MOA is open and we have implemented COVID-19 procedures and physical distancing measures—for your safety, and ours—including the mandatory use of face masks. (Updated November 9, 2020)
Learn MoreAcademic Programs
Visual + Material Culture Research Seminar Series
A bi-weekly interdisciplinary seminar series on visual and material culture. Free and open to all. Select Thursdays, 4 – 5 pm. See full details
Just Passed
SOLD OUT—Coast Salish Cedar Basket Weaving with Jessica Silvey—online
Saturday December 12 | 10 am – 3:30 pm
A Tribute to Bill McLennan (1948 – 2020)
Saturday December 12, 2020 | 11 am – 1 pm
Online–VocalEye Tour of Kent Monkman’s Shame and Prejudice
Wednesday, November 4, 2020 | 6:30 – 8:30 PM
All Past EventsPrivate Tours
MOA offers a full range of private tours and educational programs, led by a guide or MOA curator.
Learn MoreYour event at MOA
MOA can be rented for weddings or a variety of corporate and community events—all with opportunities for exclusive enjoyment of our galleries and stunning ocean views. Learn more
This Event Is In The Past


MOA’s 70th Anniversary Open House
Saturday September 14, 2019 | 12 – 5 pm
Free museum admission all day long for MOA’s 70th Anniversary!
It all officially started on March 5, 1949, when the Museum of Anthropology opened to the public at UBC’s Main Library. Seventy years later, we’re opening our doors again, in our current home, to welcome everyone—with free admission all day.
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
MOA • Free museum admission all day Family friendly Program Tour