Historic places in Vancouver

9 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Vancouver.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

SeeYaletown-False Creek
BC Place
The home of the BC Lions CFL football team and Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer. It also hosts the Canada Sevens, a major international event in the sevens variant of men's rugby union. The building is also home to many conventions, tradeshows and concerts. It has had two roofs in its history, both claimed as the largest of their types in the world. The original roof was air-supported, but it has since been replaced by a cable-supported retractable roof. The BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is located within BC Place. The museum includes permanent galleries devoted to Terry Fox and Rick Hansen as well as displays of BC sports history from the early 1800s to present.
SeeCity Centre
Christ Church Cathedral
Vancouver's oldest surviving church was completed in 1889. Often in the shadow of its neighbour, the 23-storey Cathedral Place, you should visit in the afternoon to see the sun shining through the stained glass windows.
SeeSouth
Jewish Museum and Archives of BC
A small museum that documents the history of the Jewish community in British Columbia. Check for interesting summer programs and tours at this museum; in 2007 it operated a "Tour de Blintz" cycling tour, which took participants to local Jewish eateries.
Mon-Thu 9AM-5PMFree (except for special programs)
SeeKitsilano-Granville Island
Museum of Vancouver
formerly the Vancouver Museum
The largest civic museum in Canada, with over 1 million items from Vancouver's history, only a fraction of which fit in the exhibit halls. Tucked away to the left off the Orientation Gallery is a series of rooms telling Vancouver's story from the 19th century to the 1970s. The museum makes an effort to tell many stories of Vancouver: English Canadian, First Nations, various immigrant groups, etc. Kid-friendly exhibits.
Sun-Wed 10AM-5PM, Thu-Sat 10AM-8PM$20, senior or student $15, youth (6 to 17) $15, children (5 and under) free
SeeYaletown-False Creek
Roundhouse Community Center
The restored roundhouse that used to work the railyard before the condos were built. Engine 374, which hauled the first passengers into Vancouver, is on display with some historical information. There is also a gym that can be used on a drop-in basis (for a small fee) and a small performing arts centre.
Mon-Fri 9AM-10PM, Sat-Sun 9AM-5PM
SeeKitsilano-Granville Island
Vancouver Maritime Museum
Canada's premiere western maritime museum. Covers the maritime history of Canada, includes artifacts, models and the St. Roch ship. The museum apparently has far more things than space to show them, so they frequently rotate their exhibitions in fascinating thematic arrangements. Previous exhibitions included such familiar topics as the history of the Vikings, to the less familiar "1500 years of Croatian sailors". Check for $2 discount coupons that you can print from the website.
Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM(credit card only) Adult $13.50, senior or student $11, youth (ages 6-18) $10, child 5 and under free, Family Pass (2 adults and 4 children) $38
SeeGastown-Chinatown
Vancouver Police Museum
Exhibits on the history of Vancouver's police, unusual weapons that have been confiscated and notable Vancouver crimes. There are also a number of programs and activities geared towards kids.
Mon-Sat 9AM-5PMAdult $7, senior or student $5
Buy Not mapped
Chinatown
An old historic landmark where the first Chinese immigrants to the area settled, though these days it is a shadow of its former self, having become largely deserted and full of homeless people. Other newer and more vibrant Chinatowns have sprung up around 41st Ave. and Victoria Drive, also in Richmond and Surrey, and are much better places to go to if authentic Chinese culture and food is what you are after.
Buy Not mapped
Gastown
Is the oldest neighbourhood in Vancouver but is being reborn as a fashion and modern urban design district. Historic buildings house hip restaurants, galleries, and interior design and high-fashion shops. This area also is notable having the most tourist souvenir shops in the region.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Vancouver (CC BY-SA 4.0).