In 1949, the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) had a humble beginning housing Oceanic
materials in the basement of Main Library.
In 1999, its 50th anniversary, MOA holds one of the world’s finest collections
of Northwest Coast First Nations art.
Permanent exhibits emphasize the First Nations of coastal British Columbia,
from whom almost half of the collections originate.
“MOA has the largest collection of works by renowned Haida artist, the late
Bill Reid, including his famous sculpture in cedar, The Raven and the First
Men,” says Jennifer Webb, MOA communications manager.
Attracting more than 170,000 local, national and international visitors a
year, MOA is one of the country’s most popular public museums.
“Year after year, it’s selected as one of Vancouver’s and Canada’s best loved
museums,” says Webb.
In 1976, MOA moved to a spectacular concrete and glass structure on the cliffs
of Point Grey. Acclaimed architect, Arthur Erickson based the design on the
post-and-beam structures of northern Northwest Coast First Nations.
“Rain or shine, the natural light streaming through the glass walls of the
Great Hall has a stunning effect on the totem poles, feast dishes, and canoes,”
Webb says. “It gives visitors a sense of being outdoors.”
The Great Hall displays works by the Kwakwaka’wakw, Nisga’a, Gitxsan, Haida,
Coast Salish and other peoples. Smaller pieces are exhibited in the galleries.
An outdoors display includes two Haida houses and 10 totem poles — the work
of some of the best contemporary First Nations artists.
The Koerner Ceramics Gallery displays a unique collection of European and
local contemporary ceramics.
MOA houses some 30,000 ethnographic objects and 200,000 archaeological objects
from the South Pacific, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
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