Tourist Adventure in Downtown Eastside

When tourists come to Vancouver, they inevitably visit some of our city's best-known landmarks. They might make a trip to Stanley Park so that they can jog the seawall and visit the Vancouver Aquarium. They might take a stroll down Robson Street for some great shopping or they may opt for a day skiing down the hills at Whistler. You wouldn't think that a major tourist destination would be the Downtown Eastside.

But that's exactly the skidrow neighborhood that the Seattle Post-Intelligencer decided to highlight in their most recent "Short Trips" feature, reminding potential visitors from Seattle that there is a lot of history and heritage to enjoy in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. They highlight such destinations as Funhauser Decor, New Town Bakery, and the Firehall Arts Centre.

One attraction that has suddenly experienced an increase in popularity is the Vancouver Police Centennial Museum. They write:

The first stop for many is the Vancouver Police Centennial Museum where, according to the chatty front-desker, annual visitor numbers have risen from 3,000 a couple of years ago to 18,000 in 2007. Occupying the spooky old coroner's building next to the current police headquarters, this fascinating little museum uses archive photos and artifacts to illuminate local crime-fighting history.

It's been a while since I've been there, but I remember the confiscated weapon display is quite impressive. Go ahead, be a tourist in your own town and re-visit the Downtown Eastside.

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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Tourist Adventure in Downtown Eastside

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