Victoria Art Gallery

The neo-classical building on your left is the Vancouver Art Gallery. If the museum has this formal look, it’s because the building was originally constructed in 1911 as the provincial courthouse. The immense 15,300m² building served its purpose until 1979, when the courts moved to the new courthouse. The building was then classified as a Canadian historic site. The Vancouver Art Gallery Association was founded in 1931, with the aim of providing the city with a museum, which opened in October of the same year on Georgia Street. Since it moved into the former courthouse in the 1980s, the Vancouver Art Gallery has become the largest art museum in the West of Canada, in terms of building size. Before opening to the public, the building was renovated by the country’s most influential architect, Arthur Erickson, in the context of the major restructuring of Robson Square. This emblematic square lies just behind the museum. Originally it was planned to build a 208 meters tall government tower, however the government in place lost the elections, and the project was abandoned. The New Democratic Party decided to heed the concerns raised about the shadow cast over the downtown by such a tall building and chose to turn to a new architecture firm, that of Arthur Erickson. In his biography, written by Nicholas Olsberg, we learn that the architect stated: “It won’t be a corporate monument. Let’s turn it on its side and let people walk on it.” And he anchored it that way with courts – the law – on one side and the museum – the arts – on the other. The foundations of society. Behind all this, the government offices quietly support their people. It’s almost a spiritual progression. If you take a walk through this civic square, you will see that the main element is the new courthouse, covered by an immense glass roof. As well as government offices you’ll find parts of the University of British Columbia campus. In the center, 3 waterfalls provide natural air conditioning for the square. If you’re lucky to be here in winter, don’t hesitate to lace up your skates and head down to the rink on the lower level.