Victoria BC Tourism

Lesson 4: Galleries/Live Theatre/Shopping

Find out about the numerous art galleries or where to catch a live performance. We cannot forget about shopping for unique treasures or for every day supplies.

Galleries

Please open the map of Downtown Victoria and the Victoria District Map

First Nations Centre
Photo by Howard Deutch of Garden Adventures

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
1040 Moss Street
Located just off Fort Street in the downtown area, this gallery features over 15,000 objects. The emphasis is placed on Canada and Japan, although the collection has works from Asia, Europe and North America. Most of the exhibits are rotated, except for the permanent collection of Emily Carr, a famous artist from Victoria. The gallery is housed in a beautiful 19th century mansion named Gyppeswick. In the Gallery shop, visitors can purchase items made by local artisans, such as works made from silver, pottery or glass.

Starfish Glassworks
630 Yates Street
Visitors are welcome to view the gallery in the mezzanine to see the works of over 40 Canadian artists on display. Below the mezzanine, is the working studio where the artists are busy at the art of glassblowing. The public can watch all the activity from above and learn about the process by reading the explanatory signs and watching demonstrations.

Alcheringa Gallery
665 Fort Street
This gallery features tribal art from Papua New Guinea and from the Northwest Coast of Canada. There is a wide variety of exhibits, ranging from masks, paintings, carvings, jewellery, and sculptures.

Creations Art Gallery
665 Fort Street
Located inside the Empress Hotel, this gallery contains one of the largest collections of sculpture by Canadian artists. There are sculptures made out of wood, sliver, jade, pottery, glass and even antlers!

Stephen Lowe Art Gallery
752 Douglas Street
Situated behind the Empress Hotel, there is a varied collection of paintings, sculpture and jewellery by Canadian and Asian artists. Styles vary from traditional to contemporary. The gift shop offers works by Canadian artisans and other unique gifts.

Ten Thousand Villiages
2030 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria
Broadmead Village Shopping Centre, 330-777 Royal Oak Drive Victoria
102-2360 Beacon Ave, Sidney
Operated by a non-profit organization, these galleries market handicrafts made by Third World people. The proceeds provide an income to these people in order to pay for food, health care, housing and education. Products include items for the home, toys, jewellery, rugs and musical instruments.