The Polygon Gallery — Attraction in North Vancouver

A Must-Visit Cultural Gem on Vancouver’s Waterfront!

The Polygon Gallery is an absolute treasure nestled in the heart of North Vancouver’s Shipyards District. This stunning modern space offers a captivating blend of contemporary art, rich history, and breathtaking architecture.

Inspiring Exhibitions Specializing in photography and media art, The Polygon showcases a dynamic range of exhibitions that are both thought-provoking and visually striking. The gallery's commitment to adventurous programming ensures there's always something new and exciting to experience.

Architectural Excellence Designed by the award-winning Patkau Architects, the building itself is a masterpiece. Its sleek, modern design features a distinctive sawtooth roofline and floor-to-ceiling glass windows that flood the interior with natural light and offer stunning views of the Burrard Inlet.

Delightful Café Experience After exploring the exhibits, visitors can unwind at the gallery's café, which boasts a menu of locally-sourced delights. From charcuterie boxes to avocado toast made with Nemesis milk bread, there's something to satisfy every palate. The outdoor patio offers an unbeatable view of the city skyline, making it the perfect spot to relax.

Curated Gallery Shop The on-site shop features a carefully selected range of design-led products, including homewares, jewelry, and art books. Many items are crafted by local artisans, making it an ideal place to find unique gifts and support the local creative community.

Accessible and Welcoming Admission to The Polygon Gallery is always by donation, ensuring that art remains accessible to everyone. Its prime location, just a short walk from the Lonsdale Quay SeaBus terminal, makes it easily reachable from downtown Vancouver.

Final Thoughts Whether you're an art aficionado or a casual visitor, The Polygon Gallery offers an enriching experience that shouldn't be missed. Its combination of compelling exhibitions, architectural beauty, and community-focused amenities make it a standout destination on Vancouver's...

My friend and I stopped by after we read the great reviews. The building's architecture is stunning, and the curatorial staff have impeccable taste so far (I also did some research on their recent exhibitions before stopping by). This said, I found the attitude of the staff to be insulting and unkind, thus the two stars. It's hard to want to come back here.

Basically, when we arrived, we went up to the desk to ask about admission. Nobody said hello until we finally asked our question, meaning we stood there awkwardly for a bit while the older lady with blonde hair and bangs stared at us. She informed us it was based on donation and we could consider on the way out what we might wish to donate.

I asked about exhibitions and she explained they were between major ones--something that is completely understandable. Yet, she was needlessly and remarkably rude to us, even passive aggressive. When we said we were excited to see the exhibitions but it's alright that they're in transition, she said: "some people just don't check the website. The one on Persepolis ended WEEKS ago."

I told her that's too bad, and that I am from Chicago so I could at least go check out some of the materials from the Persian collection at the Oriental Institute and she got very cold and would not answer any of our other questions, promptly ignoring us. She did not even offer us a pamphlet or a map.

When we went to leave after buying some beautiful books (the other staff were LOVELY), we said bye and thank you, and she just glared unpleasantly at us.

Terrible hospitality. Won't be coming back. The place for this kind of pretension is not in an up-and-coming contemporary art gallery. It's better suited for the musty hallways of colonial and performatively virtuous museums, and I doubt that this attitude-- and the histories it conjures--is the kind of legacy the Polygon is looking...

Stunning art gallery with clean and sophisticated lines!

The Interior Infinite Exhibition was great and very fascinating, with a carnival theme. Compared to some other museums I have visited, I find that the exhibitions are quite contemporary and striking in nature, which is compatible with the modern architecture of the Polygon Gallery. This themed exhibition focuses on costume and masquerade as strategies for revealing, rather than concealing, identities. The theme revolves around the spirit of Carnival, a celebration of radical togetherness and distinctive self-expression. I like the mix of formats employed - both media pieces, paintings and sculptures, which gave the exhibition an intimate and cohesive feel.

To note: "Admission to The Polygon Gallery is by donation, made possible through generous, multi-year support from BMO Financial Group." You can sign up beforehand on Saturdays and Thursdays to join the guided tour in a socially distanced manner. Tours take around 45 minutes. I definitely think that the guided tour gave me more insight into the artwork, and provided me with a better understanding of it. We were lucky to have the curator explain some of the rationale behind the artwork, which provided more insight, instead of merely looking at the artwork without understanding how it related to the themes. The curator who led our tour was evidently knowledgeable and passionate about the work, which made the experience more enjoyable.

Their souvenir shop is really cute and quirky as well, with interesting gifts or pieces you could give to others.

My only gripe is that the exhibition is a bit small, but other than that, it's a lovely way to spend a sunny summer afternoon, plus you get to enjoy views of the Vancouver skyline from the museum...