Fodor's Expert Review Beaverbrook Art Gallery

This already exceptional gallery continues to grow—following on from its 5,000 square-foot expansion in 2017, it is set to open another new building, the Harrison McCain Pavilion, in 2022. The Beaverbrook's international collection is a remarkably broad and important one that one might not expect to find in a relatively small provincial city. The foundation on which this has been built is the lasting gift of the late Lord Beaverbrook, born and raised in New Brunswick before building his U.K. media empire. It contains a significant collection of Canadian, American, British, and other European masterworks that rivals many major Canadian galleries. Salvador Dalí's gigantic painting Santiago el Grande has always been the star, but a rotation of avant-garde Canadian paintings now shares pride of place. The current McCain "gallery-within-a-gallery" is devoted to the finest Atlantic Canadian artists. Larger spaces employ the artful use of dividers to create an intimate exerience, and in the 2017 extension, the art is enhanced by a stunning view of the river. Various special events and an artist-in-residence program add to the enjoyment. There's a great café with a terrace on the lower level, and a sculpture garden outside links to the riverside path.