Admission By Donation Day | Celebrating 95 Years
Fri Oct 2, 2026 | 10 AM–4 PM
Image: Curator Doris Shadbolt gives a docent briefing, 1973, Vancouver Art Gallery Photography Archives
Join us to celebrate 95 years of art and creativity at the Vancouver Art Gallery!
Since opening our doors on October 5, 1931, the Gallery has grown and evolved alongside Vancouver. For nearly a century, we have provided a space where people from all walks of life can encounter art and artists, exchange ideas, discover new perspectives and come together in community.
To mark this milestone, the Gallery will be open by donation from 10 AM to 4 PM on Friday, October 2, 2026. Visit us to explore our current exhibitions, spend time with friends and family, and celebrate 95 years of the Gallery.
Admission is by donation, with all contributions helping support exhibitions, education and public programming at the Gallery, while expanding access to art.
We recommend booking tickets online in advance to ensure prompt entry. Capacity is limited per hour to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for all visitors.
This special event is a wonderful opportunity to bring along friends and family or introduce someone new to the Gallery.
Gallery Member and Access Pass Holder admission is complimentary as always. We recommend reserving tickets in advance.
From 4 PM to 8 PM, our regular Free First Friday Night presented by BMO will continue as usual.
Help Shape the Next Chapter
Admission by donation is one way we’re helping make art accessible to our community.
Last year, approximately 40% of admissions were complimentary, helping expand access to art for everyone. Free admission for children and youth aged 18 and under, Free First Friday Nights presented by BMO, complimentary admission for Indigenous Peoples and caregivers, and participation in BC Parks Foundation’s nature prescription program, PaRx, help open the Gallery’s doors to more people.
Your gift can help sustain this access and support the Gallery’s work in the years ahead. With less than 25% of our funding coming from government sources, contributions from our community are essential to what we do.
Your gift helps advance Community Access, Exhibitions and Artist Support, Arts Education and Learning, the Art of Wellbeing Lab and the Centre for Global Asias. Together, these areas of work create opportunities for people to engage with art and ideas, support artists and nurture the next generation of artists and thinkers.