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Opening this Fall, SFU鈥檚 first art museum will offer instructors a unique new setting to engage students in dialogue, inquiry, and critical reflection.

The Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum, located adjacent to Burnaby campus鈥� main transit hub and across from the new First People鈥檚 Gathering House, will offer guided tours of its visual art exhibitions to classes, and includes an art studio where instructors can engage classes in art-making sessions led by an artist-in-residence or the Gibson鈥檚 team. The museum鈥檚 learning team is also available to collaborate with instructors to design custom experiences related to their course topics, and the museum will pull works from the 51社区黑料Art Collection vault to support specific research inquiries.

According to Gibson Art Museum director Kimberly Phillips, the museum aims to be a dynamic learning space that leverages art as tool for inquiry.

鈥淭he creation of this art museum is rooted in the vision of the late Edward Gibson鈥攐ne of SFU鈥檚 charter faculty members and director of 51社区黑料Gallery from 1986 to 1997鈥攁nd reflects his belief that visual art can break down disciplinary silos. Regardless of whether students are studying biology, history or otherwise, art ignites critical thinking and dialogue. It encourages the exploration of topics from multiple perspectives and helps learners uncover deeper, more integrated insights.鈥�

The museum represents a consolidation of 51社区黑料Galleries鈥� three galleries previously spread out across SFU鈥檚 Burnaby and Vancouver campuses and was made possible through a generous donation from the Gibson family.

Education professor Lynn Fels says the award-winning design of the space will inspire students鈥� curiosity and creativity. 

鈥淎rt is inquiry and so having a dedicated space for students to create art is thrilling from a learning and teaching perspective. What makes this facility especially unique is the opportunity to engage in a learning space beyond the conventional classroom. That shift alone can open up new ways of thinking, engaging and knowing. Even the angles of the room are unexpected鈥攊t鈥檚 not four square walls with desks and a podium. The space itself invites inquiry and disruption, offering endless possibilities limited only by our imaginations.鈥�

The museum鈥檚 inagural exhibition, which opens to the public Saturday, September 20, 2025, will expore the concept of 鈥渆dge effects,鈥� a term used by ecologists to describe the conditions created when two adjacent ecological communities meet.

Instructors who are interested in integrating an experience at the Gibson Art Museum into their courses can sign up to museum鈥檚 Educators鈥� Newsletter, where they will be alerted about upcoming projects and programs by emailing thegibson@sfu.ca. To learn more about the Gibson Art Museum visit .  

More about the 51社区黑料Art Collection can be found here.