Spring 2018
LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT LET’S TRAVEL BACK IN TIME WEAVING A WAY FORWARD REVITALIZATION OF THE FIRST PEOPLES GALLERY RESEARCH DAY 2018 SHARING OUR PASSION AND KNOWLEDGE
$3.95
SPRING 2018 FEATURE Life in Ancient Egypt FEATURE Accelerating Change FEATURE Weaving a Way Forward Remembering Chief Tony Hunt “And Kendal Saw the Kaiser” INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Preserving the World’s Documentary Heritage A Visit from the National Museum FEATURE Research Day 2018 Making Connections Sendall Send Off Buried Treasures Story Gathering Time Travel is Possible GOING DIGITAL Voices from the Past CURIOUS The Ancestors Are Calling DONOR PROFILE Dr. Joyce Clearihue’s Legacy Gift Behind the Hoarding Together We Can Do So Much What’s On Thank You to Our Learning Centre Supporters
E DITOR IN CHIEF Erika Stenson Head of Marketing, Sales & Business Development
4 6
MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Vanderzee Marketing & Sales Manager
7 8 9 10 11 12 16 18 19 20 21
MAGAZINE COORDINATOR Melissa Hogg Membership & Marketing Coordinator
4
Erik Lambertson Corporate Communications Manager Nathan Oickle 2D Graphic Designer Annie Mayse Editor
22
Shane Lighter Photographer
23 25 26 27 28 30
Michelle van der Merwe Publisher
What’s inSight is an electronic magazine released four times annually, in March, June, September and December, by the Royal BC Museum.
7
In the interest of keeping our administrative costs low—and our carbon footprint small—this print version is also provided to members in digital format at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/magazine To switch your What’s inSight subscription preference from print to digital format, please email membership@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or call 250-387-3287.
COVER IMAGE This famous slab stela, one of the best preserved of its kind, shows Iunu —an important administrator for King Khufu—stretching his hand toward the offering table. Old Kingdom, 4th Dyn. (ca. 2590 BC). Courtesy Roemer- and Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim. 2
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
12
Dear friends, Within the Royal British Columbia Museum’s new exhibition Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs is a very rare ostracon, a piece of limestone covered in italic script that was used as a receipt for payment. It is the size of a small fist and is part of the University of Aberdeen’s collections. What is fascinating about this object is that it speaks directly to the importance of writing in ancient Egypt, where hieroglyphs—which decorate so much of the temples and palaces —formed the basis of new writing systems and of which this ostracon is an exquisite example. The ancient Egyptians spoke an Afro-Asiatic language, which we can reconstruct using Coptic. Later rulers like Cleopatra reverted to Greek. These are just some of the insights into ancient Egypt that emerge from our new show, and the good news is that it will be on for the whole summer and fall so you will have plenty of time to come and see it for yourself.
This limestone shard (ostracon) from the New Kingdom (19th dynasty, ca. 1290–1190 BC) is an ancient receipt for payment and features cursive hieratic writing read from right to left. University of Aberdeen Museums.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes at the museum, work continues on returning Indigenous ancestors back to their communities. Most people might assume that the museum does not have any human remains since none are on display and none will be on show in the Egypt exhibition. But researchers have found several hundred ancestors in our collections and we are working with First Nations to return them all. Such work is significant in building a spirit of reconciliation. This same spirit lies behind the Canadian Commission of UNESCO’s decision to recognize the museum’s Ida Halpern collection of Indigenous song recordings and the Vancouver Island (Douglas) Treaties, early pre-Confederation treaties between the British Crown and First Nations—both kept in the BC Archives—and to add these to the National Register of UNESCO’s Memory of the World. Great work is happening everywhere across the museum. Yours,
Professor Jack Lohman, CBE Chief Executive Officer, Royal BC Museum
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 3
FEATURE
Life in Ancient Egypt Let’s Travel Back in Time 2.
