to be very little art in the Vancouver Art Gallery. The section containing indigenous pieces is worthwhile, since it inspires and uplifts the human spirit. The rest of the galleries leave you feeling disheartened, confused, and sub-human. But maybe that's the point. When you are hopeful you won't go along with societal manipulation, or not so willingly. When lost in a fog of confusion you can be tricked into anything. The building itself is pretty and if you can block out the "art" on the walls you can enjoy the space. read more

Nice art gallery, it's always fun to visit once in a while and the building and architecture is beautiful. Usually not too busy but there is one day a month where you get free admission and the lineup to get in is crazy. read more

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Very impressive! Spent half a day with the family checking out some of the most magnificent collection of art in one location. $29 for adults and children up to 18 year olds are free. Each floor, exhibit and featured art artist presented a unique array of creativity and life as you make your way through the gallery. After strolling through it all, we wrapped up at the lounge area for beer and wine to discuss our favorite pieces. For me, Denyce Thomasos's work I enjoyed the most. read more

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I'm disappointed with this one! I was so looking forward to seeing the exhibits but I found them uninteresting. I went on a first friday of the month which is free. Glad I didn't pay $29 for this. I parked at the CF Centre underground which is $5 per half hour. Still ended up paying $15. There was a long line but it was quick once they were letting people in. The first floor was a display of weaving crafts by natives. The rest all the way to the 4th floor was photographs, paintings, words displayed on frames, all of which I do not understand and name of artists I have not heard of. Even the paintings never stood out for me. I wanted to learn to appreciate it for what it is even if the artists name is not familiar. It's as ordinary as those paintings I see displayed at Starbucks or coffee shops. Lots of security roaming each floor carefully watching everyone, guarding closely I don't know what. I was maybe expecting too much, like the museums in the US or Europe. I came cuz I saw it on one of a friend's instagram. I think it was a waste of my time! read more

I was expecting more from a large art museum in a major city. Tthe exhibits were terrible and one floor was black and white photos. nothing special and admission was expensive for such a sparse and third rate exhibit. Find something else to do. This place was not worth it. read more

**Update 11/12/23** It pains me to downgrade my rating for the VAG, as I love art so, and I love supporting local museums and galleries. But something has definitely happened to the VAG since the pandemic - and not for the better. I have been an annual subscriber/member for quire a few years, and I've visited the museum quite a bit since I moved here in 2017. A bit over a year ago, they radically changed their annual membership fees and subscription levels. In a way, it was great, as an annual membership for an adult started at only $58 (way less than before). Sure, it didn't come with a lot of the perks that membership used to have (i.e., reciprocal admission privileges to other Canadian museums, guest passes, discounts at the museum store, etc), but kids under 18, I believe, can now visit for free, and there are other cool features to the new membership structuring, so I'm not complaining about that. Recently I received an email from VAG saying, if I renewed my membership early, I'd get a few nice perks (eg., a super cool new limited-edition membership card that featured some awesome artwork on it, some guest passes, maybe an extra month of membership even, I forget). Anyhow, it was a good deal, so I immediately renewed my membership online, paid the $58, and made a mental note to stop by the VAG when I was next downtown to pick up the cool new membership card. When I next visited the VAG and showed my online receipt to the folks at the membership counter, they said, oh, so sorry, we're all out of the special membership cards. I was really taken aback; when you pay for an item and/or service and your purchase is confirmed, isn't the item reserved for you? You bought it, after all! And that's the item that was advertised and promised. WTH. I know it's just a card, but it was super cool and that's what was advertised to me with the purchase of my annual membership. They never specified "while supplies last", or any other caveats. Honestly, I found it deceitful, to offer something and, after the customer pays, not to deliver. Bait and switch-like. I was so disappointed in the VAG. I expected more from them. read more

Visited in December 2025, in large part to see the Emily Carr exhibit, which was disappointingly small. There was a very good exhibit on photographer Tamio Wakamaya, and a good (but again, very small) exhibit of Northwest First Nations art, but the rest of the museum was worth skipping. No permanent collection to speak of. Interior architecture of the building is hidden by bad "improvements." I would not go back again unless there was a significant exhibit I was interested in. Incredibly underwhelming museum for a city with this type of wealth. read more

Nice artwork. I really like the new display. Look forward to visiting again soon. The first floor was still under construction when I visited. I will have to visit again once it's ready. read more

