Museum of Anthropology at UBC

The Museum of Anthropology at UBC sits on the Point Grey headland at 6393 NW Marine Dr, on the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, British Columbia. The concrete-and-glass building was designed by architect Arthur Erickson and takes cues from the post-and-beam structures of Northwest Coast First Nations houses. Its Great Hall, with soaring glass walls, is the visual highlight: monumental totem poles and carved house posts from Haida, Gitxsan, Nisga'a and other nations stand against a backdrop of sky, trees and water. Another major draw is Bill Reid's sculpture The Raven and the First Men, a large carved cedar work depicting a creation story and displayed in its own rotunda. Beyond the Great Hall, visible storage galleries hold thousands of objects arranged in drawers and cases, including ceramics from around the world, textiles, masks and tools, and an outdoor area behind the building features Haida houses and poles overlooking the water. A visit usually takes two to three hours. For photographs, the Great Hall in morning light and the view through the glass toward the outdoor poles are the strongest angles, though flash and tripods may be restricted in some galleries. The museum is typically quietest on weekday mornings soon after opening, and busiest around midday and on weekends and during school group visits. Thursday evenings stay open until 9:00 PM with half-price admission after 5:00 PM, and these evening hours are often calmer. Because the museum is on the UBC campus, getting here involves a bus to UBC Exchange followed by another bus or a walk of roughly twenty minutes, and paid parking is available on site. Hours change by season and the museum is closed on Mondays in the autumn-to-spring period, so checking the official website before going is sensible. Admission is moderate for adults, with reduced rates for seniors, students and youth, and free entry for young children.