By Janet MacDonald, Head of Learning
A
s this magazine issue goes to press, the highly anticipated exhibition Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs will be making its transatlantic journey to BC. On May 18 we open a door on the ancient world, and we hope you’ll take us up on our invitation to travel back in time. Step through the exhibition’s monumental portal and the past will open out before you. Simply follow your impulses, your feelings, your senses and your curiosity. I won’t tell you what your experience will be, but I’d like to share a few personal highlights, illuminate some surprises and express some of what makes this exhibition unique.
1.
4
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
SACRED SPACES AND PRIVATE PLACES Central to our understanding of everyday life in ancient Egypt are the spaces and places where people lived, worked, worshipped and faced eternity. In this exhibition, true-to-scale models of temples, pyramids, workshops and living quarters take centre stage alongside a life-sized tomb interior. These are contemporary expressions of the miniature models created to accompany the ancient dead into the afterlife. The granary model shown here was created in the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2100 BC) and depicts people working to process grain. MINIATURE MASTERPIECES When we think of ancient Egypt, great monumental architecture and gigantic pharaonic sculptures spring to mind. This exhibition will let you delve deeper into the small scale. The diminutive masterpieces displayed throughout the exhibition are stunningly intricate—an outstanding example is provided by the partially gilded figures of Amenhotep III and his wife Tiye. Both are smaller than your little finger and all the more incredible for the delicacy of the details. THE CULT OF BEAUTY Ancient Egyptians idealized beauty in both life and death. They strove to express it in their jewellery, clothing, hygiene and makeup. Their taste reflects the aesthetic of an entire society and illustrates the aim for perfection in this life and the next. One necklace in the exhibition (opposite) is crafted of elaborately braided gold wire
with garnet beads and golden pomegranate pendants. After more than 2,000 years, 19 of the 20 pendants remain intact. FELINE OBSESSION For those of you who love cats or perhaps believe that there is something otherworldly in their demeanour, you’re not alone. Highly regarded in ancient Egypt as guardians of the household, cats were both deified and mummified. The cult of the cat goddess Bastet worked to ensure the presence of cats in the afterlife. Some remarkable
3.
representations of cats are on display, including a 30-centimetre bronze figure. But if hedgehogs or hippopotami are more to your taste, you won’t be disappointed. Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs provides an out-of-the-ordinary look into the complex society of ancient Egypt. All aspects of life at this time are revealed through an unparallelled combination of artifacts,
recreations and interactives. I invite you to extend your appreciation of this fascinating civilization by attending the accompanying program of events, including special talks, performances, workshops and hands-on activities for all. Check the online program guide for updates through the exhibition’s close on December 31, 2018.
1. Bronze cat, Late Period (6th to 3rd century BC). University of Aberdeen Museums. 2. Ebony and gold figures of Amenhotep III and Tiye, New Kingdom, 18th Dyn., Amenhotep III (1388–1351 BC). Roemer- and Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim. 3. Collar with pomegranate pendants, Ptolemaic (3rd to 1st century BC). Roemer- and Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim. 4. Wooden granary model from Beni Hasan, Middle Kingdom (ca. 2100 BC). University of Aberdeen Museums.
4.
FEATURE
Accelerating Change First Nations Advisory and Advocacy Committee By Lucy Bell, Head of First Nations and Repatriation
works of art. The committee then requested another meeting to review and advise on the gallery refresh in early 2018. Chief Ron Ignace advocated for the recognition of intangible as well as tangible heritage in the museum, since not all nations have cultural objects on site. He expressed that he would like to see stories, songs and language brought to life in the museum exhibits.
