Vancouver Art Gallery

10,000 exhibits of contemporary art and photography

Word to the wise: Admission after 5pm on Tuesdays is by donation, so it's a good chance to save a few bucks.
Talk of the town: The gallery is the meeting place for monthly 'Critical Mass' bike rides, when hundreds of cyclists 'reclaim' Vancouver's streets, highlighting the need for their protection on the roads.

This former courthouse has been the home of the ever-evolving Vancouver Art Gallery since 1983 (another move, to False Creek, is in the pipeline). It houses mainly post-1900 art including some fantastic Cindy Sherman photographs, although the highlight is most definitely the Emily Carr Collection of more than 250 post-impressionist and Fauvist paintings by one of Canada's most important artists.
Only three percent of the gallery's permanent collection is on display at any one time, mainly because of space issues and its commitment to traveling exhibitions. For this reason, it's best to check what's on offer before you go. The adjoining gallery store stocks an impressive range of art books, posters, jewelery and stylish gifts and the elegant gallery cafe is worth a visit for their pastries and English tea.