The Vancouver Art Gallery is an iconic Vancouver landmark with a rich culture and history. Founded and constructed in 1931 at 1146 Georgia Street, the building is now located several blocks west, and was built for $40,000. During the time of its opening most of the artwork displayed was by British and other European artists. In 1951 the building was expanded to three times its original size to fit over 150 pieces of artwork by Emily Carr, Lauren Harris was a close friend of Carr’s and fundraised for the expansion of the gallery raising $300,000, the total renovation cost $600,000 with the half being funded by the City of Vancouver. In 1983 the gallery was relocated to its present day location at 750 Hornby Street which was a former provincial courthouse, the building continues to be owned by the Government of British Columbia. Construction began in December 1981 costing $20million to redesign the courthouse, it was later opened to the public in October 1983 with over 41,000 square feet of exhibit space. Plans to build a new building for the museum on a new site were undertaken in 2004. The decision was made after it was determined that an expanded facility was necessary to accommodate the demand for educational programs, future displays as well as storage space. The cost of constructing a new building is estimated to be $330 million with provincial and federal governments providing $200 million while the rest of the money is expected to be raised through public and private donations to the gallery. The building was originally aimed to be completed by 2020 however developments have been delayed due to a funding dispute between the provincial and federal government. The Vancouver Art Gallery is beloved in Vancouver amongst artists and citizens alike with all its rich history and artwork that can be witnessed and appreciated by all. Anyone who has been to the Vancouver Art Gallery will tell you it is worth a visit!

Art Gallery / Pixabay