“I recognize the willingness of the museum to make things right. The work you are doing to change policy is so needed and so good.” – Nika Collison “The museum needs to adapt, to move forward. We cannot do this glacially,” says Royal BC Museum CEO Professor Jack Lohman. The museum’s new First Nations Advisory and Advocacy Committee (FNAAC) is a part of this exciting move forward. The FNAAC brings together eight First Nations representatives, among them is Royal BC Museum board member Angela Welsey of the Nuu-chah-nulth Nation and former board member Tewanee Joseph of the Squamish Nation. They are joined by Tracey Herbert, Secwepemc Nation, from the First Peoples’ Cultural Council; Chief Ron Sam of the Songhees Nation; Nika Collison of the Haida Nation; Chief Ron Ignace of the Secwepemc Nation; Lou-Ann Neel of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation; and Karen Aird of Treaty 8. The members bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to their advice 6
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
on First Nations matters relating to the museum’s governance, policies, procedures, exhibitions and programs. On November 20, 2017, the FNAAC held its inaugural meeting. It began with a welcome from Professor Lohman and Head of First Nations and Repatriation Lucy Bell. The committee learned about the First Nations and Repatriation Department and the many initiatives it already has in progress, including the First Peoples gallery refresh, the online totem gallery project, the repatriation program and the Aboriginal Material Operating Policy now being revised. FNAAC members eagerly rolled up their sleeves to begin their advocacy and advisory role by assessing the First Peoples gallery refresh plan. They reviewed the overall conceptual plan and agreed that the gallery is in need of contemporary Indigenous voices and
The FNAAC was eager to hear about the repatriation program, and are looking forward to helping to update the Aboriginal Museum Operating Policy (AMOP), which has not been updated in 20 years. They hope to see a policy reflective of the museum’s commitment to the repatriation of tangible and intangible heritage—and with a more memorable name than AMOP. They also confirmed their preferred terminology, supporting the museum’s use of the terms “First Nations” and “Indigenous”. The FNAAC will come together again in early 2018 to continue its work on the repatriation policy and procedures and to advise on a new repatriation granting program and First Peoples gallery refresh. First Nations Advisory and Advocacy Committee member Lou-Ann Neel speaks to attendees at the Royal BC Museum’s Repatriation Symposium, held in Kelowna on March 29, 2017.
FEATURE
Weaving a Way Forward Revitalization of the First Peoples Gallery Begins By Dr. Martha Black, Curator of Ethnology
T
he revitalization of our core galleries —part of the Royal BC Museum’s Master Plan—began in a small but significant way this past November when Tsimshian weaver Tsamiianbaan (William White) set up his loom among the mezzanine exhibits of the First Peoples gallery and began creating a Raven’s Tail dance apron. The apron will be part of a new exhibit showing a progression in the style of Chilkat weaving, from the classical robe and pattern board currently on display to the
1.
2.
20th-century version of the Chilkat style developed by Anisalaga (Mary Ebbetts Hunt) in the Kwagu’ł community of Fort Rupert to Willy White’s 21st-century Chilkat and Raven’s Tail weavings, which revive old patterns and techniques and incorporate them once more into First Nations ceremonial life. A key part of our plan for rescripting the First Peoples gallery is to overlay outdated exhibits with 21st-century voices, first-person narratives, active interpretations and real people–dynamic expressions of the living
Indigenous cultures of BC. Having Willy White on site to make a new piece for exhibit, work with us on its interpretation, interact with visitors and allow documentation of his work-in-progress is the kind of innovative museological process that will structure the revitalization of the First Peoples gallery. 1. Beginning the weaving. The pattern at the top represents the trail of the grizzly bear. 2. The design in the dance apron’s central field is based on tattoos worn by northern Northwest Coast peoples.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 7
Remembering Chief Tony Hunt August 24, 1942 – December 15, 2017 By Dr. Martha Black, Curator of Ethnology
T
ony Hunt Sr.—Kwagu’ł chief, worldrenowned carver, hamaťsa, eloquent orator, innovative traditionalist, cultural ambassador, parent, brother, partner, friend—passed away in Campbell River on December 15, 2017. A towering figure in Northwest Coast art, Tony was associated with the Royal BC Museum for most of his life. His parents, Helen (Mungo Martin’s adopted daughter) and Henry, moved from Tsaxis (Fort Rupert) to Victoria in the early 1950s to work with Martin, who had been hired to restore and replicate carvings in Thunderbird Park.