Vancouver Art Gallery - Art Museums Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I have always loved visiting the Vancouver Art Gallery! Great way to spend an afternoon - I find the exhibits are always interesting and beautiful too. Biggest con is the price: $29/adult, which can add up quick. The year membership at the base tier is $60, which I have and recommend for anyone who likes to drop in often. I'd recommend attending a First Friday evening for complimentary admission, though it's always super busy then! read more

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A lovely place to pop in downtown. Three floors are dedicated to rotating exhibits. The monogram exhibit highlights Liechtenstein, Warhol, Ruscha and Twombly. read more

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We visited on a First Friday so it was complimentary admission. There were a lot of different exhibitions to see. We enjoyed the layout of the museum; it was sensible and easy to navigate. The exhibitions were clearly labeled and had a flow. I really enjoyed Conceptions of White and all the art displayed in that section. Located close to our hotel and plenty of great restaurants. read more

Free 1st Friday is a disaster. Prepare to wait over an hour to see subpar collection. They need to post signs showing how long the estimated wait times are as a courtesy. Don't bother, especially paying for it. read more

Really nice art museum in the heart of downtown. While the building is 3 floors, each floor is quite spacious and the current exhibits were a nice mix of local art, technology (on AI), and a children's exhibit. You may not see a lot of Van Goghs and Monets, but you will learn a lot about Canadian artists and some cool history as well. They offer portable folding chairs, which was a first, but there were plenty of seating areas as well. Overall, a great way to spend a couple of hours and experience Canadian artists. read more

Vancouver Art Gallery - Part of the AI exhibit - Art Museums Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Every city I visit I must go to their art museum, I also read every possibly text on the wall. But it has been 40 mins and I'm already done with the whole place that's how small this place is, 30 dollars admission? NYC MOMA is so much bigger and has a million more exhibitions but not this ridiculously priced. Save urself a trip it's not worth it read more

I was hoping for a lot more from this museum experience. It's actually a rather small museum for a city of this size, and there weren't many exhibits when we visited. There was a private photography collection on exhibit, but I thought the quality of displays was mixed. There's an in-house restaurant, which is oddly like many museum restaurants, maybe better quality food, and the service was excellent. Overall, I was hoping for more out of the experience. Disappointing. read more

Very well organized. The art was spectacular. There were docents on every floor ready to help and answer questions.

Very little art to review. poorly displayed and non functioning elevators. Considering the entry price, it was not worth it.

Great groups of employees running this art gallery. Free coat check (donations welcome!) and we went during the day to avoid any of the evening rush. The gallery was smaller than I would have thought and in an older building. read more

The current exhibit when I visited was the modern in the making: Post-War craft and design in British Columbia. I found it interesting to see outfits, furniture, and items from the 1950's on display but it didn't really speak to me the way I had hoped. The other exhibits as well just didn't reach me or inspire me. It felt a bit regular. I had seen pictures of more interesting exhibits in the past. I'm still giving it a 5 stars because it was a beautiful museum and I did enjoy my time there. The museum itself is shaped as a circle so very easy to navigate. Everything is one way because of covid but it works well. I loved the double staircase in the beginning. If you visit on Tuesday nights (5-9pm) it's suggested donation and because of covid you need to buy the tickets online and it starts at $5. I'd recommend doing some research before visiting to make sure you will love the exhibit but otherwise visit on a Tuesday since it's so cheap. Staff is friendly and it wasn't very busy since it was a Tuesday night. read more

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Nice museum in the heart of downtown Vancouver. There was some construction going on so the museum wasn't in full display. But I did get to see some wonderful artwork, also some I wasn't too fond of but that's okay. Overall I had a good experience and enjoyed the artwork I seen. Went to the gift shop and the cashier was rude. I did go in right before they were closing but I wanted to grab some items for keepsake. read more

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Rihanna where are you? I heard RiRi was going to be here today so I rushed downtown to the Vancouver Art Gallery. Alright RiRis not here - but the dress she wore at the popular annual Met(Metropolitan Museum of Art) Gala in New York City, back in 2015 is on full display. Make sure you Google the other spectacular dresses she's worn over the years to the gala. Amazing! This dress on display now - weighs a whooping 25kgs! Ouch! Chinese designer Guo Pei has blown my mind with her design, vivid eye for detail, colours, texture & her ability to create magnificent & sensational dresses! GP has been on the fashion industry radar for awhile & her style has brought her outstanding kudos & awards worldwide. Time Magazine named her one of the most influential people. Guo Pei - Couture Beyond is a phenomenal mind blowing trip into fashion couture. VAG continues to impress with its continuing rotational displays - well done VAG! read more

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I am a first time visitor to this gallery. Expect to spend about 2 hours if you want to quickly see everything. If you are an art fan, then you'll need another hour of two in order to fully explore the galleries and exhibits. This galley does not have the more famous classical masters like Monet, Picasso, or Van Gogh. The current exhibitions and galleries are of a more modern flavor. This is good if you are into modern art. If you're seeking the classical masters, you'll need to explore them elsewhere. read more

Excellent. Art interesting and explanations really assisted in the pleasure of seeing it.

