Iconic Vancouver museum shutting down for most of 2023

The Museum of Anthropology is shutting down for most of 2023.

The University of British Columbia's iconic Museum of Anthropology (MOA) is going to be relatively empty for much of 2023.

That's because it's shutting down on Jan. 15, 2023 for seismic upgrades.

"MOA will be closed until late 2023 to accelerate the completion of the seismic upgrades to the Great Hall and conduct other building improvements," states UBC.

Construction has been going on since 2021, but will expand early next year.

The renovations are being done in a way that will retain the look of famed Vancouver architect Arthur Erickson's design, but will make it more resilient to earthquakes.

The museum is taking the opportunity to do additional upgrades as well, like lighting, landscaping, and other aesthetic and safety improvements.

This was not the original plan.

"The museum had hoped to continue to remain open throughout the Great Hall upgrades, but has since determined that a closure will expedite the timeline for visitors to return and enjoy the full museum experience without disruptions," states UBC.

While the museum will be closed to the general public, Indigenous communities will still have access to the collections. And while the physical space will be closed, the museum will still operate special virtual events.

Until mid-January, it will remain open.