1.
1. An 11-year old Tony Hunt dancing at Mungo Martin’s potlatch for the opening of Wawadit ł́ a, December 1953. It was the first legal public potlatch after the potlatch ban was dropped from the Indian Act. 2. Transformation mask by Tony Hunt, 1971. The outer part of the mask represents a sea raven; the inner face represents the moon.
2.
8
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
Tony was close to Martin and became his protégé. “When Mungo was making this house [Wawadit ł́ a in Thunderbird Park],” Tony recalled, “I was very young, 11 years old, and I’d come after school every day and help adze these boards that you see on the sides of the house . . . and Mungo thought it was great that I was helping him to adze the boards.” At Martin’s potlatch to open Wawadit ł́ a in December 1953, Tony performed the Hamaťsa Bee dance, one of his hereditary privileges. Tony was in Wawadit ł́ a for the last time in 2017, at a much sadder event—the memorial for his oldest son, Tony Hunt Jr., also a carver, who passed away at 55. Tony was one of the most important Indigenous artists of his generation. His works are in collections around the world, including at the Royal BC Museum. A champion for Indigenous culture, he was proud to have been given Mungo Martin’s chiefly name, ’Nakapankam. We at the museum are proud to have associated with him and are grateful for his works and teachings. Gilakas’la, dear Chief.
“And Kendal Saw the Kaiser” Royal BC Museum Acquires Emily Carr “Funny Book” By Don Bourdon, Curator of Images and Paintings
humorous drawings and doggerel verse created for the entertainment of family and friends. Carr gave the booklet, Kendal & I, to Hannah Kendall. The verse concludes:
I saw a corner of the pall And Kendal [sic] saw the Kaiser, But what went on before, behind, We both were not the wiser.
1.
O
n February 2, 1901, the British Empire paused. From the deep snows of Sandon, BC, to the crush of the crowd in London, England, Queen Victoria’s subjects marked her death with a day of mourning. But Emily Carr, born in the city which bore the queen’s name, saw the funny side. The Royal BC Museum and Archives has acquired a little illustrated booklet penned by Carr commemorating her experience on that day. It casts new light on Carr’s critical insight into the comic and serious aspects of public spectacle. Carr was studying art in London at the time. Her roommate Hannah Kendall was determined to see the royal funeral cortège, so the two women made their way through the crowds to the sombre procession. Unfortunately, the crowd pushed back in front, Kendall got into an altercation with a London bobby and Carr fainted in the street. Their adventure is captured in one of Carr’s many “funny books”, which contain
Later, Carr gave Kendall another gift: a lovely watercolour, painted around 1910. Hannah Kendall eventually passed both watercolour and funny book on to her niece, who in turn gave them to her daughters, from whom the museum had the opportunity to purchase them. Carr is hardly a household name in Zimbabwe, where the booklet and painting ended up, so it’s very fortunate that these works survived. Dr. Kathryn Bridge, curator emerita of history and art, was thrilled when the works came to her attention. She thoroughly researched Carr and Kendall, discovering that their friendship lasted long after their brief time together in Mrs. Dodd’s London boarding house for young ladies. There are more than 1,100 artworks, objects and documents associated with Emily Carr in our collection. Each acquisition augments the collection to provide a fuller picture of Carr’s life. Funny books like Kendal & I have been shared with the public in museum publications like Emily Carr in England and will be featured in our Emily Carr gallery, a key element in our Master Plan.
2.
1. “On our tippest, tippest, tiptoes…” from Kendal & I, later recounted in Growing Pains. 2. Detail from Emily Carr, untitled landscape, circa 1908. This untitled watercolour was likely a gift from Emily Carr to her friend Hannah Kendall.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 9
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Preserving the World’s Documentary Heritage Royal BC Museum and Archives Submits Collections to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register By Genevieve Weber, Archivist
I
n 1992, UNESCO established the Memory of the World Programme to facilitate
preservation of and access to documentary heritage. Twenty-six years later, in March 2018, Canada will launch its own Memory of the World Register. With a focus on records that reflect our history, people and land, the national register will consider items and collections that speak to the diversity of Canada’s documentary heritage.
