True Tribal is Now Open!

The Exhibition Opened on March 28

True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of Ancestral Tattoo Practices opened to the public on March 28th, following a VIP Launch Party on the 27th. The party was a success and many of the tattoo artists, the collaborators who wear the tattoos, as well as media were in attendance.

The stunning exhibition features eight Indigenous tattoo artists from around the world and showcases full body portraits as well as detailed looks at their tattoos. Accompanying the portraits are objects and belongings from each artists' cultural community that act as a visual dictionary, connecting that tattoo and its wearer to the ancestral designs of their people.

Set some time aside to visit the Museum to see True Tribal. It will be on display until mid-September.

And if you want to be on our invitation list for future VIP events, become an MOV Member!

Workshops & Tours & Special Events

April and May Will be Busy at the Museum of Vancouver

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival's Haiku Exhibition

April 2-11, 2024

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival's Haiku Exhibition will be on display in the courtyard behind the MOV from April 2nd through 11th! This art installation showcases designs from six artists who who were inspired by the winning poems from the VCBF's Haiku Invitational. Viewing the blossoms and the art installation is free!

Land, Sea, Sky: Earth Day in Vanier Park

Saturday, April 20, 2024

We’ve joined forces with the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre to celebrate Earth Day with storytelling and crafts! Check out the schedule of events here and learn all about the land, sea and sky with us in Vanier Park.

Coast Salish Painting Workshop with Charlene Johnny

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Charlene Johnny will lead this Coast Salish painting workshop. Great for all ages, participants will learn the meaning behind different shapes often found in Coast Salish art and will use stencils to create their own masterpiece. Sign up and find more info here.

World Autism Acceptance Month at MOV

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Admission to the Museum will be by donation to Autism Canada (suggested $10). Taking place on our monthly Low Sensory Sunday, the Museum will also host Autism Canada’s Bruce Petherick, who will be providing information on autism between 1:00pm and 4:00pm.

The Mahogany Project: Curatorial Tour

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Get insider info from Propellor Studio’s Toby Barratt, the co-curator behind Reclaim + Repair: The Mahogany Project, during this exhibition tour. Toby will share how artists were chosen to work on pieces made from vintage mahogany donated to the Museum as well as other stories from behind the scenes. Buy your tickets here.

Mother’s Day: Weaving Cedar Bracelets with Rita Kompst

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Make a cedar bracelet for or with your mom with locally harvested cedar collected by Rita Kompst and her family. Rita was recently featured in Pancouver, where she shared how she started weaving cedar and how it’s harvested (including a great photo of her pulling cedar off a tree), as well as her trip to Taiwan to meet craft people working with natural fibres. Sign up for the Bracelet Workshop here.

Closed for Filming May 6 & 7

And Reduced Lobby Access April 29-May 9

The Museum of Vancouver and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre's shared lobby is being used for a film shoot—for the next installation of the Final Destination franchise, to be specific.

Shooting will take place on Monday, May 6th and Tuesday May 7th, and as such, the Museum will be closed on those days.

The crew will also be building a set (and then taking it down) in our lobby. During those days, April 29th to May 5th and then May 8th and 9th, the lobby will have limited access. Please use the wheelchair accessible sliding door to the right side of the doors to enter the building. The Museum will be open on these days during regular hours.

Elephant Warriors

Tuesday, April 16 at the Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre

Step into the depths of the Mau Forest, where Caren Cheptoo, a fearless female ranger, leads the charge against ivory poachers and bushmeat hunters. Through her eyes and those of her fellow rangers, experience the pulse-pounding battle for wildlife conservation and gender equality, where every step echoes with the resilience of nature and the promise of a brighter future for elephants and humanity alike.

This screening event features a Q&A with the filmmakers Roberta Staley and Tallulah. Partial proceeds go to the Mara Elephant Project to help fund the training of a female conservation rangers. Watch the trailer here and get your tickets here.

📸: Christian Zane Media

Know before you go:

• Museum of Vancouver is open from Sunday-Wednesday 10:00am-5:00pm and Thursday-Saturday 10:00am-8:00pm. (Note that the Museum will be closed May 6th and 7th.)
• Ticket sales end 45 minutes before closing.
• Visit on the first Sunday of the month and pay what you can for admission.
• Visit on the last Sunday of the month for Low Sensory Sundays.
• The MOV is located at 1100 Chestnut Street in Vanier Park in Kitsilano.
• The Museum is wheelchair, stroller and scooter accessible, including washrooms, ramps and elevators, and wide entrances and exits.
• When booked in advance, groups of 10 or more are eligible for a discounted rate. Learn more.
• The Museum is accessible by Mobi Bike Share, TransLink (#2 bus), Evo Car Share and False Creek Ferries.
• Car parking is available in the parking lot run by EasyPark. Please remember to pay for parking before entering the building. Street parking is also available. Learn more.
• Admission is free for people who self-identify as Indigenous.

We acknowledge that MOV is located within the unceded, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

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