Please note, due to COVID:    
Check to ensure that these events are still happening, as they may have changed or be on hold.

Tourist in Your Own City

Vancouver Maritime Museum

WHERE.  1905 Ogden Ave. Vancouver, BC V6J 1A3
WHEN. Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Statutory Holidays (excluding Christmas): 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
COST. Adult: $13.50 Seniors & students : $11.00
Youth (ages 6-18): $10.00
Children 5 and under: FREE
Family Pass (includes 2 adults and 4 children): $38.00
Individuals who self-identify as Indigenous: FREE
CONTACT (604) 257-8300

The Vancouver Maritime Museum is located in Vanier Park.
  • It showcases the maritime and boating history of the Pacific Northwest and Arctic.
  • It is a great place to visit on a rainy day
  • It is Vancouver's top attraction for learning about boats and maritime history.

Vancouver Art Gallery

WHERE.  Vancouver Art Gallery 750 Hornby Street See Map
WHEN.    Tuesdays from 5pm to 9pm
COST.      By Donation
CONTACT (604) 662-4700 
  • Every Tuesday evening, the Vancouver Art Gallery offers admission by donation.​
  • The Vancouver Art Gallery features major exhibitions of works by contemporary and historical artists.
  • The gallery has a permanent collection of over 10,000 artworks, with a small percentage on view at any given time.

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Bill Reid carving
When:   First Friday of the month
Time:    2pm - 5pm
Where:   639 Hornby Street
             [just behind Christ Church Anglican Cathedral and                  across the street from the Burrard Street SkyTrain                Station].
Cost:     Free 
 
Exhibits:

  • Permanent exhibit: "Bill Reid - Creative Journeys"
    • Features art by Bill Reid, an acclaimed Haida artist, master goldsmith, carver, sculptor, writer, broadcaster, mentor and community activist, who passed away in 1998
    • Also features works by other West Coast First Nations artists
  • Additional information
    • The gallery is located in downtown Vancouver
    • While there is not a lot of written explanation on the exhibits, there are laminated information sheets in a few places on the walls that visitors can take down and read. These sheets can be easy to miss, so it is recommended to look out for them.

Tel: 604 682 3455 ext. 221

Combine Images of Then and Now - Free Vancouver Walking Tour App

Combine Images of Then and Now - Free Vancouver Walking Tour App
Laying track on Granville street long ago, merged with today in the same place. Credit On This Spot and the Vancouver Archives
The On This Spot app:
  • Allows users to overlay past on present and create their own then and now image mash-ups using their camera phone
  • Offers 11 walking tours in Vancouver and 600 then-and-now photo spots to check out
  • Provides an opportunity to learn about the city's local history and culture, and appreciate long-gone architecture
  • Can be used for solo wandering or as a group outing
  • Has been downloaded 20,000 times and it's growing
  • To read more details and interviews, see the Vancouver is Awesome story
  • To see images in different areas of the Vancouver region, beyond downtown, go to the top of the webpage and click on 'Part of the Vancouver Then and Now Series'

Langara College Theatre Performances

Langara College has a theatre program that offers public performances of their shows at a discounted rate of $12.50 on Tuesday nights during the run of each show.

Location is Langara College, 100 West 49th Avenue [map to theatre].

Check out the lineup of shows via the button below.

Little Free Libraries

When: Any time
Where: ​Eleven Locations in Downtown Vancouver
​Cost to borrow books: Free

Details:
  • Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts (SCA) has repurposed and decorated eleven newspaper boxes into miniature lending libraries which are now available across downtown Vancouver.
  • This project is a collaboration between Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts (SCA) and the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA).

Chinese Gardens in Vancouver
What:  Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Where:  578 Carrall Street, Vancouver

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is open at different times and costs throughout the year.
Admission rate:
  • From October 1-April 30, except Mondays: $12, includes a guided tour, check times as guided tours are held a few times per day
  • $6 during the last 30 minutes before closing, no guided tour
Amenities:
  • Informational brochures on the gardens are available
  • The garden is named as the World’s Top City Garden by National Geographic
  • Representation of Ming Dynasty-era tradition, the first of its kind outside China
  • Features winding paths, rocks, plants, beautiful vistas, pagoda and lush plants
  • A small intimate garden with pavilions, covered walkways, a jade green pond with koi fish and a collection of 150-year-old miniature trees
  • Park alongside the garden is a place to find peace and tranquility with unique rock forms and water lily-covered pond.
 
Tel:​ 604-662-3207​
​What: ​Dr Sun Yat-Sen Park
Cost:  Free
​
The Sun Yat-Sen Park is a Chinese garden that is open to the public for free.
  • Visitors can find peace and tranquility in the unique rock forms, water lily-covered pond, pagoda, and lush plants.
  • If time or budget doesn't allow to visit the Sun Yat-Sen classical Chinese Garden, the park may still be a good option to experience the chinese garden tradition.

