VICTORIA, BC — The Royal BC Museum is on the move once more with three of its travelling exhibits finding new temporary homes across the province.
British Columbians in Fort St. John, Port Moody, and the Cowichan Valley now have the opportunity to experience immersive and impactful exhibits in their communities with the opening of Our Living Languages in Fort St. John and Port Moody, and BC’s Marvellous Mushrooms in the Cowichan Valley.
“Through the travelling exhibit program of the Royal BC Museum, the Port Moody Station Museum has been able to bring a more inclusive history of BC to our community,” says Brianne Egeto, Manager/Curator with the Port Moody Heritage Society. “The exhibits have been an excellent source of historical knowledge and guests leave our museum with a deeper appreciation of British Columbia’s shared history.”
Currently, three versions of the Our Living Languages exhibit are in circulation through the province, telling the story of disrupted languages in BC and the people working tirelessly to keep these languages alive. BC’s Marvellous Mushrooms encourages visitors to explore the magic of mushrooms in British Columbia — the province that boasts more species of fungi than any other in Canada.
Travelling exhibits are part of the Royal BC Museum’s commitment to break beyond the museum walls across BC in an awe-inspiring showcase of provincial natural and human history. Travelling exhibits can be hosted by smaller venues and many exhibits also allow space for communities to contribute components that reflect local history and voices.
“These exhibits allow us to integrate Rossland's and the wider West Kootenay experience into the context of BC's overall history,” says Sara Wright, Collections Manager with the Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre, which recently hosted a version of the Our Living Languages travelling exhibit. “Our community has benefitted greatly from being able to have exhibitions like Gold Mountain Dream and Our Living Languages to provide new and enriching learning experiences for visitors and school groups from around the region.”
More travelling exhibitions will be launched in the coming months as the museum works to share the wonders of its vast collections with the public and local community.
“The travelling exhibits from the Royal BC Museum have allowed us to share stories with our community that deepen their personal connections to the place they call home, their own histories, and to learn about both the struggles and successes of people around them,” says Jasmine Marshal, Exhibitions, Kelowna Museums, who recently hosted BC’s Marvellous Mushrooms at the Okanagan Heritage Museum.
BC’s Marvellous Mushrooms at the Okanagan Heritage Museum brought in record-breaking numbers during its opening weekend, selling out the museum’s stock of the accompanying Mushrooms of British Columbia companion book.
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About the Royal BC Museum: The Royal BC Museum explores the province’s human history and natural history, advances new knowledge and understanding of BC, and provides a dynamic forum for discussion and a place for reflection. The museum and archives celebrate culture and history, telling the stories of BC in ways that enlighten, stimulate, and inspire. Located in Victoria on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen (Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations), we are a hub of community connections in BC — onsite, offsite, and online — taking pride in our collective histories.
For tickets to IMAX® Victoria and the Royal BC Museum, including combo tickets for both attractions, visit: Tickets
For information about visiting the Royal BC Museum and current COVID-19 protocols, visit: Plan Your Visit
