Wander in Vancouver: Museum of Anthropology at UBC
For art and culture enthusiasts visiting Vancouver, don’t miss the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia — home to a rich collection of world art and artefacts, with a special emphasis on the region’s Indigenous art.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★★
The Double-headed Serpent Post, standing proudly on the University of British Columbia campus, tells the story behind the name xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), whose traditional territory encompasses the Vancouver area, including the very site where the university now stands.
VANCOUVER, Canada — Long before Vancouver became the metropolis it is today, it was — and remains — the ancestral home of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
In my article In Search of Indigenous Art in Vancouver, I compiled a list of places where visitors can explore the arts, culture, and heritage of Indigenous communities in Vancouver — much of which is still very much alive. Among the places mentioned, the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) stood out to me and compelled me to dedicate an article to it.
Tucked away in UBC’s campus, MOA is home to more than 50,000 objects from across the globe, encompassing both traditional and contemporary arts from Asia, the South Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and Europe.
MOA’s origins can be traced back to 1927, when UBC acquired the Frank Burnett collection. Burnett, a Scottish immigrant who traveled extensively in the South Seas, amassing a remarkable collection of cultural objects. The museum’s establishment, however, came in 1949 with the appointment of Harry Hawthorn as its founding director.
During his tenure, MOA grew into an institution with a strong focus on Indigenous cultures and Pacific Northwest Coast art. Renowned artists such as Mungo Martin, Bill Reid, Doug Cranmer, Norman Tait, and Robert Davidson, have contributed to the museum’s ever-growing Indigenous art collection.
While it’s impossible to cover the museum’s extensive collection in this single article, I hope to offer an overview of its breadth and depth. Since most visitors (me included) often find it challenging to navigate the museum of this scale, I’ve put together an itinerary to make your visit — whether in person or online — smoother and more enjoyable.
The Great Hall: A Window into the First Nations
Towering totem poles in MOA’s Great Hall offer visitors a glimpse into the material culture of the First Nations.
For first-time visitors, I recommend starting your tour in the Great Hall, where an array of fascinating objects awaits — from canoes and bent boxes to bowls and feast dishes. As you venture further inside, you’ll be greeted by towering totem poles set against a stunning backdrop of glass-panelled walls.
This very spot also offers an opportunity to admire the architectural brilliance of Arthur Erickson, whose design draws inspiration from the post-and-beam structures of traditional Northwest Coast Aboriginal villages. These glass walls once framed an outdoor landscape designed by the late Cornelia Oberlander, filled with indigenous plants and grasses. Though it was once open to the public (and I had the pleasure of strolling through this secret garden two decades ago), the ground now appears barren, seemingly undergoing reconstruction.
This evocative, larger-than-life mask is actually a feasting dish cover, portraying the mythical figure Dzunukwa who is celebrated as a bringer of wealth.
This set of posts, depicting a human figure and slaves, once stood inside a Klix’ken Gukwdzi, or Sea-Lion House, on northern Vancouver Island.
Totem poles crafted by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are far more than just sculptures. Typically carved from cedar, they carry depictions of animals, supernatural beings, and ancestral figures. But these carvings serve a deeper purpose: each totem pole tells a story, from clan origins and family histories to spiritual beliefs.
As I stand before these cedar poles, I’m impressed by how the carvers breathed life into what were once silent tree trunks — witnesses to stories of love, loss, and the distant lands inhabited by early peoples.
Many of the totem poles and house posts displayed in the Great Hall, representing coastal groups from the Musqueam in southern British Columbia to the Haida and Nisga’a in the north, were collected during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was a time when anthropologists, collectors, and museums began to take an interest in Indigenous cultures, believing their art and practices — then considered a thing of the past — needed to be preserved for future generations.
During this period, the province of British Columbia began embracing First Nations poles as symbols of its unique identity, with the UBC Committee on Totem Poles taking the responsibility of acquiring historic poles and monumental carvings for the university.
Among the various totem poles on display, one set — originally from a Klix’ken Gukwdzi, or Sea-Lion House — catches my attention. One of these poles is carved with a giant human figure, seated with a prominent head, protruding nose, and mouth. Before him rests a low wooden platform supported by two kneeling figures, identified as slaves. This powerful image is framed by a pair of sea-lion posts, which once held a crossbeam, forming part of the house’s inner front door.
Carved by Quatsino Hansen and George Nelson in 1906, these poles belonged to what was likely the last traditional dwelling of its kind built in the Pacific Northwest. In their quiet strength, they stand as a poignant act of resistance against the cultural assimilation enforced by the Indian Act and colonial policies of the time.
A ceremonial screen by Nuu Chah Nulth artist Joe David, created for a potlatch to honour the passing of his father.
Displayed alongside century-old totem poles, Raven Calling — a contemporary creation by Haida artist Robert Davidson — embodies the legacy of Indigenous artistic expression.
Among the objects on display, one that instantly catches your eye is a ceremonial screen by Nuu Chah Nulth artist Joe David, created in honour of his father’s passing. The bold strokes of blue, red, and black give the piece its striking graphic quality, depicting supernatural beings that represent the artist’s relatives and the crests of his family. In Indigenous art, these beings — often represented as symbols or figures — serve as reminders of the deep connection between the earthly and the spirit realms.
For visitors who may feel overwhelmed by the names of different First Nations tribes, don’t worry. I suggest taking a step back and letting the objects speak for themselves, allowing their stories to unfold through their lines, colours, shapes, and forms.
One of the things I really appreciate about the Great Hall is the museum’s commitment to displaying bilingual labels and texts — both in English and Indigenous languages. While most visitors may not be able to read the Indigenous text, its presence is powerful, quietly reaffirming that the land we stand on remains the traditional, unceded territory of the First Nations.
The Multiversity Galleries: A Journey Through World Civilisations
MOA’s Multiversity Galleries is a treasure trove of artefacts from across the globe, , encompassing objects from Asia, the South Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and Europe.
The Multiversity Galleries, on the other hand, showcases a vast collection of smaller items — baskets, vessels, jewellery, textiles, and more.
Stepping into the Multiversity Galleries, you’ll immediately notice something different: the space itself. Designed with high-density Visible Storage, the gallery invites visitors to appreciate not just the formal qualities of the objects but also their aesthetic and cultural significance.
This experience feels almost like stepping behind the scenes of a museum, entering a space once reserved for curators and researchers. Now, this intimate access is available to students, scholars, and the wider public.
As I wander through MOA’s Multiversity Galleries, their dense, typological displays remind me of the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, where the approach to exhibiting artefacts fosters a similar sense of accessibility and interconnectedness.
MOA’s Multiversity Galleries not only showcase the rich cultures of Indigenous communities along the Northwest Coast but also highlight civilizations from around the world.
While the MOA is famous for its rich collection of Indigenous artefacts, it’s worth noting that over half of its treasures come from Asia. This owes to Audrey Hawthorn, wife of the museum’s founding director, whose vision helped transform the museum into a space that not only showcases Western cultures but also celebrates artistic traditions from around the world, with a special emphasis on Asia.
As you explore the gallery, don’t be surprised to encounter beaded accessories and garments adorned with geometric patterns, crafted by the Ndebele people of Zimbabwe; bold ikat silk robes from Uzbekistan; bronze statue of Shiva Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, from South India; wayang kulit, intricate shadow puppets made from water buffalo hide in Java, Indonesia; and intricately embroidered Cantonese opera costumes, once carried in wooden trunks by itinerant performers journeying from Guangzhou, China, to Honolulu, and eventually to North America.
In my view, the Multiversity Gallery alone makes the MOA one of the West Coast’s best places to explore global art and culture. With such an astonishing breadth and depth of objects on display — not only behind glass but also tucked away in drawers awaiting discovery — it’s impossible to take in everything in a single visit. Clearly, the MOA is the kind of museum that keeps you coming back for more!
Bill Reid Rotunda: Spotlight on the Haida Artist
At the heart of the Bill Reid Rotunda at the Museum of Anthropology stands The Raven and the First Men, a yellow cedar sculpture carved by Haida artist Bill Reid.
Born to a Haida mother, Bill Reid began reconnecting with his Haida roots in his early twenties — a journey that would go on to shape his artistic career.
As a multidisciplinary artist, Reid used his sculptures, prints, and jewellery to shine a spotlight on the art and culture of the Haida people. By blending modern aesthetics with traditional Haida elements, he created a legacy that still resonates in Vancouver’s Indigenous art scene today.
The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art in Downtown Vancouver, where his works are proudly displayed, is more than just a museum — it’s a unique space that continues to inspire visitors from all walks of life, sparking new conversations and connections across cultures.
Jewellery pieces crafted from gold and silver reflect Reid’s Haida heritage.
Over the years, Reid generously donated his works to the MOA, and many of them are on display at the Bill Reid Rotunda. While the rotunda features Reid’s jewellery inspired by crest symbols and Haida myths, the focal point of the space is his masterpiece, The Raven and the First Men — a beloved attraction for visitors.
According to the legend, on the quiet shores of Rose Spit beach in Haida Gwaii, the Raven found himself alone one fateful day. As he wandered, his gaze fell upon a clamshell lying before him, its edges slightly parted. From within, tiny creatures peered out. The Raven called to them, inviting them to leave the shell and join him. Though hesitant at first, the pull of curiosity was irresistible and, one by one, they emerged from the shell, stepping into the world as the first Haida.
As I admire this massive yellow cedar sculpture, the myth that marks the birth of the Haida whispers to my mind. The powerful presence of the Raven, with its piercing eyes, makes me feel as though I’m among the first humans he discovered.
In a Different Light: Bridging Past and Present
During his time as museum director, Harry Hawthorn made a groundbreaking move: he organised a conference where First Nations people were invited to share their own stories and perspectives, setting a new precedent for building meaningful relationships with cultural communities — a practice that continues to define MOA’s identity today.
This spirit of collaboration shines through in an ongoing exhibition, In a Different Light: Reflecting on Northwest Coast Art, which showcases more than 110 Indigenous artefacts.
What sets this exhibition apart is its curatorial approach: contemporary First Nations artists and community members offer their insights, revealing how these historical objects continue to have its relevance. By weaving personal stories and sentiments around them, the exhibition helps us see the objects in a new light (with no pun intended), transforming them from mere artefacts of the past into living cultural memories that connect with today’s Indigenous communities.
By bridging historical objects with contemporary Indigenous communities, In a Different Light illuminates both the past and present, while opening up a vision for the future of Northwest Coast Indigenous cultures.
Fostering Connections: Connecting through Dialogues
In the special exhibition, To Be Seen, To Be Heard, powerful statements from Indigenous community members are brought to light against a backdrop of black-and-white photographs.
As if their voices hadn’t been heard enough, To Be Seen, To Be Heard: First Nations in Public Spaces, 1900–1965 highlights how First Nations people boldly represented themselves in urban public spaces during a time of potlatch prohibition and cultural erasure. From parades and protests to royal visits and intertribal gatherings, they made their presence felt.
In the exhibition, projections of archival images and films are accompanied by audio reflections from Indigenous community members who offer their perspectives on these moments today. Not only does it illuminate an often-overlooked chapter of British Columbia’s modern history, it also ensures that their stories and voices are heard.
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Lisa Reihana’s installation, In Pursuit of Venus [infected], captures the pivotal moment — the arrival of the British — when the lives of Pacific Indigenous people were forever changed.
In addition to its permanent and ongoing exhibitions, the MOA also hosts special exhibitions. One such exhibition, In Pursuit of Venus [infected], is just as intriguing as the museum’s own collection.
Titled after the installation work by Maori artist Lisa Reihana, the exhibition takes us on a journey through the evolving relationship between the Pacific Indigenous peoples and their cultural heritage and land. She illuminates the transition from a world that was once untouched by outside influence to the arrival of colonialism, namely the first contact between Indigenous people and the British. It explores the shifting - and at times fading - cultural landscapes of Indigenous communities, confronting issues of identity and the impact of colonialism.
Whether it’s a multimedia installation by contemporary artists or traditional objects handcrafted by Indigenous ancestors, everything you see on display carries a piece of the soul. As Kwakwaka’wakw artist Morgan Guerin beautifully puts it, “There’s a little bit of our soul that goes into everything we make. There’s a prayer in every stroke….” These creations — whether they express family histories or collective wounds — are vessels for the very stories and prayers of their makers.
In my view, it’s this deep connection that gives the exhibits at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC a magical quality, drawing you in and inviting you to explore, ask questions, and seek answers.
Reference:
Mayer, C. E., & Shelton, A. (2009). The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. University of Washington Press.
Wilson-Raybould, J., & Danesh, R. (2024). Reconciling History: A Story of Canada. McClelland & Stewart.