The largest "civic museum" (one that was initially supported by the government, but is now supported by private donations) in Canada, also happens to be the oldest in Vancouver; the Museum of Vancouver. Located on traditional ancestral lands of the Coastal Salish First Nation people in Vanier Park ( a twenty minute walk from downtown), this museum was founded in 1894 by the Art, Historical, and Scientific Association of Vancouver. At that time, the museum was located on the top floor of the Dunn Building on Granville Street and included acquisitions "...reflective of its (donors) rather than of any strategic approach." By 1903, the collections had grown so large that the museum had to move to the top floor of the Carnegie Library. The museum's most important archeological excavation, for which it received a number of awards, was of the 4000 year old Musqueam Marpole Village in Vancouver (which, unfortunately, are not currently on display). Once again, because of the growth in collections acquired, the museum had to move. This time, in October 1968, to its current site in Vanier Park. The name was changed to the "Centennial Museum". This building, which now houses not only the museum of Vancouver, but also a planetarium , and the MacMillan Space Center, was designed to resemble a woven basket hat of the North West Coastal First Nation People. In 1984, the museum was again renamed "The Museum of Vancouver" and it's collections included artifacts of First Nation people, Asian and Egyptian cultures, and pieces dedicated to the history of Vancouver. A small portion of the building, known as the MacMillan Space Center, is dedicated to the history of space exploration and the part Canadian astronauts played. Comparatively speaking, this museum is not as large as some others we've encountered during our adventures, but we enjoyed learning about the founding and evolution of Vancouver, as well as its relationship to the surrounding area.
Much of the MacMillan Center's collections are focused on the role Canadian astronauts have played in the exploration of space.