Vancouver’s beloved Museum of Anthropology (MOA) re-opened yesterday after a six-month, $3.5 million renovation.
MOA features a new wing, (increasing the size of the museum by 50 per cent), as well as a refreshed welcome plaza, museum shop and Great Hall (featuring soaring totems and massive carvings by Northwest Coast First Nations artists). One of Canada’s foremost museums, MOA is renowned for its Northwest Coast collections and collaborative approach to working with First Nations and other cultural communities. The first exhibitions in the newly renovated museum include the We ya hani nah Coastal First Nations Dance Festival (March 14 and 15), and Tatau – the Art and History of Samoan Tattoos (opening March 8). Some renovations continue at the museum: the Bill Reid Rotunda (home of ‚The Raven and the First Men‘ sculpture) and Michael M. Ames Theatre will re-open in May. The Multiversity Galleries (replacing Visible Storage) and the temporary exhibit gallery will open in January 2010, just in time for the Olympics. Info: moa.ubc.ca
Photo: Tourism Vancouver