The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is a natural history museum on the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, Canada, housing over two million biological specimens. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, parking, accessibility and practical tips for planning your visit.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–5pm. Closed Mondays and statutory holidays |
| Entry price | Adult $18, family (2 adults + 2 children) $40, child (under 13) included in family ticket. UBC students/staff/faculty free. Indigenous peoples free |
| Address | 2212 Main Mall, Vancouver Campus, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 |
| Nearest transit | 99 B-Line bus to UBC (bus stop 12, Earth Sciences Building, opposite museum) |
| Time needed | 1–2 hours to explore main galleries and Big Blue skeleton |
| Distance from downtown Vancouver | Approximately 12 kilometres (30 minutes by transit, 20 minutes by car) |
Beaty Biodiversity Museum opening hours
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and all statutory holidays.
Beaty Nocturnal events are held on the third Thursday of most months from 5pm to 8.30pm, with admission by donation. Dates for 2026 include 19 February, 19 March, 16 April, 21 May, 18 June, 16 July, 20 August, 17 September, 15 October, 19 November and 17 December.
Timed-entry tickets allow entry within 30 minutes of your selected time slot. For example, a 10am ticket permits entry between 10am and 10.30am. Book via the museum website.
Beaty Biodiversity Museum ticket prices
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked and updated in January 2026.
Standard admission:
- Adult: $18
- Child under 16: $10
- Child under 5: free (ticket required)
- Family (2 adults + 2 children): $40
- Family (1 adult + 2 children): $35
- Additional family members: $5 per person
Free admission:
- UBC students, staff and faculty (valid UBC card required)
- Self-identifying Indigenous peoples (check in at admissions desk)
- UNA and UTown card holders (valid card and secondary ID required)
- Museum members
Annual memberships:
- Adult: $45
- Senior/student/youth: $35
- Family: $60–$90
Timed-entry tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the admissions desk subject to availability.
How to get to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum
The museum is located at 2212 Main Mall on the UBC Vancouver campus.
By public transport: Take the 99 B-Line bus from downtown Vancouver (Broadway-City Hall station) to UBC. Journey time is approximately 30 minutes. The museum is at bus stop 12 (Earth Sciences Building), directly opposite the museum entrance. Adult bus fare is $3.35.
By car: From downtown Vancouver, follow 4th Avenue west until it becomes Chancellor Boulevard. Continue through the UBC campus following signs for Main Mall. Journey time is approximately 20 minutes.
Note: Main Mall and parts of East Mall and University Boulevard are closed to private vehicles. Designated passenger drop-off is accessed from East Mall via Biological Sciences Road (between Michael Smith Laboratories and Food, Nutrition and Health Buildings).
Ride-hail services: UBC has designated ride-hail spots for pick-up and drop-off throughout the campus. The closest to the museum is at bus stop 12 on Main Mall.
Parking at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum
UBC campus parking is managed by EasyPark. The closest car park to the museum is Earth Sciences Building car park on Main Mall (immediately opposite the museum).
Hourly parking rates vary but typically cost $3–$6 per hour depending on time of day. Pay-and-display machines accept credit cards and mobile payment. Daily maximum rates apply.
Alternative car parks include:
- Thunderbird Parkade (5-minute walk)
- Health Sciences Parkade (8-minute walk)
School buses can park on East Mall, south of Thunderbird Boulevard (approximately 10–15 minutes’ walk from the museum).
The UBC Accessibility Shuttle is a free, shared ride service available by reservation. Shuttle stop 12 (Earth Sciences) is located opposite the museum. Visit the UBC Accessibility website to reserve.
How long to spend at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum
Most visitors spend 1 to 2 hours at the museum. This allows time to view the Big Blue whale skeleton, explore the main galleries and visit temporary exhibitions.
Big Blue, the 25-metre-long (82 feet) blue whale skeleton, is the museum’s centrepiece and is visible from the atrium without purchasing admission. Viewing Big Blue from the atrium takes 10–15 minutes.
The lower-level galleries house permanent exhibitions including fish, bird, fossil, insect and plant collections. Most specimens are preserved in drawers that visitors can open. Allow 45–60 minutes to explore these galleries.
Temporary exhibitions change regularly and typically require 15–20 minutes to view. A free audio tour is available via mobile phone (internet connection required).
Visitors combining the museum with lunch or other UBC attractions may spend 3–4 hours on campus.
Accessibility at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum
The museum is fully wheelchair accessible. Lifts provide access to all floors, and pathways throughout the museum are level and wide.
The Big Blue whale skeleton in the atrium is visible from ground level and the mezzanine level, both accessible by lift. Lower-level galleries include wide aisles and adjustable-height specimen drawers accessible to wheelchair users.
Accessible facilities: Accessible toilets are located on all floors. The admissions desk can provide mobility aids on request.
Audio tours: Free audio tours are available via mobile phone and are accessible to visitors with visual impairments. The museum website provides detailed accessibility information.