The Royal BC Museum and Archives has selected two collections for submission to the Canada Memory of the World Register: the Vancouver Island Treaties (also known as the Douglas Treaties) and the Ida Halpern fonds. Both collections embody the values and mandate of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. The 14 Vancouver Island Treaties (1850–54) are the only colonial-era treaties written 1.
on the northwest coast of British North America. They offer a unique documentary description of Indigenous societies on Vancouver Island on the cusp of a permanent relationship with settler society. For First Nations the treaties are not simple land title records; they represent highly valued oral agreements negotiated to peacefully accommodate western expansion. The documents defend the rights of Indigenous societies with valued languages and cultures unique to the world. Recently they have also been a tool for language revitalization, with two of the treaties translated into Lekwungen by Songhees Elder Dr. Elmer George, and a cultural interpretation of the treaties provided in SENĆOŦEN by STOLȻEŁ, Tsartlip Elder John Elliot Sr. The elders were awarded the Meritorious Service Award by the governor general of Canada in recognition of this work. The Ida Halpern fonds is a remarkable collection of audiovisual, textual and photographic records documenting the songs, ceremonies and culture of the northwest coast of Canada. Between 1947 and 1980 Ida Halpern, an ethnomusicologist, captured an unprecedented number of sound recordings of cultural creations from leading elders in Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, Haida and Coast Salish communities. Her textual
10
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
A Visit from the National Museum 2.
records include musical analyses of the songs and a wealth of information about the ceremonies derived from interviews with elders. Many elders recorded by Halpern were willing to offer songs, naming ceremonies and other musical creations because they recognized a generational decline in the common practice of their Indigenous culture. The collection is vital
for language revitalization efforts and as evidence of the enduring, globally unique cultural identity of the Canadian northwest coast, and its existence ensures contemporary First Nations musical culture remains a vibrant component of today’s communities.
1. Vancouver Island (Douglas) Treaties, created 1850–60. 2. An original audio reel from the Ida Halpern fonds. 3. Ida Halpern’s turntable, used to record Indigenous songs and ceremonies along the northwest coast.
3.
3D Images from the Northwest Coast Collection By Dr. Martha Black, Curator of Ethnology
In late 2017 the Royal BC Museum welcomed two visitors from the Národní Muzeum (the National Museum of the Czech Republic). Dr. Jiří Frank, scientific secretary, and Jakub Bĕlka, IT specialist in the Department of Digitalization, New Media and Information Technologies, met with Prof. Jack Lohman and Royal BC Museum staff to show us some very impressive 3D images of objects in their Northwest Coast collection. Their visit followed our own March visit to the Národní Muzeum, during which we signed a memorandum of understanding articulating our intentions to share expertise and develop collaborative projects. The digitized 3D images, which include a bird-form rattle that is probably Nuu-chah-nulth, a small carving of a face, a bark beater, a face mask, a northern-style grease bowl and a Nuuchah-nulth wolf headdress, will eventually be available online, making the Czech Republic’s collection available to First Nations researchers in Canada. The Royal BC Museum will provide curatorial support and facilitate connections with Indigenous communities to augment the often minimal information about the objects in this collection—one of many far-flung and little-known Northwest Coast collections around the world.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 11
FEATURE
Research Day 2018 Sharing Our Passion and Knowledge Research Day 2018 is going to be a public affair! Join Royal BC Museum curators, archivists and collections managers as they reveal their progress over the last year on 15 separate research projects. Be the first to hear their unique insights and the results of the latest collection surveys and fieldwork expeditions. The following is a sampling of the remarkable research that will be presented.
