More Than Pictures on a Wall: Whistler’s Audain Art Museum

Editor’s Note: We updated this blog on the Audain Art Museum in August 2024

The Audain Art Museum is more than just a building with pictures on the wall, so The Insider has come up with 7 reasons to be stoked for something that that doesn’t involve snow, speed, elevation or getting air:

1. It’s a pretty impressive building

Whistler architecture is pretty eclectic, featuring everything from the carefully designed layout of Whistler Village, tiny A-Frame houses, log cabins and modern chalets. Within that context, first impressions of the Audain Art Museum are: it’s different. Patkau Architects worked with the site (previously an automobile impound lot) to save all the trees bar one, elevate the building out of a floodplain, and blend the modern, streamlined building into the surrounding forest with a shadow-grey coat. The interior is just as interesting with a timber-lined entrance foyer, walkways that still smell of fresh-cut wood, and massive floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of natural light. The result is a strong sense of connection to nature even while indoors—you could spend hours watching mist twist through the lichen-covered trees from here.

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2. It’s an art culture and history lesson, all rolled into one

The Audain Art Museum was been purpose-built to house a curated selection of works from the private collection of Vancouver homebuilder Michael Audain and his wife Yoshiko Karasawa. The permanent collection of nearly 200 works of art is a visual journey through the history of art of coastal British Columbia. Spanning from the 18th century to present day, the collection contains one of the world’s finest collections of Northwest Coast First Nations masks; a large collection of works by Emily Carr, as well as important post-war modernists such as E.J. Hughes, Gordon Smith and Jack Shadboly. Additionally, the permanenet collection showcases art by international renowned artists from British Columbia.  The new museum also houses a massive temporary exhibition space, currently filled with works from Tom Thomson: North Star. This space is designed to host up to three different exhibitions a year, meaning there is something new to see and learn every few months.

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3. You don’t need a fine arts degree to appreciate it

The galleries hold so many different works of art across so many genres there’s a chance for everyone to find a piece they connect with. Whether they came to Whistler for the art, the skiing, the shopping or simply for a drive. And if you don’t know your Emily Carr from your EJ Hughes that’s a-ok: The Audain Art Museum runs public guided tours, so you can join the Audain Art Museum’s knowledgeable Docents for an intimate look at the permanent collection and special exhibitions.

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4. It’s close, easy and accessible

The 55, 230 square foot facility is just 5 minutes’ walk from the ski lifts, 2 minutes from Purebread and 7 minutes from Fitzsimmons Pub in the Upper Village – so there’s no excuse not to stick your head inside, whatever kind of day you are having.  It’s open 5 days a week, from Thursday to Monday from 11 AM to 6 PM. Tickets can be purchased in advance, or in person upon arrival if you aren’t able to pre-plan your visit.

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5. It’s (almost free) family entertainment

Admission to the museum for youth under 18 is free, which makes it a low cost place for a family outing. And a day perusing the galleries together as family is a chance for your kids (and you) to learn something and have some pretty interesting conversations that don’t revolve around school, work or what’s trending online. Plus, keep an eye out for After School Art programs for kids, held in sessions throughout the year.

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6. It’s another layer in Whistler’s arts and culture scene

Whistler’s arts and culture scene has serious depth. From the award-winning Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) to an impressively diverse collection of fine art galleries, the active Whistler Arts Council and artist co-ops, pop up studios, clubs, festivals and community events, the Audain Art Museum is another voice in a continuing conversation. The Resort Municipality of Whistler has built a Cultural Connector, which connects Whistler’s world of culture through a scenic pathway through Whistler Village and the Upper Village, linking six cultural institutions, complete with a printed brochure map, available for pick-up at the Visitor’s Centre or Village Host booths.

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7. It’s a source of inspiration for artists (and artists-to-be)

Since opening day, all the artists I’ve talked to about the museum –established, emerging or casual – are excited. And there’s good reason for that – art doesn’t exist in a vacuum and creative people are continually looking around for inspiration. Access to the exceptional works in the Audain Art Museum plus a chance to see different exhibitions up to three times a year means there will be constant flow of new ideas into the whirling pool of creativity that makes up our mountain resort. It’s not limited to professional artists either – if anyone visits the Audain and feels an insatiable urge to pick up a pencil and start drawing they can step over to the Arts Whistler and sign themselves (or their kids) up for a class or workshop in minutes.

You can learn more about the museum at Whistler.com plus get the latest on arts, culture, events – even skiing.