Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
While admission prices to the VAG are slightly reduced in winter, the gallery isn't
the cheapest attraction in town. But if you're traveling on a tight budget (and you
don't mind crowds), consider visiting on a Tuesday between 5pm and 9pm. This
weekly by-donation night (most people pay $5 to $10) can save you enough for a
latte at the Gallery Café. And since it's often very busy, you'll likely also make a few
new local friends. Arrive early in summer; there's often a queue for entry.
With its columns and Trafalgar Square-style lions, the handsome 1907 gal-
lery building was originally the Provincial Law Court. It was designed by
Francis Rattenbury, who was responsible for many of the colonial-era build-
ings that still exist in the towns and cities of British Columbia (BC). His most
famous constructions are in Victoria, the provincial capital, where the twin
landmarks of the Parliament Buildings and the Empress Hotel still loom over
the Inner Harbour.