RESEARCH DAY 2018 IS THURSDAY, MARCH 15. 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM | NEWCOMBE CONFERENCE HALL MARJI JOHNS
Collection Manager and Researcher, Paleontology WEST COAST VANCOUVER ISLAND CENOZOIC FOSSIL COLLECTING Field collections of fossils were made in 2017 at Muir Creek Beach, Sombrio Beach and near French Beach and Port Renfrew. New additions to the collections included a whale vertebrae, a mammal rib bone, several molluscs and microscopic fossils. A public program at the Muir Creek Site engaged visitors. Small fossil mammal rib discovered by Steve Suntok, June 2017.
CLAUDIA COPLEY
Entomology Collections Manager and Researcher SPIDER DIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA This multi-year project pursues the development of British Columbia’s first comprehensive spider survey. Data from this project will provide a baseline for clarifying the taxonomy, natural history and historical biogeography of this important group of apex predators. Claudia Copley in the field.
12
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
DR. KEN MARR Curator of Botany
DR. ERICA WHEELER
Acting Head of Collections Care and Conservation BOTANY OF BC MOUNTAINS The mountains of northern BC occupy a remote, nearly roadless region of approximately 250,000 square kilometres. The Royal BC Museum has undertaken field trips to the area since 2002 to collect specimens and to preserve tissue of selected species as part of a project that uses DNA markers to trace plant migration into the province after the last ice age. Royal BC Museum botanists Erica Wheeler and Ken Marr pressing alpine plants at Tsatia Mountain, 30 kilometres south of Iskut, BC.
GRANT KEDDIE
Curator of Archaeology SPINDLE WHORLS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA To provide a broader understanding of the complexity of weaving in British Columbia, this project examines spindle whorls in BC—their uses, their age and distribution in both ancient and more recent times. The Archaeology of Spindle Whorls in British Columbia is now available on the Royal BC Museum website. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/spindle-whorls The imagery on this spindle whorl is about transformation, supernatural power and relationships, part of a cultural network in a world permeated by life forces.
DR. MARTHA BLACK Curator of Ethnology
ORCAS: ART, STORIES, INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE This project begins the process of identifying, facilitating and producing Indigenous-based content for an exhibition about orcas planned for 2020. The objective is to identify relevant themes that can be addressed from Indigenous perspectives, ensuring Indigenous concepts are part of a mainstream presentation about orcas and Indigenous knowledge is respected and promoted. Richard Hunt (Kwakwaka’wakw), Killer whale mask with articulate jaw, fins and tail, made while on salary at the Royal BC Museum for Tommy Hunt’s potlatch, 1980.
DON BOURDON
Curator of Images and Paintings FREDERICK DALLY WORLDWIDE: A CONTEXTUAL STUDY OF DALLY’S 19TH-CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF BC Between 1866 and 1870, Frederick Dally created iconic photographs of BC in the midst of colonization, a world-famous gold rush and a culture clash of Indigenous and settler societies. The 17 organizations with Dally collections will be surveyed to create a picture of how often and for what purpose Dally images have been used since the 1860s. “China Bar Bluff – 22 mile post 1300 feet above the Fraser R.” In 1868, Dally’s horse and trap (centre) conveyed him along the Cariboo Wagon Road to the gold fields, where he established a studio in the gold rush town of Barkerville.
14
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
DR. HENRY CHOONG
Curator of Invertebrate Zoology RAFTING THE PACIFIC: THE ROYAL BC MUSEUM COLLECTIONS AND THE BIOLOGY OF THE 2011 JAPANESE TSUNAMI DEBRIS Debris from the Japanese tsunami of 2011 continues to arrive on BC’s west coast nearly six years later, bringing with it non-native shallow-water species. Approximately 289 invertebrate and fish species not previously reported from transoceanic rafting have been documented from the debris to date. Hydroids (Cnidarians) from the 2011 Japanese tsunami debris preserved in ethanol at the Royal BC Museum.