See the Night Sky up Close at Vancouver's Space Observatory

When:  Friday and Saturday evenings
Time:  Winter and summer hours are different                               (eg. operating hours at the observatory in the winter              are 7pm to 11pm (September to June))
           To confirm observatory openings, please call 
           (604) 738-2855 
           or guest services at (604) 738-7827 ext 240 
               after 8:00 pm.
Where:  Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
How to get there: transit/other directions
Cost:      By donation
 
The Gordon Southam Observatory, located next to the Museum of Vancouver, is open for stargazing.
  • Guests can view stars, planets, nebulas and other nighttime highlights of the season through a gigantic telescope, led by interpreter staff.

Winter Free Garden Admissions

When:   Mid-November until Mid-March
Times:   UBC Botanical Garden:   
                  9:30am - 5pm weekdays
              Nitobe Memorial Garden: 
                  10am - 2pm weekdays
Where:  Maps and directions to both gardens here
Cost:     By donation

UBC’s Botanical Garden
  • Open from mid-November until mid-March
  • Admission by donation
Nitobe Memorial Garden
  • Admission by donation
  • Considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America
  • Among the top five Japanese gardens outside of Japan
  • Includes a rare authentic Tea Garden with a ceremonial Tea House.

Beaty Biodiversity Museum

When:  Every third Thursday evening
             See upcoming dates here
Time:   5pm - 8:30pm
​Where: See directions here
Cost:    By donation

You may be familiar with the Museum of Anthropology, but did you know there's another museum at UBC?

Come by for a night at the museum!
​
Every month, in a program called Nocturnal, the museum will stay open late offering activities until 8:30pm.

Admission by donation, all ages welcome.

Activities include:
  • Raising Big Blue showing
  • Guided Museum Tour at 7 pm
  • Hands-on activities where you can learn more about specimens in the museum and the current exhibitions.
Tel: 604 827 4955

Stanley Park Nature House

Where:  The Nature House is located under the                        viewing plaza at the north end of Alberni                    Street (at the East end of Lost Lagoon).
When:  
  • September to June – 10 am to 4 pm weekends
  • July to August – 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday
Cost:  Free

Stanley Park Nature House
  • Located on Lost Lagoon, it is Vancouver’s only ecology centre
  • A drop-in centre with many resources, artifacts and intriguing projects
  • Open weekends year round and 6 days per week during the summer
  • Entry is free
  • Offers Discovery walks at a cost
Heron Cam
  • Stanley Park is home to one of the largest urban great blue heron colonies in North America
  • Nesting at their current location behind 2099 Beach Avenue since 2001
  • Online camera looks down on the nests
  • Allows you to watch the eggs hatch and hatchlings as they appear in the nests
  • Control the camera to see different nests at different distances, free of cost

Museum of Vancouver

Where:  Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
            See this page for Google map, and transit /
            ferry options
When:   The last Thursday of every month, 5pm-8pm. January 1st, 2023 10 am - 5pm
Cost:     By donation

The Museum of Vancouver
  • Is a great city attraction that offers a by-donation night on the last Thursday of every month
  • Has a goal to inspire understanding of Vancouver through stories, objects, and experiences
  • Connects Vancouverites to each other and the city to the world
Exhibitions and Collections:
  • Display current exhibitions and collections at the museum

T: 604-736-4431

Bloedel Conservatory

Price:        $ 6.50
Where: The main entrance to the Bloedel Conservatory is located off 33rd Avenue between Cambie and Main Streets. To get directions to the conservatory by foot, bike, public transit, and to see hours, click here.   

The Conservatory
  • Is more than just tropical trees, plants, and flowers
  • Offers a diverse range of flying birds including pheasants, cockatoos and other species.
Kramer, the bird
  • Known for being one of the most intelligent birds, with an ability to say around 40 phrases
  • Examples of phrases he can say includes "Hello, Good Morning", "What is that?","Peek-a-boo","I’m a bird","Let’s party","Surprise!", and “Good night”
Pricing and Accessibility
  • Information on pricing available here, with discounts for seniors, children, and groups
  • Bloedel is wheelchair accessible with loaner wheelchair available onsite.

VPL Inspiration Pass
Welcome to the Vancouver Inspiration Pass.
The Incredible Deal
  • Requires patience, as it is available through a waiting list
  • Gives access to almost 30 Vancouver tourist-in-your-own-city locations for two weeks
Access to Tourist Attractions
  • Popular attractions, museums, heritage sites, fitness facilities, world-class gardens, and cultural performances
  • Allow you to explore the city like never before
Library Card Access
  • Pass is available for free with just your library card
  • Limited availability with 140 passes available for loan every two weeks
  • 20 available at Central Library downtown and 6 at each VPL branches across the city
Process of Obtaining Pass
  • Put a hold on pass just as you would for a library book
  • Wait time can be up to a year or longer
  • Contacted by email or phone two weeks before pass is available
  • Pass valid from start of borrowing period and expires two weeks from that date.
  • To maximize time pick up on first day of loan
Encourage to Get on the List
  • Great deal and encourage to get on the list to be able to enjoy the participating attractions and venues.