Canada🇨🇦 | attractionsMuseum of Anthropology at UBC
Indigenous carvings, totem poles, Pacific Northwest cultures | things to do and best time to go

The Great Hall Totem Poles
Let’s cut through the brochure-speak: the Great Hall is the reason you come here. These are not just “totem poles”—they’re monumental carvings, some over a century old, from the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. The scale is humbling, the artistry is raw, and the stories carved into cedar are not sanitized for tourist comfort. You’ll see crests, clan histories, and even sly humor in the details. The hall’s glass walls let in that moody Vancouver light, which somehow makes the wood feel alive. If you want a photo, fine, but stand still for a minute and let the weight of history hit you. This is the opposite of a theme park: it’s real, and it’s powerful.

Bill Reid’s “The Raven and the First Men”
If you’ve seen this sculpture on a Canadian $20 bill, you know … read more 👉

The Great Hall Totem Poles
Let’s cut through the brochure-speak: the Great Hall is the reason you come here. These are not just “totem poles”—they’re monumental carvings, some over a century old, from the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. The scale is humbling, the artistry is raw, and the stories carved into cedar are not sanitized for tourist comfort. You’ll see crests, clan histories, and even sly humor in the details. The hall’s glass walls let in that moody Vancouver light, which somehow makes the wood feel alive. If you want a photo, fine, but stand still for a minute and let the weight of history hit you. This is the opposite of a theme park: it’s real, and it’s powerful.

Bill Reid’s “The Raven and the First Men”
If you’ve seen this sculpture on a Canadian $20 bill, you know it’s iconic. But in person, Bill Reid’s massive yellow-cedar carving is a punch to the gut—in the best way. It’s a Haida creation story, with the trickster Raven coaxing the first humans from a clamshell. The piece is kinetic, almost mischievous, and the circular skylight above it makes the whole thing feel mythic. This is the museum’s showstopper, and it earns every bit of its reputation. (Personal favorite—there’s something about the energy in that room that makes you feel like you’re witnessing the world’s first inside joke.)

Multimedia Indigenous Voices
Forget the old-school, glass-case museum vibe. MOA lets you hear the voices of the artists and communities behind the objects. Interactive screens, audio stations, and video installations put you face-to-face with the people whose cultures are on display. You’ll hear stories, songs, and even contemporary perspectives that challenge the “museum as mausoleum” stereotype. It’s not just about looking—it’s about listening, and that’s where the real magic happens.

Visible Storage and Research Lab
This is for the curious and the nosy. MOA’s visible storage isn’t some dusty back room—it’s a transparent vault with thousands of artifacts, from masks to textiles, all meticulously catalogued. You can peer into drawers and cases, getting a sense of the sheer scale and diversity of the collection. It’s a behind-the-scenes pass, minus the velvet rope. If you geek out on process, conservation, or just want to see what doesn’t make the main floor, this is your playground.

Outdoor Haida Houses and Poles
Step outside and you’re in a different world. The reconstructed Haida houses and towering poles overlook the cliffs above Burrard Inlet, with the Pacific air adding a bracing edge. These aren’t Disney-fied props—they’re built by master carvers, using traditional techniques, and they anchor the museum in its landscape. On a rainy day (which, let’s be honest, is most days in Vancouver), the setting feels elemental and cinematic.