EMMA WRIGHT Archives Manager
ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR RECONCILIATION ACTION AND AWARENESS WITHIN THE CANADIAN ARCHIVAL SYSTEM In July, the Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Task Force (TRC-TF) of the Steering Committee on Canada’s Archives (SCCA) completed a nationwide readiness survey titled Reconciliation Action and Awareness in Canadian Archives. Indigenous partners working in the archival, library or heritage fields have been identified and invited to join the group to provide advice and insight beginning in 2018. Indigenous material in the BC Archives collections includes the Vancouver Island Treaties as well as translations of the treaties into the local Indigenous languages.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 15
Making Connections New Initiatives from the Royal BC Museum’s Learning Team By Liz Crocker and Kim Gough, Learning Program Developers
I
n 2015 the Learning department extended our capacity to reach out to the province with two new initiatives: the development of outreach kits with touchable objects and the creation of our online Learning Portal. Both were created with the objective of making our collections, research and expertise available to those who were not able to visit the museum in person. Both programs have been successes. Our most recent outreach kit, the Museum Maker box, was built to share the secrets of effective design and display with teachers and students making classroom exhibits and science or heritage fair projects. The resource includes templates, guidelines and materials for making a display, in support of the Applied Design, Skills and Technology curriculum. Students can also try out different museum roles, acting out their parts to make and share their own exhibit. What do you want to learn about British Columbia? This is the question visitors are asked when they first land on the front page of the Learning Portal, an online resource designed to appeal to learners of all ages. The Learning Portal consists of pathways—themed clusters of digital content that give visitors an opportunity to explore their interests through images, video, audio and written articles. We are currently in the process of aligning the Learning Portal more closely with the new BC curriculum, as well as continuing to design pathways that support and enhance both our on-site programs and our outreach kits.
16
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
Most recently we have added pathways on the subjects of alien species, heritage fairs, native plants of BC’s south coast and object-based learning. Coming soon: a fresh new look for the Learning Portal homepage and the first fully translated pathways for French immersion students. Community partnerships have allowed us to reach more people than ever before—and in some new and exciting ways, too. We joined Science World at their Community Science Celebrations in Port Alberni and Prince George and attended Parks Canada BioBlitz events in Pacific Rim National Park and on Pender Island. These events gave us the opportunity to introduce our Species at Risk mini-museums to audiences of all ages, and we have now made the mini-
1.
museum resources available online and as outreach kits. A unique opportunity for outreach came in the form of a community partnership with the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. We were among the artists and institutions invited to contribute content and images for positive distraction, reflection, education and healing as part of the Children’s Healing Experience Project at the new Teck Acute Care Centre. To highlight the themes of natural history and provincial diversity, we selected Splendid Diversity, the mural created by Carol Christianson for our 2007 exhibition Free Spirit. The art is a perfect fit because of its colour and its playful style, but also because it depicts the entire province and allows patients and their
2.
families to see familiar places. Gavin Hanke, curator of vertebrate zoology, collaborated with our learning staff to write interpretive text that would appeal to parents, families, children and teens. Our contribution has now been installed in the eighth-floor oncology unit, where patients and their families from all over BC can enjoy it. Wherever our patrons are, we find meaningful ways to connect with them. On-site, off-site and online, we’re there for British Columbians. All you need is a little curiousity. Explore our outreach resources: royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/outreach Visit the Learning Portal: learning.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca We welcome comments or questions at webmaster@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 1. The Royal BC Museum contribution to the main corridor of the Teck Acute Care Centre. 2. Elementary school students explore the Learning Portal.
ABORIGINAL CULTURAL FESTIVAL
Join us in celebration of Aboriginal Culture with music, dance, food, art and crafts. June 21–24, 2018 Royal BC Museum Esquimalt and Songhees Territory
In partnership with Aborigianl Tourism BC
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 17
Sendall Send Off Kelly Sendall Retires from the Royal BC Museum By Erik Lambertson, Corporate Communications Manager
for two weeks at a time off the coast to deep water, trawling for fish and inverts. I went down in the Pisces submarine a dozen times to a depth of 100 metres.” By 1984 he’d decided that this was the place for him—as a career professional. Remarkably, he walked into the office of then CEO Bill Barkley and tried to convince him that he needed to work here. It took some contract work and a few years, but eventually, in 1991, he was hired as the collection manager in invertebrates. In 2007 he applied for the job as manager of Natural History, and in 2013 was offered the position of head of Collections.