I enjoyed my visit! I would suggest taking advantage of the free entry on the first Friday of the month (in the evening) or else it is a bit pricey but it is worth a visit if you are in the downtown area. #ContestEntry read more

I was thrilled to go to the art gallery with a friend last night! On Tuesdays, tickets are donation based, so we walked over and arrived about 5:10pm. There was already a line out the door and partially around the building... but it looked like we arrived just in time! I turned around a little later and the line was stretching further down the street. My advice, arrive as close to 5pm on Tuesdays as possible. The gallery has a "French Moderns" exhibit right now (through May 20, 2019) that spans the first floor. It's full of gorgeous impressionist paintings from Monet, Degas, Renoir, Mattise and more. I loved perusing the paintings - though it was rather crowded (imagine a busy Saturday and that's about what it was like people-wise). On the second floor was modern and post-modern art. There were several interactive pieces that you could stand in, sit on, etc. I enjoyed several of the modern pieces... and scratched my head over others. So basically, it was great! ;) They have a lovely gift shop featuring books, gifts, cards, and other odds and ends (like gardening supplies and umbrellas). There's also a cafe, but I didn't visit it at all. The Vancouver Art Gallery itself is gorgeous. I can't get over the building. It's SO beautiful, especially the exterior (which is probably why they film so many tv shows there!) and I could just stare at it all day from Robson Square. If you're looking for a fun, cultural evening, pop in to the art gallery... and if you'd rather spend less, go on a Tuesday at 5pm! read more

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The recently concluded exhibitions of David Milne, Emily Carr, and the wonderfully titled 'Cabin Fever' about cabin life in North America, continue to make me appreciate the importance of this museum to Vancouver's cultural life. The current old building has too many shortcomings -- the lack of natural daylight being foremost -- for much of the art to be displayed properly. The low ceiling galleries for the Milne exhibition made lighting it difficult; lots of shadows. The paintings of Emily Carr -- of which many are infused with a spiritual celebration of light -- were sadly mounted in a tiny gallery by a noisy elevator. Reflective plexiglass made viewing them all the more challenging. I look forward to the day when a bigger and bolder building a few blocks east of this location becomes a reality. read more

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Total ripoff! Over $70 to enter and most of the galleries are empty! Only 3 exhibits in a space that could house so much more! AVOID!

Nice art museum - it was definitely a bit small, but the art itself was quite unique and well done. I particularly enjoyed the Artificial Intelligence exhibit. Overall for the amount of time it takes to see the whole museum, it's quite pricey, but a nice place overall! read more

Visited for the Murakami exhibit. Overall, we felt that the $24 admission fee was not worth it. The Murakami exhibit itself was pretty small (contrasting with the 2008 Brooklyn exhibit) and maybe half of the museum. Aside from the Murakami exhibit, there was the Emily Carr exhibit, what appeared to be a lot of construction, and that was it. The flow was also not obvious. Notes: - The museum seems really kid-friendly. Even before I saw that they have an event every Sunday afternoon for families. - There was a Chinese language tour going on. The group was very small so I thought it was a private tour. I really don't understand why the curator had to stand right in front of the artwork (where the line is drawn) for an extended period of time. Way to ruin the experience for other people. I got tired of waiting for her to move. - I would've tried to buy tickets on Costco.ca but the site was down on Sunday morning. It's $34.99/2 tickets there. It's for the Murakami exhibit but since you don't need special tickets for that exhibit, the deal is good for any museum entry. read more

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Went to the Vancouver art gallery last week. It's a beautiful building. One of the floors (top floor) is closed for remodeling. The exhibit on the main floor was kinda boring. I guess just not my cup of tea when it comes to art. Was mostly French style art of time period pieces. Now second floor was amazing. All about architectural unique cabins. Cabin Porn as they call it. Awesome designs and renderings. Next floor was art created by lighting. Very cool! The lobby has a great gift store as well. Lots of cool stuff to buy. Check it out! read more

Vancouver Art Gallery - Art Museums Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia