Vancouver

Discover Vancouver's Arts & Culture

Here, sophistication isn't stuffy or elitist, it's progressive, cosmopolitan and welcomes you in with open arms. This two-day itinerary explores Vancouver's rich history, taking in iconic neighbourhoods, live contemporary performances and waterfront artwork along the way.
 


Cycle City Tours - Amazing Laughter Public ArtDay One:

START WITH ART

For culture vultures there's no better place to start your day than at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Located in the heart of downtown, the eclectic exhibition space is home to work from French Impressionists which hang alongside Indigenous artworks and groundbreaking contemporary Canadian collections.

APPRECIATE OUR HISTORY

Take a break at the Gallery Café, a hidden gem offering beautiful views over bustling Robson Street below, before strolling to Stanley Park. This 1,000-acre urban oasis boasts stunning scenery alongside some spectacular public art. From historic statues to contemporary sculptures and totem poles, it's a place where arts, culture and stunning natural scenery come together in one place.

If you're hungry for more local knowledge, then join Talaysay's Talking Trees Tour, where your guide and cultural ambassador will teach you about the park's history and its importance to the region's Indigenous communities.

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE

Arts and culture in Vancouver doesn't end at art and culture. Our city is collaborative, a place where everyone is welcome, and where differences aren't only embraced, but celebrated. Inclusivity is at our core. You'll see it in our food, in our people and in the diverse tapestry of neighbourhoods that crisscross our downtown peninsula. Tonight, you'll experience it firsthand thanks to The Arts Club Theatre Company which produces shows on three stages in the city.

Each season offers a mix of classics, musicals, contemporary works, and new works written specifically for the company. And all three stages are located in areas filled with local dining options, and spots for a post-show drink.
 


Vancouver PhotowalksDay Two:

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

This morning, you'll explore cultural history at the Museum of Anthropology on the University of British Columbia campus. Here, you'll immerse yourself in traditional and modern Indigenous Northwest Coast Art, as well as ethnographic objects from around the world. The MOA strives to preserve donated objects and make them publicly accessible in order to advance research and education, as well as to offer assistance and access to originating communities.

A FEAST FOR THE SENSES

In Vancouver, we don't just embrace diversity, we exist because of it, and that goes for our arts and culture too. Nowhere is Vancouver's cultural harmony more apparent than in Chinatown, a historic neighbourhood that's stood for more than a century.

Here you'll stop for lunch and experience some traditional dim sum at Floata Seafood Restaurant, the largest Chinese restaurant in Canada. After experiencing the sites and smells of this vibrant community, head to the iconic Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, which was the first classical garden of its type built outside China when it opened in 1986.

FEED YOUR SOUL

After two days of feeding your soul it's time to satisfy your other appetite with a unique taste of Vancouver. Dinner at Salmon n' Bannock Bistro isn't just delicious, it's also enlightening. Located just a short ride from downtown, it serves up a true taste of coastal Indigenous cuisine, with a contemporary menu filled with dishes inspired by First Nations and other Indigenous traditions.

 


 

INSIDER TIPS:

  • You can experience art the moment you arrive thanks to Vancouver International Airport's in house art collection which include world famous pieces by BC artist Bill Reid.
     
  • Planning to visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park? Make sure you stop in at the Kiapalano educational centre to see one of the largest private collections of Indigenous story poles.
     
  • Book a socially responsible stay at Skwachàys Lodge, the first Indigenous arts hotel in Vancouver. The 18 room boutique hotel building is also home to a fair trade Indigenous art gallery, and an urban Indigenous artist residence