Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia

Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia
Name	Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia
Established	1947
Location	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Type	Anthropology museum
Director	[Name redacted]

Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia is a public museum located on the campus of University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The institution houses collections emphasizing the material and visual cultures of First Nations of the Northwest Coast alongside artifacts from Oceania, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It functions as a center for exhibition, research, and collaboration among communities such as the Musqueam Indian Band, Haida, Tlingit, and Kwakwaka'wakw.

History

The museum originated from the collecting activities of Franz Boas, William Van der Kloot, and Otis Mason with formal establishment linked to the anthropology program at University of British Columbia after World War II; early curators included Harry Hawthorn and Wilson Duff. The current building, commissioned in the 1970s, was designed by architect Arthur Erickson in consultation with Bill Reid and opened to accommodate growing donations from donors such as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh supporters and benefactors connected to the Canadian Centennial era. Over decades the museum has hosted exhibitions featuring loans from institutions including the British Museum, National Museum of Denmark, Royal Ontario Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and Musée du quai Branly while responding to shifts in museum practice prompted by events like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Collections and Exhibits

The museum's permanent collections include monumental totem poles and house posts from communities such as Gitxsan, Haisla, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish peoples, alongside extensive holdings of masks, regalia, and bentwood boxes associated with artists like Bill Reid and Mungo Martin. International holdings span Melanesia and Polynesia artifacts connected to collectors such as Captain James Cook and ethnographers like Bronisław Malinowski and Alfred Cort Haddon, with comparative material from Mayan textiles, Benin bronzes, and Yoruba carvings once exchanged with museums such as the British Museum and Musée du quai Branly. Temporary exhibitions have showcased work by contemporary artists including Susan Point, Edward S. Curtis photography retrospectives, and collaborative projects with institutions like the National Gallery of Canada and Vancouver Art Gallery.

Architecture and Facilities

The Erickson-designed complex incorporates cedar-clad display spaces, a Great Hall for large carvings, and a reflecting pool adjacent to the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden. The site integrates indigenous design principles through consultation with Musqueam Indian Band leaders and artists such as Bill Reid and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, while accommodating conservation laboratories, a specialized object storage facility, and climate-controlled galleries comparable to those at the Royal Ontario Museum and Canadian Museum of History. The museum campus connects with academic facilities at Peter A. Allard School of Law and the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture for interdisciplinary programming.

Research and Education

MOA supports graduate and undergraduate research affiliated with departments including Department of Anthropology, UBC, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, and the Institute of Asian Research. Scholarly output has involved partnerships with researchers such as Wilson Duff-era cataloguers, postdoctoral fellows from institutions like Harvard University, collaborative fieldwork with Simon Fraser University scholars, and digitization projects akin to initiatives at the Smithsonian Institution and British Library. Educational programs include K–12 outreach aligned with curriculum frameworks from British Columbia Ministry of Education, public lectures featuring curators and artists from National Film Board of Canada–supported series, and community-based internships comparable to programs at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

Repatriation and Indigenous Partnerships

The museum has engaged in repatriation dialogues and artifact returns with indigenous communities including the Musqueam Indian Band, Haida Nation, and Kwakwaka'wakw, guided by ethical frameworks influenced by the Canadian Museums Association guidelines and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Collaborative curation, co-management agreements, and access protocols have been developed alongside legal instruments such as the Canadian Human Rights Act-related policies and in consultation with organizations like the Assembly of First Nations and the First Peoples' Cultural Council. High-profile repatriation cases have involved cross-institutional negotiation with the British Museum and private collectors following precedents set by repatriation work at the University of Cambridge and Yale University.

Governance and Funding

Governance involves a board of advisors drawn from University of British Columbia administration, indigenous representatives from groups like Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Kwantlen First Nation, and members with affiliations to foundations such as the Canada Council for the Arts and the Vancouver Foundation. Funding streams include provincial support through British Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, federal grants from Department of Canadian Heritage, endowments from donors associated with the Vancouver Canucks philanthropic networks, and revenue from admissions, gifts, and partnerships with cultural institutions like the Royal BC Museum and corporate sponsors including local technology and resource companies.

Category:Museums in Vancouver