Museum of Anthropology at UBC facts for kids
The Museum of Anthropology at UBC from the west
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| Established | 1947 |
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| Location | 6393 NW Marine Dr, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Type | First Nations culture |
| Visitors | 189,661 (2016) |
The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) is a famous museum located at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It shows amazing art and cultural items from all over the world. A special focus is on the art and history of the First Nations people from the Pacific Northwest.
MOA is more than just a place to visit. It is also a research and teaching museum. Students at UBC take classes here in art, anthropology (the study of human societies), archaeology (the study of human history through digging up old things), and museum studies. The museum holds nearly 50,000 cultural objects and 535,000 archaeological items.
Contents
The Museum's History
The Museum of Anthropology started thanks to some special collections. In 1927, the University of British Columbia bought the Frank Burnett Collection. This collection included many important cultural items.
Around the same time, two large house posts from the Musqueam First Nation were given to UBC. These were donated by the graduating class of 1927. Also, some totem poles were saved by a Canadian expert named Marius Barbeau. The Buttimer collection of First Nations baskets was also added.
All these items were first shown in the basement of the UBC Main Library. The museum officially opened in 1947. Harry Hawthorn became the first director, and his wife, Audrey Hawthorn, was the first curator.
Building the New Museum
In 1971, the museum received money from the Canadian government and UBC to build a new home. The new building opened in 1976. It was designed by a famous Canadian architect named Arthur Erickson. Michael M. Ames became the new director at this time.
In 1975, Walter and Marianne Koerner gave their large collection of Northwest Coast First Nations art to the museum. This gift became a big part of what the new building would hold.
Directors Over the Years
After Michael Ames, Ruth Phillips became director in 1997. Then, Ames returned as acting director in 2002. Anthony Shelton led the museum from 2004 to 2021. In 2021, Susan Rowley, who had worked at the museum for a long time, became the director.
A Stamp of Honor
On March 9, 1999, Canada Post released a special stamp to celebrate the Museum of Anthropology. The stamp featured the famous sculpture The Raven and the First Men by Bill Reid.
The Museum Building
The museum is located at 6393 NW Marine Drive, on the UBC campus. The area where MOA and UBC are located is called the University Endowment Lands. This area is not officially part of the City of Vancouver.
Arthur Erickson designed the building in 1976. His design was inspired by the traditional post-and-beam style of northern Northwest Coast First Nations buildings. The museum is mostly made of concrete. The building also uses old gun emplacements from World War II. The famous Raven and the First Men sculpture is placed on one of these old gun batteries.
Recent Upgrades and Changes
In 2006, the museum started a big project to add new spaces. This included a new research wing, offices, labs, and a special room for sensitive research. They also added a recording studio and a large exhibition hall called the Audain Gallery.
Other improvements included new Multiversity Galleries and a project called the RRN (Reciprocal Research Network). This network connects Northwest Coast collections from museums all over the world. The museum also got a bigger shop, a cafe, and an outdoor area for events. This project finished in January 2010.
In September 2010, a beautiful reflecting pool was added to the front of the museum. This pool was part of Arthur Erickson's original design from 1976. It took almost 35 years for his full vision to come true!
Protecting the Collection from Earthquakes
In November 2020, the museum began a project to make its Great Hall safer from earthquakes. This is called a seismic upgrade. The plan is to use special devices called base isolators under the main floor. These devices will absorb the shock of an earthquake, separating the building from the ground.
The goal is to make sure the Great Hall looks just like it did originally, but with new lighting, skylights, and carpeting. The Musqueam Indian Band has also helped with the planning. This project is expected to be finished in late 2023. While the Great Hall is closed for this work, other parts of the museum remained open until January 15, 2023. The museum is now closed until November 2023.
Museum Galleries
The Museum of Anthropology has several unique galleries for visitors to explore.
Audain Gallery
The Audain Gallery is a large space used for temporary exhibitions. This means the art and displays in this gallery change from time to time.
Elspeth McConnell Gallery of Northwest Coast Masterworks
This gallery opened in June 2017. It was once a theatre but was changed into a beautiful art space. The gallery has special sensors that adjust the indoor light to match the changing light outside. This helps show the art in the best possible way.
The first exhibition in this gallery was called In a Different Light: Reflecting on Northwest Coast Art.
Koerner European Ceramics Gallery
The Koerner European Ceramics Gallery opened in 1990. It displays over 600 European ceramic pieces. These were collected by Walter Koerner, who gave them to the museum in 1987.
