Museum of Anthropology at UBC reopens after seismic rebuild

Museum of Anthropology at UBC finally reopens after seismic rebuild

Grand reopening of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC on June 13, 2024, following its seismic reconstruction. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Under an air of eager anticipation, the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has reopened its doors following a comprehensive seismic upgrade, putting an end to the disappointment of visitors who were unable to experience its treasures during its extended closure.

Thousands of people packed the MOA for its grand reopening celebration Thursday evening, following the museum’s full public closure since January 2023 to expedite the seismic reconstruction of its landmark Great Hall.

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The Great Hall is now a brand new seismic-safe replica of the original 1976-built structure designed by Arthur Erickson, which was completely demolished in early 2022.

Work on the $40 million project first began in 2020 with the temporary recollection of the collections and the start of site preparation.

Previous original 1976-built structure:

Museum of Anthropology at UBC. (UBC)

April 2022 demolition of the original structure for its seismic reconstruction:

ubc museum of anthropology demolition april 15 2022

Demolished condition of the original Great Hall of the UBC Museum of Anthropology for its seismic redevelopment, as of April 15, 2022. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

August 2023 construction progress on the brand new seismic-safe replica structure:

ubc museum of anthropology construction august 12 2023

Museum of Anthropology at UBC’s new replica taking shape; construction progress as of August 12, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Current completed condition of the brand new seismic-safe replica structure:

ubc moa museum of anthropology reopening june 13 2024

Grand reopening of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC on June 13, 2024, following its seismic reconstruction. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The new concrete hall structure, carrying the same original visual architectural design, sits on 25 base isolators under the suspended main floor slab to absorb the impact of the seismic waves of a powerful earthquake.

This new critical feature separates the hall from the ground and the rest of the museum complex.

Beyond the seismic work, other upgrades were performed to the lighting, skylights, roofing window coverings, carpeting, and fire protection systems.

New seismic resilient design of the Great Hall at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC. (Nick Milkovich Architects/UBC)

“This is a popular rainy spot for the Eby family. But if you came here before, it looked okay. It looked like it was a pretty solid foundation, it looked like things were alright. But it wasn’t,” said Premier David Eby during his remarks at the reopening celebration.

“It wasn’t safe for the work that we have to do together. And the reason I was thinking about that is because it really feels like such an appropriate metaphor for the work we’re doing as a province, with First Nations right across British Columbia. It’s so critical that we have that strong foundation as a province. You can feel this building, you can feel the weight of these house poles and what they represent and what they carry for so many nations across the province and how important it is that they’re secure.”

The project was jointly funded by the provincial and federal governments, and the university.

Grand reopening of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC on June 13, 2024, following its seismic reconstruction. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Museum staff spent the last few weeks moving the collections back into the spaces and preparing five new and refreshed Indigenous-themed exhibits, with the final touches completed late Thursday afternoon.

Reopening celebrations and special programming will continue throughout this weekend, with half-priced admission.

As well, the museum’s reopening marks the start of year-long celebrations and special programming marking the 75th anniversary of the MOA, which first opened in 1949 inside the university’s main library.

“Many of you are sitting in the newly reconstructed Great Hall with its post and beams part of the construction inspired by the Indigenous architecture of the northwest coast,” said Susan Rowley, the director of the MOA, during the event.

“Last year, magically, where you are sitting was little more than a hole in the ground, with a few columns over here.”

Grand reopening of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC on June 13, 2024, following its seismic reconstruction. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

UBC president Benoit-Antoine Bacon added, “These seismic upgrades to the Great Hall were earmarked as a priority for UBC, recognizing the significant tangible and intangible cultural heritage housed within the museum because this is much more than a physical space. It’s a symbol of UBC’s dedication to preserving and honouring the rich history and traditions of the Indigenous peoples of British Columbia and Canada.”

For the seismic replica’s design and planning process, MOA worked with Nick Mikovich Architects — a firm that was involved with Erickson in the 1970s, when the original museum was being designed. The project’s main contractor was Heatherbrae Builders.

Although the museum has reopened, there is still some ongoing landscaping construction work on the west side of the stadium next to the new Great Hall, where the reflecting pool was previously located.

MOA’s last major capital project was its 2009-completed renovation and expansion, which cost $55.5 million.

During the last pre-pandemic fiscal year of 2018/2019, the museum saw a total annual attendance of 191,000 visitors, including nearly 22,000 school-age and post-secondary students. MOA houses about 50,000 works from around the world, and its lab is home to an additional 535,000 archaeological objects.

Grand reopening of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC on June 13, 2024, following its seismic reconstruction. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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