Statement of Commitment
The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art aspires to provide accessible space and programs. For the Gallery this includes physical, intellectual, cultural, and economic accessibility. We are committed to making visitors, staff, and volunteers feel welcome and comfortable.
The Bill Reid Gallery has made significant efforts to increase physical and economic accessibility to its programs. We acknowledge that we are not able to accommodate every need, however we are working with Creating Accessible Neighbourhoods to identify actions to be a more welcoming space for visitors with visible and less visible disabilities.
The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is committed to:
- Working with community partners and accessibility organizations to continually review accessibility within the facility and identify potential barriers to participation
- Providing ongoing training for staff and volunteers to ensure visitors are treated with dignity and respect
- Making accessibility a priority in development of exhibitions and programs
- Incorporating investments in accessibility in annual budgets
Below is access information to help guests plan for their visits to the Bill Reid Gallery. We welcome questions and feedback on our accessibility measures. Please contact Alecska Divisadero by email at operations@billreidgallery.ca or leave a voicemail at 604-682-3455 extension 225.
Download the Access Points to the BRG Guide
Check out our 'How To Get Here' Video
Accessibility for the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Physical and Sensory Accessibility
We are located at 639 Hornby Street (between Georgia Street and Dunsmuir Street) in downtown Vancouver. Hornby Street is a one-way street that runs north, with a two-way bike lane. One bike lock is available on Hornby Street on the opposite side of the street from the Gallery.
The Gallery is located near accessible transit. It can be accessed via SkyTrain from the Canada Line’s City Centre Station located in Pacific Centre, or the Expo Line’s Burrard Station.
Transit - the closest bus lines are listed below:
- The 02, 05, 44 and R5 on Burrard Street, approximately 1 block away from the Gallery entrance;
- Buses 209, 210, 211, 214, 240, 241, 246, 247, 250, 253, 254, 257 on Georgia Street;
- 04, 07, 10, 14, 16, 050 on Dunsmuir, and 19, 22 on Pender St, approximately 2 blocks away.
The Gallery has underground paid parking available for all visitors, open 7 days a week from 6 am to 7 pm.
Entrance and exit are located on Hornby Street. On parkade level P1, there are 3 accessible stalls, and an elevator that gets you into the tower across the courtyard from the Gallery. There is no access to the Gallery’s elevator from the parkade.
Shuttles can drop off passengers at the Loading Zone located on West Georgia Street between Hornby and Burrard Street (for flat access), or on Burrard Street (for stairs access).
The Gallery has a wheelchair accessible flat and level path located between Christ Church Cathedral and Cathedral Place on Georgia Street. This takes you through the courtyard and to the Gallery entrance. A grey plaque with directional signage for this route is at street level on Hornby Street.
The Gallery entrance features an automatic outward-swinging door, and our admissions desk includes a lowered section for visitors using mobility devices. We offer two courtesy manual wheelchairs for visitor use (one with footrests).
Aisles in the Gallery Shop are wheelchair accessible. Our exhibition spaces are generally spacious and accommodate mobility devices; however, some areas of the Raven’s Trove Gallery may be more challenging to navigate.
The Gallery has three levels, including the washroom level. Exhibitions are located on the main floor and upper mezzanine, both accessible by elevator.
An accessible, all-gender washroom with grab bars and wheelchair clearance is located on the lower level and can be reached by elevator. Two multi-stall gendered washrooms are available via stairs.
In the event of an emergency evacuation, designated refuge areas for wheelchair users are located at both stairwells on the upper mezzanine level and near the elevator on the ground floor.
Seating is available throughout the Gallery, including benches, stools, and armchairs. Strollers are welcome, and certified service animals are permitted.
For visitors seeking a quieter space, seating with reduced stimuli is available in the Hummingbird Gathering Space on the upper mezzanine. This area is intended for those experiencing overstimulation, fatigue, or who simply need a calm environment.
The main floor features natural light from large windows, while the mezzanine level uses fluorescent lighting.
Most artwork labels and signage include colour contrast to enhance visibility. While we do not currently offer tactile or braille exhibition signage, elevator buttons include braille.
Please note:
- Some temporary exhibitions may include protruding artworks that are not white cane-detectable. Staff are happy to guide visitors through these areas.
- Some video works may not include closed captioning and may contain flashing lights or rapid imagery.
- The Gallery is not scent-free. Certain artworks or materials (e.g., hide tanning) may have natural scents.
- Smoking and vaping are prohibited inside the Gallery and within 6 feet of any entrance.
Our Visitor Services team is always available to assist, and all staff have received disability awareness training.
Financial Accessibility
The Gallery reduces barriers to participation by offering free admission for Indigenous people, SFU students, children under 12, and attendants of disabled visitors. We also offer reduced admission rates for seniors 65+, families, students, and youth ages 13-17. The Gallery accepts payment in cash, cards, contactless methods, and online. Admission tickets can be bought online in advance.
The Gallery offers free admission for all visitors on the first Friday afternoon of each month and for Indigenous Peoples Day, thanks to sponsorship from the Downtown Business Improvement Association.
Language Accessibility
All written didactics, signage and audio pieces are in English, with Indigenous languages and fonts included for specific exhibitions.
Online events and programs usually provide auto-generated captions and transcripts in English.