FAQ
Visiting
MOA officially reopened on June 13, 2024 following the completion of the Great Hall seismic upgrades. The Museum is currently open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, and until 9 pm on Thursdays. (From October 15 to May 15, the Museum is closed on Mondays.)
The MOA Shop, located in the Museum lobby, is open regular museum hours for in-person shopping: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm, and until 9 pm on Thursdays (from October 15 to May 15, the Museum is closed on Mondays.) Museum admission is not required to visit the MOA Shop.
Shop at the MOA Shop online—at anytime, from anywhere. Worldwide shipping is available, as well as free in-person pickup at the Museum.
If you are purchasing on behalf of a UBC department and wish to pay to pay by Internal Service Delivery, please contact us at shop@moa.ubc.ca or 604.827.4810.
Visit the MOA Shop FAQ page for more info.
The Audrey and Harry Hawthorn Library and Archives at MOA is open to the public by appointment.
Maps and wayfinding signs are located throughout the Museum and gallery spaces. You can also refer to or download the map in advance of your visit.
The Museum and gallery spaces are located on one floor. There are some inclines within the Museum that some people who use wheelchairs or have mobility challenges may find difficult to navigate. Alternate paths through the Museum are marked on the map and on wayfinding signs in the Museum.
Arrival
Backpacks and large items are not permitted inside the Museum. We recommend you travel light to MOA as there is limited secure storage for your personal items. Small lockers are available for 25 cents.
Paid parking is available in the MOA lot for $4/hour. The lot is located in front of the Museum. There is also paid parking at the Rose Garden Parkade ($4/hour) across the street from MOA, on NW Marine Drive.
All parking lots and parkades on campus are operated and patrolled by UBC Parking; parking rates are subject to change. Please visit the UBC Parking website for the most current information.
No, MOA does not validate parking. The MOA parking lot is operated by UBC Parking.
Museum admission can be purchased in-person when you arrive. Museum admission tickets are not available for purchase online.
Certain events and public programs may require advance registration and payment. More information about upcoming events can be found here.
General museum admission is free for UBC students, staff, faculty, MOA Members and Indigenous peoples.
For the safety and care of the collections and visitors, certain items cannot be brought inside the Museum galleries, including:
- Large backpacks and bags
- Food and drink
- Umbrellas
- Selfie-sticks and tripods
- Art supplies such as paint, markers, crayons and charcoal (sketch pads and pencils are permitted)
- Pets (guide or service dogs are permitted)
Please be aware that MOA reserves the right to prohibit any items and/or to require visitors to store any items, and may amend the above restrictions without notice.
Accessibility
MOA is an accessible building for wheelchair users and those with mobility scooters. The Museum and gallery spaces are located on one floor. There are some inclines within the Museum that some people who use wheelchairs or have mobility challenges may find difficult to navigate. Alternate paths through the Museum are marked on the map and on wayfinding signs in the Museum.
MOA participates in the Access 2 Card program and offers free admission to the support person accompanying the cardholder.
Three accessible parking spaces are available in front of the Museum. Please note that these are paid parking spaces.
MOA has four wheelchairs that visitors may borrow free of charge.
MOA recognizes the important role that guide and service dogs may play for persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities who require the assistance of their guide or service dogs can visit MOA with their guide or service dog, including those certified by the following organizations:
- Assistance Dogs International (ADI)
- International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)
- Pacific Assistance Dog Society (PADS)
If you attend MOA with your guide or service dog, please ensure that your guide or service dog is, at all times, on a leash, under your control and well-behaved.
MOA reserves the right to ask that a guide or service dog leave the building if the guide or service dog creates a health or safety risk, damages property or significantly disrupts any activities or events in the building.
Food
Please be aware that food and drink cannot be brought or consumed inside the Museum galleries.
The Cedar Café at MOA is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm, and until 7 pm on Thursday nights. The Café serves a variety of coffee drinks, other hot beverages and light refreshments and is located next to the courtyard and up the ramp from the admissions desk. Seating is available inside and outside.
There are also nearby dining options on the UBC campus. The two nearest options are:
Koerner’s Pub: Located across the street from MOA. Exit from MOA’s front entrance and cross NW Marine Drive. Koerner’s Pub is on the corner to the left.
Great Dane Coffee: Located five-minutes walk from MOA. Exit from MOA’s front entrance and head west towards Allard Hall (Peter A. Allard School of Law). Great Dane is located on Walter Gage Road.
Photography
If you wish to use photographs from the MOA-CAT, MOA’s online collections database, please contact communications@moa.ubc.ca with the photo or object number in question.
While you are permitted to take photos, flash photography is not allowed. Tripods and selfie-sticks are also not permitted. In certain cases, there will be signs designating areas where photography is not allowed.
Photos taken of MOA’s collections are allowed for personal and research uses. Any other uses, including publication and social media, may require copyright clearance from artists or third parties.
If you wish to film professionally or have a professional photo shoot you will need to complete the application form and return it to communications@moa.ubc.ca.
Other
There is free Wi-Fi available at the Museum, provided by UBC.
If you’re a visitor to the UBC campus, please use the network called ‘UBC Visitor’. Once selected, follow the instructions to join the Wi-Fi.
If you’re UBC student, staff or faculty, log on to the ‘UBC Secure’ network using your CWL name and password.
If you have an object you’d like identified, please submit your inquiry to Ask MOA: What Is It? by completing the online form. You may also email the appropriate staff member. If possible, include photographs along with a detailed description. Please note that not all requests can be met. For further information on identifying objects, please call 604.822.5087.
In addition to MOA, there’s lots to discover at the University of British Columbia campus. Explore the many attractions, events, scenic walks, food and accommodation options here at UBC. Campus maps are available at MOA to assist with wayfinding.
Learn more about what you can see and do on campus at visit.ubc.ca.
Visit the UBC Welcome Centre in the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre at 6193 University Boulevard (at the intersection of East Mall and University Boulevard) to book a campus tour, discover events at UBC, and plan your itinerary.
Visit Vancouver Attractions to purchase tickets online for some of Vancouver’s most dynamic sights and spaces, including other premier attractions at UBC, such as the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and UBC Botanical Garden.