Museum of Vancouver

Founded in 1894, the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) is the city's history museum. It occupies most of the 1968 Gerald Hamilton building in Vanier Park, Kitsilano, which it shares with the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. Permanent galleries cover Vancouver from the early 1900s to the 1970s, alongside c̓əsnaʔəm, the city before the city, and a gallery of the city's historic neon signs.

The collection holds about 80,000 objects, including Northwest Coast First Nations works, Asian and Egyptian holdings, and Vancouver material such as neon signs, Chinatown artifacts and street furniture. Rotating feature exhibitions run throughout the year, with views of the ocean, skyline and mountains from the park outside.

Highlights at Museum of Vancouver

• Neon Vancouver gallery of historic signs
• c̓əsnaʔəm: The City Before the City gallery
• History galleries covering the 1900s to the 1970s
• Rotating feature exhibitions
• Shared entrance with the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre

Location: where Museum of Vancouver is

Museum of Vancouver is at 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J9.

• H.R. MacMillan Space Centre (same building)
• Vancouver Maritime Museum (about 5 min walk)
• Vanier Park and Kitsilano Point waterfront (on site)
• Kitsilano Beach (about 15 min walk)

Getting there and parking

Buses run along Cornwall Avenue nearby, and False Creek Ferries and Aquabus serve Vanier Park from downtown and Granville Island. There is pay parking in Vanier Park.

Good for

• Rainy days
• History
• Families
• Visitors

Museum of Vancouver: frequently asked questions

Is the Museum of Vancouver in the same building as the Space Centre?
Yes. The two share an entrance and foyer in Vanier Park.

What is the Museum of Vancouver known for?
Its galleries on the city's history and its collection of old Vancouver neon signs.