Multiversity Galleries
The Multiversity Galleries hold more than 9,000 objects from all over the world. These galleries show items from the museum's collection that would normally be kept in storage. This way, more of the museum's treasures can be seen by the public.
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Audain Gallery
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The first exhibition at the Elspeth McConnell Gallery of Northwest Coast Masterworks, 2017
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Koerner European Ceramics Gallery
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Multiversity Galleries
Museum Collections
The Museum of Anthropology has many large sculptures, totem poles, and cultural artifacts. While MOA focuses on the First Nations of the Northwest Coast, its collection of almost 50,000 cultural objects comes from every continent. The collections include both modern art and older historical items.
Besides the cultural collections, MOA also has about 535,000 archaeological pieces. These are managed by UBC's Laboratory of Archaeology. The museum also has a small section dedicated to European ceramic art, which was collected by Walter Koerner.
Famous Works by Bill Reid
One of the most famous sculptures at the museum is The Raven and the First Men by Bill Reid. This large sculpture, made from yellow cedar, was even shown on the Canadian twenty-dollar bill from 2004 to 2012.
Other important works by Bill Reid at the museum include his Bear and Wasco (Sea Wolf) sculptures. You can also see some of his gold jewellery and a model of the Haida dugout canoe he carved for Expo 86.
First Nations Art and Artifacts
The museum has several large artifacts from the Musqueam First Nation from the late 1800s and early 1900s. There are also many new works made by Musqueam artists like Susan Point, Joe Becker, and Robyn and Debra Sparrow.
In the museum's Great Hall, you can see many pieces of totem poles from Haida and other First Nations villages along British Columbia's coast.
Collections from Around the World
MOA has a large collection from the South Pacific. There are about 6,000 textiles (fabrics and clothing) in the collection, with about half of them from Asia. The museum's Cantonese opera costumes are considered some of the best in the world. There are also textiles from the Northwest Coast, Oceania, Africa, and South America.
The Audrey & Harry Hawthorn Library and Archives are open to the public. The archives have about 90,000 photographs that show many different cultures, historical events, and cultural subjects. These photos date back to the 1890s.
The African collection has about 2,800 items. Many of these items came to MOA from missionaries, travelers, and former colonial officers. The collection includes masks, Yoruba thorn carvings, and over 100 Makonde figures from Tanzania. There are also about 100 Asante gold weights, weapons from South Africa, and about 100 funeral objects from Egypt.
About 40% of MOA's collection is from Asia. The Chinese collections include between 1,000 and 1,500 pieces of Chinese ceramics, Chinese calligraphy, and paintings. There is also a large collection of Japanese prints, Buddhist art, and Hindu art. Other Asian collections include 2,300 Chinese coins and amulets, and rare Tibetan robes.
Outdoor Exhibits
Outside the museum, you can see Haida houses. These were built under the direction of Bill Reid, who also carved many of the totem poles around them with Doug Cranmer. The original totem pole on the front of the big house was moved inside in 2000 because it was getting old. A new pole, called the "Respect to Bill Reid Pole," was carved by Haida artist Jim Hart to replace it.
Museum Programs
The Museum of Anthropology works with the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and others to support the Indigitization program. This program helps Indigenous communities get money and training to turn their old cultural items into digital files.
Every summer, MOA hosts the Native Youth Program (NYP). This is the longest-running training program for Indigenous high school students in British Columbia. It gives summer jobs and training to six Indigenous high school students and two UBC students. The NYP is organized by MOA and the First Nation House of Learning at UBC.
Affiliations
The museum works with several organizations, including the Canadian Heritage Information Network, the Canadian Museums Association, and the Virtual Museum of Canada.
Images for kids
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Concrete exterior at the museum entrance. Concrete is the primary material used to build the museum.
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In 2010, a reflecting pool was permanently added to the front entrance of the museum
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Raven and the First Men by Bill Reid
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Fragments of totem poles from various First Nations villages in British Columbia are situated in the museum's Great Hall
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"Respect to Bill Reid pole," carved by Jim Hart at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC
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Wuikinuxv house-front pole in the Great Hall
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First Nations totem poles and Haida houses
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Detail of George Nelson's cedar house post
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Back view of MOA and outdoor exhibits
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George Nelson's cedar house post in the Great Hall
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Haisla canoe
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Haida house frontal totem pole
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Northwest Coast feast dishes
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"Sea Wolf" carved by Bill Reid
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Arctic American shirt
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Odler dish ware (Koerner European Ceramic Gallery)
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Kendi pot (Koerner European Ceramic Gallery)
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Slovak jug (Koerner European Ceramic Gallery)
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Holitsch dish (Koerner European Ceramic Gallery)
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