Trip 061 - December of 2011

Vancouver Maritime Museum Visit

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Location in Vancouver: Vanier Park near the South end of Burrard Bridge.

Liked: St. Roch ship, various displays, reasonable admission price.

Of note: The museum could be tricky to find, pay parking in effect.

Related Website: Vancouver Maritime Museum - Official Site.

Vancouver Maritime Museum is located in Vanier Park just across Burrard Bridge from downtown Vancouver, yet it could be tricky to find. The photos below provide directions from Oak Street. The museum itself is a very good place to visit for kids and adults alike, especially on a rainy day, when not much is going on outside. There are numerous interesting exhibits at the museum, including the featured attraction - retired RCMP ship St. Roch, which was the first ship to cross from Pacific to Atlantic ocean via the Northwest (Arctic) Passage in 1942.

1. We are now Northbound (towards downtown) on Oak Street, about to turn left onto 16th Avenue to head West.

Oak Street at 16th Avenue Vancouver BC Canada

2. Several minutes later, we are ready to turn right (North) onto Burrard Street.

16th Avenue at Burrard Street Vancouver British Columbia Canada

3. Now we are Northbound on Burrard Street past 4th Avenue, getting ready to approach the left turn lane. Note a very distinctive residential building on the left side of the photo.

Burrard Street Vancouver BC

4. Waiting for the green light to turn left. Going straight (where the dark-coloured sedan is located on the right side of the photo) would have led directly onto Burrard Bridge to downtown Vancouver. If you are coming from downtown via Burrard Bridge, stay in the right lane.

Picture of Burrard Street Near Burrard Bridge Vancouver Canada

5. Upon turning left (onto what is now Cornwall Avenue), get ready to make an immediate right onto Chestnut Street (where the beige car is turning from in the photo below).

Cornwall Avenue at Chestnut Street Vancouver BC Canada

6. After making that immediate right turn, keep driving straight on Chestnut Street. Disregard the "parking lot on the right" sign (seen in the photo below), which would lead you past the School of Music all the way to the Seawall. Drive past this sign, as the Maritime Museum is just a hundred meters further straight ahead.

Chestnut Street Vancouver British Columbia

7. And here we are at the end of Chestnut Street, where it meets Ogden Avenue. Drive straight through the gate seen in the photo below and photo #8.

Chestnut Street at Ogden Avenue Vancouver BC Canada

8. Here is the gate. A note states that the gate is closed from 11 PM to 9 AM.

Entrance to Vancouver Maritime Museum grounds in Vanier Park

9. Just past the gate we see Maritime Museum, as well as the parking lot in front of it.

Vancouver Maritime Museum

10. This machine is where you say good-bye to $3.00 for each 1.5 hours of parking. It is possible to limit your visit to ninety minutes, but it is certainly possible to spend more time inside than that. Seawall runs just past the Maritime Museum, so you may want to incorporate the Maritime Museum visit into your Seawall excursion.

Parking Payment Machine at Vancouver Maritime Museum

11. Vancouver Maritime Museum as seen from near the parking payment machine. The entrance is under the blue canopy. The rates are as follows: Adults - $11, Youth/Senior/Student - $8.50, Family (2 Adults + 4 Children) - $30. Plus tax.

Maritime Museum Vancouver BC Canada

12. Once you enter, St. Roch is right in front of you, the reception desk is on the left, and the gift shop is on the right. This is the gift shop.

Gift Shop Vancouver Maritime Museum

13. We walked a few meters forward, turned around, and took a photo of St. Roch's side. The reception desk is seen far ahead.

St. Roch

14. The other side of St. Roch. The entrance to the second half of the museum is through a door (not seen here) to the right of where we are standing.

St. Roch Ship in Vancouver Maritime Museum BC Canada

15. Various exhibits and pieces of art can be seen by the windows, as you walk around St. Roch. This is one of them. It's called "Male Figure" and is by Tommy Ashevak.

16. Having walked around St. Roch, we arrived to the ship's entrance. Before you can come in, the staff shows a 16-minute documentary about the ship and its history. After that, 20 minutes are given to explore the ship under the staff's watch. Such trips are organized throughout the day.