If you think this is going to be just another ho-hum museum experience, think again. It is, for starters, a purely magnificent building, a dramatic vision in concrete and glass designed by famed local architect Arthur Erickson to soar from the cliff above Wreck Beach. Beyond that, though, this is one of the world’s truly great museums, not only capturing the past, but celebrating the present of aboriginal peoples the world over, and especially here on the West Coast. The Great Hall is breathtaking, with its 15m-high (50-ft.) glass walls that surround a spectacular collection of totem poles with light. There are a number of galleries and permanent displays, including Haida artist Bill Reid’s most famous sculpture, “The Raven and the First Men” (it’s also pictured on the C$20 bill). MOA also features special exhibits, like this summer’s moving display of artworks by urban aboriginal youth from all over the world. The grounds, too, are filled with haunting works of First Nations craftsmanship and art, including two Haida houses, several totem poles, and artworks by Musqueam artists in the welcome plaza. While you’re on the UBC campus, you may also want to visit the nearby UBC Botanical Garden and Nitobe Memorial Garden.