The Museum of Anthropology began as a collection of ethnographic objects in the basement of the Main Library at the University of British Columbia in 1949. Funds from the Federal Government and others enabled the magnificent building you see here to be constructed and opened in 1976.
Designed by the renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erikson who used traditional Northwest Coast post-and-beam style architecture for the design, the building with its soaring glass glass walls and concrete beams sits on the cliffs of Point Grey facing the sea and the mountains. The original plan called for a reflecting pool in the surrounding area but the weight of the water would have contributed even more to the instability of the cliffs which are slowly being eroded away. Instead an area of gravel was installed with the shape of water.
The grounds were designed by landscaper Cornelia Oberlander and besides the gravel "pool" and the indigenous plants and grasses there are two outdoor Haida houses and ten full-scale totem poles (one inside the larger of the two Haida houses).
These two carved house-posts below are found on the path which leads to the front of the museum facing the sea and are relatively recent in a more contemporary style of carving.
Today the museum houses over 35,000 ethnographic objects, many of which come from the Pacific Northwest Coast of British Columbia although the collection also contains objects from around the world. Many of these are housed in what is known as the Visible Storage galleries where you can open drawers and browse to your hearts content or look in showcases just packed with items.
Next time join me inside the museum and also I'll be featuring the magnificent hand carved doors for my Photo Hunt this weekend when the theme is wooden.