North Vancouver: Shipyard History, Art and the North Shore Spirit Trail

Visitors to North Vancouver encounter a rich blend of shipyard history, art and waterfront trails. Experiences range from the history of Wallace Shipyard to exhibitions and a section of the North Shore Spirit Trail. This gives you a choice of different focuses for your stay: historical insights, photography or outdoor activity.

Shipyard History and Memorials

Wallace Shipyard opened in 1906. During the Second World War, it produced 109 of the 312 “Victory Ships” built in Canada. These figures put the shipyard’s history in concrete terms, showing the role shipbuilding played in North Vancouver at that time.

Shipbuilders' Square commemorates the thousands of men and women who worked at the shipyard from 1906 to 1992. For travelers interested in local history, this memorial adds the stories of the people who worked there to the picture of the industrial past. The long time span links the shipyard’s opening with decades of its working history.

The Shipyards is located on the waterfront in North Vancouver, just east of Lonsdale Quay and the SeaBus terminal. This helps you place a visit to the waterfront in your plans. If shipbuilding history is your main interest, you can focus on that topic; if you prefer to combine different experiences, art, events and trails offer other possible points of interest.

Community Stage and Outdoor Trails

Shipbuilders' Square regularly hosts a community stage throughout the year, with concerts, plays, markets, street performers and general festivals. The variety makes the square an appealing option if you want to do more in North Vancouver than visit exhibitions. The kind of event that interests you can help shape the focus of your stay.

For outdoor activity, the North Shore Spirit Trail offers a specific route to consider: its section in North Vancouver is 6.5 km long. The North Shore Spirit Trail is a fully accessible, 35 km greenway planned to extend from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove. The 6.5 km refers to the section in North Vancouver, not the entire planned route. The trail provides safe access across the North Shore for pedestrians, cyclists, people using wheeled mobility aids and other micromobility users.

The Trans Canada Trail section in North Vancouver begins at the SeaBus at Lonsdale Quay. If you want to include walks in your trip, you can consider this starting point alongside the published length of the Spirit Trail section. The two route details refer to different features: one gives the length of the Spirit Trail section, while the other identifies the start of the Trans Canada Trail.

Museum and Photography

MONOVA is in the heart of the Shipyards District. The Main Exhibit Gallery presents North Vancouver through physical artifacts and digital content. This offers a way to explore the area and its history through different forms of presentation. If you’re traveling with children, you can decide whether a museum visit fits your preferred pace; the exhibition brings together tangible objects and digital content.

The Polygon Gallery focuses on photography and has produced more than 300 exhibitions. Admission is by donation all day, every day, and includes exhibition tours, talks and outreach programs. This makes photography a cultural focus in its own right when planning your trip. You can prioritize MONOVA and The Polygon according to your interests, without needing to experience both venues in the same way.

Choose North Vancouver as Your Base

The Polygon Gallery is a 12-minute SeaBus ride from downtown Vancouver. When choosing accommodation, you can first consider whether you want to make North Vancouver itself the focus of your stay or plan to visit the gallery from downtown. The places and experiences described here are factors to consider when choosing a vacation rental in North Vancouver: shipyard history, art, events and trails. Which ones matter most to you depends on whether you’d prefer to spend your free time exploring culture, history or the outdoors.

More destinations to consider for your trip: White Rock, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Delta, Langley, Port Moody, Richmond and Maple Ridge.

For the broader travel overview: Metro Vancouver.