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Bill Reid Gallery

639 Hornby Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2G3, Canada (Downtown)
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Ranked #47 of 151 attractions in Vancouver
Type: Art Museums
Owner description: A public gallery for Contemporary Aboriginal Art of the Northwest Coast named after the acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid (1920-1998). The Gallery... more » Owner description: A public gallery for Contemporary Aboriginal Art of the Northwest Coast named after the acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid (1920-1998). The Gallery showcases the permanent collection of Bill Reid alongside changing exhibitions of contemporary Northwest Coast Art. Highlights include stunning gold and silver jewelry, monumental sculptures and a towering totem pole by James Hart of Haida Gwaii. Visit the Gallery Gift Shop for a selection of original works and prints by local Northwest Coast artists, distinctive jewelry, accessories, books, cards and more. Located in the heart of downtown, just steps from the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and Canada Line skytrain. « less
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18 reviews from our community

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Sunshine Coast
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 21 March 2013

My husband and I were both surprised at the sense of calm and tranquility, in the heart of the city, when we entered the outdoor space. There is a lovely grass courtyard with arches and columns all around. The building itself is unusual in a good way and the art pieces on exhibit are definitely worth seeing and displayed well.... More

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See 6 more reviews by RolloSunshineCoast for Vancouver
Las Vegas, Nevada
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 March 2013

Bill Reid, really don't think I need say more. the jewelry gallery is just stunning. the guest artist pieces were very witty with the theam being comedy loved the cereal boxes

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See 4 more reviews by Tim G for Vancouver
Whitehorse, Canada
Senior Contributor
29 reviews 29 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 January 2013

Raining and cold in Vancouver so we decided to check out Bill Reid Gallery - boy, am-I happy we did. The displays were insightful and thorough. I was able to learn and gain a new appreciation for Aboriginal art as well as the humour, resiliency and vision of the First Nations of Canada. The exhibits were accessible and the reading... More

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See 5 more reviews by Peregrina-Norte for Vancouver
South San Francisco, California
Top Contributor
67 reviews 67 reviews
33 attraction reviews
Reviews in 28 cities Reviews in 28 cities
44 helpful votes 44 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 January 2013

I wasn't that familiar with Northwest Coast Art before this exhibition, so this was a good overview of what it's all about. There are some excellent pieces by Bill Reid in this gallery, including a lot of jewelry pieces and the large bronze frieze Mythic Messengers, which is absolutely amazing. The current exhibition on humor in contemporary Northwest Coast Art... More

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See 7 more reviews by nlgenxer for Vancouver
B.C. Canada
Top Contributor
67 reviews 67 reviews
12 attraction reviews
Reviews in 25 cities Reviews in 25 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 November 2012

My husband & I were "playing" tourist on a warm September day, this fall in Vancouver. We were from walking Yaletown to Coal Harbour when we "discovered" the Bill Reid's Gallery. A set of stairs took up us to a secluded garden. The gallery is off to the right of the garden. The theme of the current exhibition was Carrying... More

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See 3 more reviews by Condu for Vancouver
Vancouver, Canada
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 August 2012

I am biased for I am the chair of the gallery. It is a warm and inviting space with pieces from numerous Pacific Northwest Coast artists, including Bill Reid and Jim Hart. A pleasant one to two hours visiting the gallery won't be wasted.

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See 4 more reviews by scotthean for Vancouver
Vancouver, Canada
Top Contributor
53 reviews 53 reviews
26 attraction reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
26 helpful votes 26 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 August 2012

There is a cult of respect around artists like Bill Reid. His jewellery is his touchstone craft and his large works, especially the public ones, tend toward the seductive. A good kind of seductive. The exhibitions here can be outstanding, especially ones that celebrate contemporary native artists. No lack of imagination here. Reid's work is consistent and celebrates the simple... More

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See 37 more reviews by KyotoBound for Vancouver
Kristiansand, Norway
Top Contributor
108 reviews 108 reviews
8 attraction reviews
Reviews in 45 cities Reviews in 45 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 July 2012 via mobile

Small museum with very little to offer when taking into consideration the important mission it wishes to present. There is so much more to present, tell, and exhibit.... And the place seems like one big unprofessional miss. One thing I did like about it were the pictures of elders and some quotes about their language conservation efforts... Some first nations'... More

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See 7 more reviews by RJS76 for Vancouver
Vancouver
Top Contributor
55 reviews 55 reviews
11 attraction reviews
Reviews in 17 cities Reviews in 17 cities
32 helpful votes 32 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 July 2012

Bill Reid's work, no matter what one thinks of the man and his practices, deserves much better than this. Compared to the UBC Museum of Anthropology, it looks like a second hand store in Hazelton. Quite unprofessional.

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See 5 more reviews by timotao for Vancouver
Ottawa, Ontario
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 June 2012

This small gallery tucked away on Hornsby features Haida art by Mr. Reid and other coastal artist of different media. When I was there there was amoving display focusing on elders who are keepers of FN languages. I found this place to be a gem.

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