Assistance dogs are welcome. The museum operates under UBC’s Respectful Environment policy.
What to see at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum
The museum houses over two million biological specimens from British Columbia, Canada and around the world. The facility opened in October 2010 and functions as both a public museum and active research collection supporting UBC’s biodiversity research programme.
Big Blue is the skeleton of a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) that washed ashore on Prince Edward Island in 1987. The 25-metre-long skeleton weighs approximately 450 kilograms and hangs suspended in the museum’s three-storey glass atrium. Blue whales are the largest animals ever to have lived on Earth. The skeleton can be viewed free from the atrium without purchasing museum admission.
The fish collection includes over 800,000 preserved specimens representing species from British Columbia’s coastal and freshwater habitats. Specimens are stored in drawers that visitors can open to examine fish preserved in alcohol.
The bird collection displays taxidermied specimens and nests from British Columbia bird species. Interactive displays explain migration patterns, habitat requirements and conservation challenges.
The insect collection contains over one million specimens including butterflies, beetles and other invertebrates. Drawers display pinned specimens organised by taxonomy.
The fossil collection includes dinosaur trackways and specimens from British Columbia’s prehistoric past. An Earth Timeline exhibit traces geological history from the formation of the planet to present day.
The herbarium preserves over 500,000 plant specimens collected since the 1900s. Pressed and dried plants are mounted on sheets and stored in cabinets.
Culture at the Centre is a permanent exhibition exploring relationships between Indigenous peoples and the natural world, featuring a sturgeon harpoon and knowledge web explaining traditional fishing practices.
Temporary exhibitions change regularly and typically focus on biodiversity, conservation or climate themes. Current and upcoming exhibitions are listed on the museum website.
Practical tips for visiting the Beaty Biodiversity Museum
| Tip |
|---|
| Book timed-entry tickets online in advance, particularly on weekends and school holidays. Walk-in tickets are subject to availability. |
| Visit during Beaty Nocturnal events (third Thursday of most months) for evening access with admission by donation. These events often include special programming. |
| Allow time to explore the specimen drawers in the lower galleries. Most specimens are preserved in drawers that visitors can open, revealing thousands of specimens not visible from casual observation. |
| Combine your museum visit with other UBC attractions including the Museum of Anthropology, UBC Botanical Garden or Nitobe Memorial Garden, all within walking distance. |
| Bring a fully charged mobile phone if you wish to use the free audio tour. The tour requires an internet connection. |
| The museum shop sells natural history books, jewellery and educational items. Allow 10–15 minutes to browse if interested. |
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Beaty Biodiversity Museum suitable for children? | Yes. The museum is family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. Children enjoy opening specimen drawers and viewing Big Blue. Children under 13 are included in family tickets. The Nature Club runs activities for children aged 5–12 on the first Saturday of each month. |
| Do you need to book in advance? | Booking timed-entry tickets online is recommended, particularly on weekends and holidays. Walk-in tickets are available subject to capacity, though advance booking guarantees entry. |
| Can you see Big Blue without buying a ticket? | Yes. The Big Blue whale skeleton is visible from the atrium, which is accessible without purchasing museum admission. However, admission is required to access the lower-level galleries and other exhibitions. |
| Are dogs allowed? | No. Only registered assistance dogs are permitted in the museum. |
| How long does it take to see the museum? | Most visitors spend 1–2 hours exploring the museum. This includes time to view Big Blue, explore the lower galleries and visit temporary exhibitions. |
| Is photography allowed? | Yes. Photography for personal use is permitted throughout the museum. Flash photography may be restricted in certain temporary exhibitions. |
Things to do near the Beaty Biodiversity Museum
Museum of Anthropology (1 kilometre west): World-renowned museum displaying First Nations art and global cultural artefacts, designed by architect Arthur Erickson.
UBC Botanical Garden (1.5 kilometres southeast): A 22-hectare garden featuring 255,000 plants, including the Greenheart TreeWalk canopy walkway suspended 15 metres above the forest floor. Admission charge applies. Combination tickets available with Nitobe Memorial Garden.
Nitobe Memorial Garden (500 metres west): Traditional Japanese stroll garden considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside Japan. Admission charge applies. Combination tickets available with UBC Botanical Garden.
Pacific Spirit Regional Park (adjacent): 874-hectare forested park with 73 kilometres of trails for walking, cycling and horseback riding. Free admission. Trail 6 leads to Wreck Beach.
Wreck Beach (1.5 kilometres southwest): Vancouver’s clothing-optional beach, accessed via steep stairs (approximately 500 steps). Popular naturist beach stretching 7 kilometres. Free access.
Pacific Museum of Earth (100 metres east): Geology museum featuring fossils, minerals and an earthquake simulator. Free admission.
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- Exploring the French influence on North America in Quebec City.
- Why Montreal is Canada’s best city.
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