Mayor Linda Buchanan and Museum Director Wesley A. Wenhardt on the newly refurbished Streetcar 153, August 2021. Photo: Alison Boulier

On December 4, 2021, MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver will open its doors to the public on a limited “preview” basis in The Shipyards. Admission will be free on December 4. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place.

The Museum will be open 4 days a week (Thursday to Sunday from 11:00am to 5:00pm) during the winter months, with an opening celebration and the debut of “You Are Here @ The Shipyards” in our Feature Exhibit Gallery to follow in early 2022.

MONOVA is welcoming visitors to explore its gallery spaces, which include interactive displays, as well as moving tributes to the past, such as the section dedicated to Residential School survivors and their families.

It’s taken more than 50 years, a multitude of meaningful discussions with community members and Indigenous leaders, countless volunteer hours, and painstaking research to amass a collection of more than 9,000 artefacts, but after 20 years of planning finally the Museum of North Vancouver is ready to welcome the public. The new Museum of North Vancouver joins the Archives of North Vancouver in Lynn Valley under the MONOVA banner.

“We’re delighted to be opening the doors to the new Museum of North Vancouver. The past year has been challenging for many of us and with this project we’re excited to be a part of North Vancouver’s pandemic recovery,” stated Commission Chair Dee Dhaliwal. “A community vision decades in the making has finally become reality, the result of many years of advocacy and persistent belief in the potential and the necessity of this space.”

NVMA Commission Chair Dee Dhaliwal (centre) with past Chairs Victor Elderton (left) and Sanford Osler (right) inside the new Museum’s permanent exhibit gallery. Photo: Mike Wakefield

Located in the heart of the vibrant Shipyards District at 115 West Esplanade, MONOVA is close to Lonsdale Quay, The Polygon Gallery and SeaBus Terminal. In addition to featuring the restored electric Streetcar 153, the Museum includes a powerful new cedar carving of Sch’ich’iyuy (The Two Sisters) by Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) carver Wade Baker. And that’s just the lobby…

Exhibits in the new permanent gallery include:

• An Indigenous Welcome Circle showcasing Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Səl̓ílwətaɬ Nations stories and belongings
• Touched by Nature, including the Amazing Animals display
• The changing face of outdoor recreation
• Connections: Where cultures collide
• Sports: past and present, including Olympic athletes
• Interactive children’s displays
• Women in Wartime
• History of shipbuilding on the North Shore
• History of North Vancouver’s waterfront
• Innovative industries that took shape in North Vancouver
• The Museum’s Feature Exhibition Gallery will open in early 2022

“We’re excited to welcome the community into this incredible new museum,” notes MONOVA Director Wesley Wenhardt. “I look forward to strengthening and building new relationships in the community, especially those with the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Səl̓ílwətaɬ Nations. I’m excited to learn more about the community of North Vancouver and honoured to work with the Museum and Archives team on the launch of North Vancouver’s newest cultural attraction.”

“Showcasing our rich culture and history in today’s modern, vibrant, and dynamic community is important for all people,” said Mayor Linda Buchanan. “MONOVA represents another important addition to the cultural precinct in Lower Lonsdale that the City has committed to fostering. A tremendous amount of work has brought us to this grand opening and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

The Museum of North Vancouver will engage, strengthen and inspire our community by exploring the stories of North Vancouver’s past, present and future. We invite the community to come together and get involved to financially support MONOVA so that we can create a dynamic and innovative hub where the stories of North Vancouver’s people, places and past come to life.

Learn more and plan your visit here.

The Museum’s Connections Gallery examines human stories, such as a section dedicated to Residential School survivors. Photo: Alison Boulier

$1.5 Million Comprehensive Campaign Goal Achieved

Thanks to community support, we have successfully achieved our $1.5 million Comprehensive Campaign goal. This $7.6 million Museum was delivered thanks to $6.1 million total investment from the City of North Vancouver, Province of British Columbia and Government of Canada, and more than $1.5 million from individuals, businesses and foundations via the Friends of the NVMA Society’s Comprehensive Campaign.

In addition, the City of North Vancouver-owned amenity space is leased to MONOVA, valued at $625,000 annually with the additional contribution of $170,000 funding to refurbish Streetcar 153.

We rely on annual donations to help MONOVA continue to inspire future generations by providing for sustainable, relevant, and inclusive programs and exhibits that respond to the needs of the community and visitors to North Vancouver.