  We investigate ytterbium gallium garnet Yb$_{3}$Ga$_{5}$O$_{12}$ in the
paramagnetic phase above the supposed magnetic transition at $T_{\lambda}
\approx 54$ mK. Our study combines susceptibility and specific heat
measurements with neutron scattering experiments and theoretical calculations.
Below 500 mK, the elastic neutron response is strongly peaked in the momentum
space. Along with that the inelastic spectrum develops flat excitation modes.
In magnetic field, the lowest energy branch follows a Zeeman shift in
accordance with the field-dependent specific heat data. An intermediate state
with spin canting away from the field direction is evidenced in small magnetic
fields. In the field of 2 T, the total magnetization almost saturates and the
measured excitation spectrum is well reproduced by the spin-wave calculations
taking into account solely the dipole-dipole interactions. The small positive
Curie-Weiss temperature derived from the susceptibility measurements is also
accounted for by the dipole spin model. Altogether, our results suggest that
Yb$_{3}$Ga$_{5}$O$_{12}$ is a quantum dipolar magnet.
