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Arts
Club Theatre
the Arts Club operates both the Stanley Theatre and the Granville Island Stage
on Granville Island,
with productions that have included the musical Funny Girl and a moving
adaptation of Carol Shields’ Unless. 604-687-1644.
Ballet
British Columbia
Innovative and uncompromising productions of such works as A Streetcar Named
Desire and The Faerie Queen have wowed critics from Tokyo to New York City and
garnered acclaim for artistic director John Alleyne’s collaborative approach to
choreography. 604-732-5003.
Bard on the Beach
Two giant tents are erected on the Vanier Park waterfront from June through
September for staging old Will’s classics as well as more unusual fare. The
mainstage tent is open-ended, so actors perform (on clear days, at least)
against a backdrop of mountains and ocean. Vanier Park,
Kitsilano Vancouver, 604-739-0559.
B.C. Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
The only place in town where you can find out how many goals Frank Patrick
scored in 1910 to set a defenceman’s record. Find 20,000 square feet of
monuments to B.C. athletes like Terry Fox and Ross Rebagliati making sports
history. 777 Pacific Blvd.,
Downtown Vancouver, 604-687-5520. in
BC Place
Chan
Centre for the Performing Arts
Designed as a kind of gigantic cello and outfitted with a 37-tonne
chandelier-like acoustic canopy system, the Chan is one of the choicest venues
in town for theatre, opera and classical music performances. Vancouver, UBC
Campus, 604-822-2697.
Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and Archives
Adjacent to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen gardens, the Centre hosts a permanent collection
of artifacts tracing Chinese-Canadians in British Columbia, along with temporary
art exhibitions with Chinese-Canadian themes. 555 Columbia St.,
Vancouver Chinatown Chinatown,
604-658-8880.
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Named for the revolutionary who overthrew the Qing dynasty, the garden was built
in the mid-’80s by 52 master artisans from Suzhou using 15th-century methods.
578 Carrall St., Chinatown, 604-662-3207.
Firehall Arts Centre
Located in Vancouver’s first firehall, the Firehall Arts Centre produces between
four and six theatre productions and three to five dance productions each
season. It’s known for its edgy and boundary-pushing works. 280 E. Cordova
St., Downtown Eastside, 604-689-0926.
Gulf of Georgia Cannery
Discover the history of west coast fishing, including a canning line exhibit, in
the heart of the historic fishing village of Steveston. End the day with a tour
of the working fish boats for fresh-off-the-boat seafood. 12138 Fourth Ave.,
Steveston Village ,Richmond BC,
604-664-9009.
H.R. MacMillan Space Centre
Thankfully planetariums and laser light shows didn’t disappear along with
roller-skating rinks, because listening to Pink Floyd while staring at galaxies
and pattern effects is as good now as it was when you were 16. Next door is an
observatory with a half-metre Cassegrain telescope for some glimpses beyond the
Vancouver metro region. 1100 Chestnut St.,
Kitsilano, 604-738-7827.
The Lookout
Save this for a clear day: from the 50-storey Harbour Centre Tower, visitors can
walk around the circular room and get their bearings on the city below with
views ranging as far as Mt. Baker in Washington State, 140 kilometres away.
555 W. Hastings St., Downtown
Vancouver, 604-689-0421.
Playhouse Theatre Company
The Play-house stages at least six groundbreaking plays each season, with the
2008 season featuring works by Morris Panych and Robert Lepage, among others.
Hamilton St. and Dunsmuir St., 604-873-3311. Hotels near by include
Westin Grand Hotel ,
Rosedale on Robson,
Residence Inn Vancouver,
Opus Hotel,
Vancouver Landis Hotel and the
Hampton Inn Downtown.
Playland at the Pacific National Exhibition
Open from mid-April until October 1, Playland offers midway rides for thrill
seekers of all ages. 2901 E. Hastings St., Hastings Sunrise, 604-252-3583.
for accommodations close by see the
Best Western Exhibition Park
TheatreSports
Started in 1980, Theatre-Sports has managed to keep its shtick fresh for more
than 200,000 audience members a year (Ryan Stiles of TV’s Whose Line Is It
Anyway? is just one of TheatreSports’ famous alumni). In addition to competitive
improv, there’s usually a funny riff on some current TV phenomenon (CSI and The
Apprentice are recent victims).
Granville Island
Vancouver, 604-738-7013. Accommodations at
Granville Island Hotel
UBC
Museum of Anthropology
The Museum of Anthropology’s present collection includes 570,000 ethnological
and archaeological pieces from around the world, with special focus on B.C.’s
First Nations. 6393 N.W. Marine Dr., UBC Campus, 604-822-3825.
Vancouver Art Gallery
Even if the featured exhibits at one of the continent’s leading contemporary-art
venues don’t ring your bell, the ongoing display of significant works by Emily
Carr justifies the $15 admission alone. 750 Hornby St.,
Downtown Vancouver,
604-662-4719. Accommodations at the
Vancouver Four Seasons Hotel,
Hyatt Regency Vancouver and
Le Soleil Hotel are a few steps
away.
Vancouver Aquarium
Open seven days a week year-round, its 166 displays feature over 70,000 animals,
from West Coast mammals (sea lions, sea otters and harbour seals, among others)
to exotic species like Amazonian caimans and electric eels.
Stanley Park in Vancouver BC ,
604-659-3474. for close access stay at the
Westin Bayshore Hotel
Vancouver or the
Renaissance Hotel
Harbourside.
Vancouver Maritime Museum
The best part of the museum is the St. Roch, an RCMP schooner that patrolled the
Canadian Arctic in the ’30s and ’40s, but there’s plenty more in the way of
pirates, warships and shipwrecks. Kids can get hands-on at the Alcan Children’s
Maritime Discovery Centre. 1905 Ogden Ave., Kitsilano, 604-257-8300.
Vancouver Museum
Museum holdings include everything from an Egyptian mummy to First Nations’
artifacts, while feature exhibits have explored less traditional territory like
local hippie culture (with original footage of the Stanley Park Be-In) and
skateboard design. 1100 Chestnut St., Kitsilano, 604-736-4431.
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