Museum of Anthropology on a Budget: Half-Price Days
The Museum of Anthropology is open, and cheaper than you think
The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC reopened 13 June 2024 after an 18-month seismic upgrade to the Great Hall, and has now been fully open for more than two years, so ignore any older post calling it closed or under renovation. Regular adult admission is CAD 26 (about USD 19). Time your visit for a Thursday after 5pm and it drops to CAD 13 (about USD 9.50), with the museum staying open until 9pm instead of the usual 5pm close.
Key facts
| Adult admission | CAD 26 (about USD 19) |
| Senior / non-UBC student | CAD 23 (about USD 17) |
| Youth (6 to 18) | CAD 13 (about USD 9.50) |
| Free entry | UBC students/staff, Indigenous peoples, children under 6 |
| Thursday half price | 5pm until the 9pm close, roughly half the daytime rate |
| Hours, mid-May to mid-Oct | Daily 10am to 5pm, Thursdays to 9pm |
| Hours, mid-Oct to mid-May | Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, Thursdays to 9pm, closed Monday |
| Getting there | Bus 99 or 49 from Broadway-City Hall Station, 40 to 50 minutes from downtown |
| Time needed | 2 to 3 hours |
| Booking | Advance online tickets recommended, especially Thursday evenings |
How much does it actually cost to visit MOA?
Full adult price is CAD 26, but the Thursday 5pm to 9pm window cuts that to CAD 13, effectively a half-price ticket with more than half the museum’s normal open hours still on the clock. Add the bus fare, one TransLink zone fare each way, and the cheapest full visit runs about CAD 16 to 18 (USD 12 to 13) all in on a Thursday evening.
Is the Museum of Anthropology still closed for renovation?
No. That was true only from January 2023 to June 2024, an 18-month closure for a seismic upgrade to the Great Hall. It has been open since 13 June 2024, and by now has been running normally for well over two years. Don’t let an outdated travel post talk you out of visiting.
Do you need to book Museum of Anthropology tickets in advance?
Not strictly, but it helps. Walk-up admission is available most days, but Thursday evening’s half-price window draws the biggest crowds of the week, and advance online tickets skip the queue and guarantee entry if you’re working around a tight schedule.
Getting there without a car
MOA sits about 15km from downtown on the UBC campus, with no SkyTrain connection to campus itself. Bus 99 or 49 from Broadway-City Hall Station takes 40 to 50 minutes total from downtown, on a standard TransLink zone fare (CAD 2.85 to 5.40 depending on your starting zone) or covered by a CAD 11.50 DayPass if you’re combining it with other sightseeing that day. Check current routes and fares on TransLink .
Book these before you go
- A downtown or Kitsilano budget stay within reach of the UBC bus route: check rates on Booking.com
- Guided Vancouver tours that include UBC and MOA: search GetYourGuide
Buy tickets directly through moa.ubc.ca rather than a third-party reseller; official pricing is what’s listed above.
Rest of your Vancouver budget trip
MOA fits naturally into Day 2 of the 2-day itinerary and every longer version built from it. For the rest of the city’s free-versus-paid picture, including Lynn Canyon’s free alternative to Capilano, see Vancouver on a budget . For lodging near the UBC bus route, see best places to stay in Vancouver .