We’ve planned a party that celebrates MOA’s stories, art and people. Join us for family-friendly art and conservation workshops, curator talks, rare behind-the-scenes tours, and much more.

Under the direction of Harry and Audrey Hawthorn, MOA was established in 1949 in the Main Library’s basement, and included exhibition spaces, collections storage and a classroom. Since then, MOA has become a beloved, world-class institution that houses over 50,000 works from almost every part of the world in its current home, the iconic concrete and glass structure inspired designed by Arthur Erickson.

Program schedule 

Great Hall

Opening remarks | 12 pm
Great Hall Seismic Upgrade Presentation with Milkovich Architects + Equilibrium Consulting | 12:30–1 pm
Roving puppets with artist-in-residence Dusty Hagerüd | 1:30–2:30 pm
Self-guided 360 virtual reality tour | 3:30–5 pm

Multiversity Galleries

The Land of make Believe: Artist in Residence Open Studio for kids and families | 1–4 pm
MOA’s Touchable Puppet Collection | 1–3 pm
Kids Paper Puppet Workshop | 3–5 pm
Ceramics Studio: drop-in with artist-in-residence Sharon Reay | 1–4 pm

Behind-the-Scenes: MOA’s Collections Care and Management storage and work areas

Conservation Lab: Heidi Swierenga, Senior Conservator | 1–5 pm
Collections Storage: Teija Dedi, Loans Registrar; Shabnam Honarbakhsh, Collection Coordinator; Cait Pilon, Collections Coordinator | 1–5 pm

Laboratory of Archaeology 

Archaeology Lab: Engage with the ancient past of this land and learn to make a rope bracelet out of raffia | 12–5 pm

Tours

MOA Tour | 11 am–12 pm
Shake Up: Curator tour with Jennifer Kramer, Curator, Pacific Northwest | 1–1:30 pm
Shadows, Strings and Other Things: Curator tour with Nicola Levell, Guest curator | 1–1:30 pm
The Koerner Collection: European History Told Through the Koerner Ceramics Collection | 1:30–2 pm
Diverse Asia: A special tour through the Asian Collections with Fuyubi Nakamura, Curator, Asia | 2–2:30 pm (in English) + 2:30–3 pm (in Japanese/日本語ツアー)
Celebration in Africa + South America: Curator tour with Nuno Porto, Curator, Africa and Latin America | 3:30–4 pm (in English) + 4–4:30 pm (in Spanish, en español)
Art + Activism: Curator tour with Jill Baird, Curator, Education | 4–5 pm

Outdoor exploration + tours

Outdoor tour | 1 pm, 2 pm + 3:30 pm (30 mins)
Haida House open house | 1–5 pm

Library + Archives 

MOA: 70 years of Archival Footage | 1–5 pm

Download the full schedule of events and museum map here.