Art Gallery of Greater Victoria — Attraction in Victoria

This collection of Oriental art objects, acquired by Besquet from subordinates of the British Empire, offers a fascinating insight into a unique cultural heritage. While it's vital to acknowledge and appreciate the halls featuring local artists, those in search of distinctive masterpieces will find the hall of Oriental art particularly rewarding.

Victoria's rich history of Asian diasporas, alongside the enduring influence of the British Empire that facilitated the export of art from regions like China, has resulted in a truly exceptional collection. Many of the exhibits date back to 3,000-4,000 B.C.E. I encourage visitors to explore pull-out bedside tables for hidden Easter Eggs, enjoy Ivory puzzles, and try to decipher the microscopic hieroglyphics found in various corners. The attention to detail in Japanese art is especially noteworthy, and works by the acclaimed artist Hokusai can also be appreciated here.

Additionally, one particularly intriguing stand showcases containers that can be seen as the ancestors of modern vaping—scented artifacts that invite curiosity.

I would like to commend the museum team for their excellent collection of contemporary art available in the souvenir shop—it’s truly impressive and surpasses what is displayed in the museum halls. Moving forward, it would be wonderful to see an increased focus on modern examples of art, as well as more frequent rotation of exhibitions in curatorial projects. I'm sure there are many exceptional pieces in the gallery's reserves that could inspire and engage visitors.

This gallery represents not just ordinary works, but the gems of world art. Let’s advocate for allowing these remarkable pieces to be appreciated in natural light and admired by...

I debated on whether or not to give this four or five stars. For its small size, this is a lovely gallery that has changing exhibits, as well as ones that are there all the time like some Emily Carr works and some Asian prints. There is an exhibit of bonsai trees from a bonsai Club. There is also a beautiful little garden in the middle of the gallery that is worth a look. The old part of the gallery is in an old house and has some beautiful old paintings. One of the sad points of this gallery for me is that they do not exhibit more of the Emily Carr works that they possess. Apparently they don't have the room to do so and want to build a bigger gallery, but it's a shame that they don't cycle through some of the works more often so that they could be enjoyed in the meantime. There are public washrooms and...

I particularly enjoy the Asian and First Nations exhibition the most but it's hit and miss what's being featured at the gallery. Checking the website events calendar prior to the visit is best. When they featured the Emily Carr exhibit, the variety of pieces shown were invaluable. My children like to wander in the garden and check the elaborate dollhouse.

Definitely check out the gift shop and don't forget to sign the guest book. Sometimes I like looking at past pages because sometimes artistic visitors leave beautiful entries. The operating hours are a disappointment; Thursdays are the only day of the week with extended hours into late evening and seasonal hours on certain months make trips difficult especially for shift workers wanting to...