Museum of Vancouver

Showcasing the history of the city, the Museum of Vancouver is a family-friendly place at Vanier Park with vintage neon signs and artifacts of interest.

It’s a fine attraction with educational historical displays and stories from the past.

Note: Earth Day celebrations at the museum take place on April 20th, 2024. They are part of the Land, Sea, Sky event at Vanier Park which also features special activities at the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. For more information about this year’s Earth Day event, see our article about the Vancouver Maritime Museum.

This article contains the following information about the Museum of Vancouver:

Hours and Admission | What to Expect | Tips and Advice | Other Information

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Museum of Vancouver (MOV)

The Museum of Vancouver is located at 1100 Chestnut Street. It’s adjacent to the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre and Vanier Park (where the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival takes place most summers). The Vancouver Academy of Music is also close by.

The historical museum is also just a short distance from the Maritime Museum and not too far from Kitsilano Beach.

The Museum of Vancouver is a pretty good museum and definitely worth visiting if you’re interested in learning about the city’s past. We really like it. It’s also not unreasonably priced.

In addition to its permanent collections, the museum has rotating exhibitions on art, design and history that change a few times a year.

The Museum of Vancouver is an especially “best place” to visit on a rainy day, provided that you like museums and history.

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Museum of Vancouver Period Display — Historical Daily Items on Display

Museum Hours and Admission

As of January 2024, the Museum of Vancouver is open every day of the week, more often than not from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. From Thursday to Saturday, however, the museum is open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Admission fees (including taxes) is around $20 for adults, and $15 for students (with ID), seniors and youth (ages 6 to 17). Children ages 5 and under and all Indigenous people have free admission.

Admission for everybody is by donation, or “pay what you can,” on the first Sunday of the month.

(Note: Prices for adults, students and seniors cost $2 more starting in mid-March 2024.)

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What to Expect

At the Museum of Vancouver expect to see Indigenous artifacts and vintage home appliances like 1950s TVs and laundry machines. You’ll also see life-like mannequins in period clothing. Also expect to read displays about Vancouver’s history from the early days to the war years and up until near present day.

Inside the museum are displays about life in Vancouver from yesteryear. These include a collection of old signs from when Vancouver had one of the highest concentrations of neon advertising in North America.

The museum features a room with videos about historical events on giant screens. There is also an Indigenous dugout canoe and information about well-known local brand names like the White Spot Restaurant. There’s even a collectible car at the display about the famous drive-in restaurant (or at least there was the last time we visited).

In short, it’s quite a good museum with a wide range of historical items and types of displays.

Collectible Car at Museum of Vancouver — Vancouver’s Car Culture History

Tips & Advice

Below is some information and advice to help you make the most of your trip to the Museum of Vancouver.

TIP #1: If you don’t mind crowds and really want your money’s worth, go on the first Sunday of the month. Why? That’s when admission is by donation.

TIP #2: The museum is close to other best places. These include the seawall along Vanier Park (which is great for walks and cycling) and the Planetarium (located in the same building as the museum). Also nearby are Kitsilano Beach and the Vancouver Maritime Museum. If going to MOV, then check out one or more of these other places on the same day.

TIP #3: Don’t forget that admission is “pay what you can” on the first Sunday of the month. If money is tight, that’s a great way to save!

TIP #4: The Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival is highly recommended if you like live theatre and Shakespeare. If you are at the Museum of Vancouver in the summer, and you’re not with children, then consider seeing one of the performances.

TIP #5: Expect to spend between 30 minutes and two hours at the museum depending on who you’re with and your levels of interest in Vancouver history.

TIP #6: Another really good museum is the Museum of Surrey. It’s in Cloverdale and admission there is free.