Vancouver’s historic and heritage sites highlight the city’s diverse culture.
Stroll through the “original Vancouver” in Gastown, enter one of North America’s largest and most vibrant Chinatowns, and see a 19th-century fishing cannery at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery in nearby Richmond.
Other sites preserve the city’s pioneer and Aboriginal history and the architecture of the Victorian and Edwardian eras. More modern sites reflect Vancouver’s emergence as a world-class city with cultural and sporting events.
Vancouver’s Chinatown started as a community center for 19th-century Chinese railway workers. Today, it’s one of the largest in North America. Peace and tranquility await visitors to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. The adjacent Chinese Cultural Museum and Archives displays Ming Dynasty vases and Chinese calligraphy. Check out the spectacular Millennium Gate nearby, and browse through colourful shops.
Vancouver Makes History
In 1986, the World’s Fair (Expo ’86) put Vancouver on the map. Today, recognizable landmarks built for the fair can be explored. Canada Place, with its waterfront location and “five white sails” roof, houses the Vancouver Convention Centre, a cruise ship terminal and the Pan Pacific Hotel. Science World, noted for its geodesic silver dome, attracts families with hands-on science exhibits and OMNIMAX films.
Vancouver made history as the host city for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Visit Olympic sites such as the large cauldron near the Convention Centre, Rogers Arena (the hockey venue), and BC Place Stadium (site of the opening and closing ceremonies).
Heritage Neighbourhood Walking Tours
Self-guided walking tours are a great way to see Vancouver’s historic and heritage sites. Explore Stanley Park, a National Historic Site, and view Aboriginal totem poles, see the Aboriginal landmark called Siwash Rock while circling the seawall, visit the rose garden, check out the Vancouver Aquarium (Canada’s largest), and much more.
Want a taste of different cultures and heritages beyond Chinatown? Commercial Drive features a “Little Italy” district, and there’s a “Little India” district on Main Street. Greek restaurants and shops abound on West Broadway, while hilly North Vancouver hosts many Persian eateries and businesses.
Historic Maritime Sites
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site in Steveston Village (Richmond) is one of the few remaining 19th-century fishing canneries that once dotted the West Coast. Interactive displays and exhibits, including tours of the canning line and reduction plant, bring to life the glory days of fishing.
In Richmond, the historic fishing village of Steveston preserves its heritage as a salmon canning centre circa the 1890s with its fisherman’s wharf and waterfront boardwalk, where you can buy fresh fish right off the boats. The Britannia Heritage Shipyard National Historic Site is another remnant from the 19th-century fishing industry. Tour the boatyard to see the restoration of a wooden gillnetter by trained shipwrights and dedicated volunteers. Stroll through the colorful wooden stilt houses and experience old-fashioned living conditions.
Historic Buildings & Structures
Once the British Empire’s tallest building, Vancouver’s 1930 Marine Building is an internationally acclaimed Art Deco structure. It’s worth viewing and right by Gastown. Also downtown is Moshe Safdie’s 1995-completed Vancouver Library Square, which resembles the Roman Colosseum. The seven-story library houses more than a million items.
Check out Vancouver architect Arthur Erickson’s acclaimed designs. Don’t miss the sloping glass roof of the 1979-built Vancouver Law Courts, next to the Robson Square public skating rink downtown, or the summit-hugging, ultra-modern buildings at Simon Fraser University (SFU) atop Burnaby Mountain.
Just west of downtown Vancouver, the University of British Columbia’s architecturally stunning Museum of Anthropology boasts numerous BC and international Aboriginal art and artifacts. See traditional canoes, masks, carvings, longhouse replicas and totem poles.
Just outside of Vancouver, dive into life circa 1865 at the Irving House in New Westminster. Originally the home of Captain William Irving, this 14-room, fully furnished colonial house features elaborate marble fireplaces, a woodstove and an 1858 Grand Piano. A 1920s BC Electric tram-stop community is recreated at the Burnaby Village Museum. Stroll among heritage and replica buildings, climb aboard the restored Interurban Tram #1223, and ride the 1912 C.W. Park carousel.
Bike or walk across the Lions Gate Bridge and enjoy a spectacular view of Vancouver. An iconic landmark, the bridge was built in 1938 by the Guinness family (of Irish beer fame) to connect Vancouver and the North Shore.
In North Vancouver, cross the thrillingly shaky Capilano Suspension Bridge, originally constructed in 1889. In Richmond, tour the International Buddhist Temple, perhaps Canada’s most exquisite example of traditional Chinese architecture.
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