Description of the attraction
Among the attractions of the Canadian city of Vancouver, the Museum of Anthropology, located on the campus of the University of British Columbia, undoubtedly deserves special attention.
In 1947, a small ethnographic collection of the University of British Columbia was presented to the attention of the general public, which, in fact, began the history of the Museum of Anthropology. The first exhibition was held in one of the premises of the Central Library of the University, but the collection of the museum grew rapidly, and over time, the question of the need to purchase or build a separate building for the museum became acute. Funds for the construction were allocated by the Canadian government only in 1971. By 1976, the museum was finally built and opened its doors to visitors. The building of the museum was designed by the famous Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. In the 2000s, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out in accordance with modern standards for such structures, as well as a new wing was completed.
The exposition of the Museum of Anthropology perfectly illustrates the history of the development of world culture and art, with special emphasis on the culture of the indigenous peoples of Canada. The museum collection includes works by renowned Canadian sculptor Bill Reid (The Raven, The First People, The Sea Wolf and The Bear, some of his gold jewelry, as well as a prototype of the Haida canoe), totem poles from ancient Indian settlements British Columbia and an extensive collection of artifacts from the South Pacific. The museum contains artifacts from Tanzania, South Africa and Egypt, Chinese ceramics and paintings, a collection of Japanese prints, Buddhist and Hindu art, an amazing collection of textiles (more than 6,000 items, including Cantonese opera costumes) and much more. In general, the collection of the museum has more than 535,000 archaeological and more than 38,000 ethnographic exhibits. The museum is famous for its amazing library, as well as an impressive photo archive (over 90,000 photos).
In addition to holding permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Museum of Anthropology is engaged in research activities, and the University of British Columbia offers specialized courses in anthropology, archeology and the arts.
