Vancouver Maritime Museum, Vancouver

Vancouver has a rich maritime tradition, and its Maritime Museum is dedicated to preserving that. It has several exhibits featuring original pieces and replicas, including the Saint Roch.

The Saint Roch is an arctic exploration schooner used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and is the Maritime Museum's main exhibit. It was the first ship to circumnavigate all of North America and the first to complete the Northwest passage going from west to east. The ship was constructed in North Vancouver in 1928, out of Douglas fir and Australian eucalyptus. The interior hull was specially reinforced to allow the ship to withstand pressure from ice during the northernmost leg of the voyage. In 1962, the ship was named a Canadian National Historic Site.

Other exhibits in the Maritime Museum include artwork and archives from historic sea voyages, historic model ships build from paper, a bone model of the French warship Vengeur de Peuple, and an extensive collection of the original hand-drawn charts from Captain Cook's Pacific voyage. Outside of the building itself, there are exhibits featuring NASA's undersea research vessel, the Ben Franklin, and the boiler taken from the Beaver, the Pacific Northwest's first steamship.

Why You Should Visit:
Great place to go if you're interested in maritime history or just want a unique take on Vancouver's history.
Every so often there's a short video presentation followed by the opportunity to walk aboard the St. Roch and visit its interior.
Afterward, you can wander around the changing art gallery or the nearby docks to see other ships that are part of the museum.

Tip:
On 'Late Night Thursdays' the admission is by donation, which helps those on a budget.
A package deal is available that includes the Museum of Vancouver and the Pacific Space Center.