H
e started at the Royal BC Museum as a volunteer, but when he last swiped his pass card in December 2017, Kelly Sendall was retiring as head of the Collections, Care and Conservation department.
Kelly’s path to and through the museum began when he was young. His father, an avid bird watcher, took him along on regular expeditions, where he soon developed an appreciation for taxonomy, details of species, lists and categories. By the time he enrolled in university, he knew he wanted to be a scientist, and it didn’t take long before he’d honed in on marine invertebrates. In around 1983 he landed a summer job at the Ministry of Environment, close to the Royal BC Museum. He soon started volunteering in the aquatic zoology collection and discovered that the museum was engaged in collecting. This was hugely exciting news, especially as volunteers at the time were often invited to contribute. “I got my scuba ticket and they took me out 18
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
Kelly notes his appreciation for the myriad professional opportunities his various positions provided: “It keeps you awake,
engaged and challenged, and I’ve certainly appreciated that.” He’s as optimistic about the opportunities for new research as he is proud of the state of the Royal BC Museum collections. “There’s always new species and new records being found in marine waters and in freshwater, and on land, so there’s so much to learn. BC is an amazing place. The Natural History collections here are the only substantial collections for BC and very well-known and respected along the entire Pacific Coast.” Staff will miss Kelly’s soft-spoken wit, passion for the collections, advocacy of cycling, and professional and personal support of his peers. We wish him the best in his retirement.
Royal Museum Shop Your purchases support the Royal BC Museum. Shop in person or online at shop.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Royal BC Museum members and IMAX season pass holders receive 10% off all purchases with membership card or online coupon code: member Shop hours 10:00 am – 5:00 pm daily Tel 250-356-0505 Find us on Facebook and Instagram!
Buried Treasures Many of the Museum’s Real Treasures Are Not on Display By Dr. Hugh MacIntosh, Collection Manager, Invertebrates
I
once told a friend that I worked at the Royal BC Museum, and he kindly inquired if I was an usher. I can’t really fault his logic —many people are aware of only the museum’s exhibitions and not of the large collections of material hidden away behind the scenes. In fact, I’m a collections manager, tasked with maintaining those collections, seeing them grow and facilitating research. I work in the catacomb-like basement, tending to 65,000 jars of preserved invertebrates arrayed on vast banks of shelves. It might not sound glamorous, but to someone who is passionate about marine diversity, it’s heaven. The job offers a lot of variety. On any given day I might be out on a collecting field trip, working in the lab preserving specimens, liaising with our education team or fielding inquiries from scientists around the world. From our basement collection we share data with fellow scientists and even send specimens away on loan for others to examine in their research. This research potential is the reason our collection exists. 1.
The specimens in our natural history collections are among the most valuable possessions in the province. They represent an archive of all life in British Columbia dating back to the 1800s. The collections of a natural history museum aren’t like those of a hobby collector, where one might be satisfied to have ‘one of each’. The value of museum collections is that they grow over time—we want to collect a species again and again, from as many areas as possible. This builds a record through time of not just the physical shape and size of specimens, but also the valuable data associated with them: Where were they found? When? How deep? At what temperature? These specimens and their data are treasure troves for future research. For example, by closely examining examples of a species from across the province, we may learn that the northern and southern specimens belong to distinct species, with important implications for conservation and environmental policy. Or perhaps, with modern analytical equipment, a researcher develops a test that can detect trace levels of heavy metals. By accessing specimens collected from the same areas over many years, you could confidently measure pollution levels in our marine environment over time. This is the value of museum collections and why I’m passionate about their potential. We never know what kind of questions future researchers will want to answer. You can never go back in time to collect a sample, so having these specimens on hand is truly priceless.
2.
1. The jar on the left contains the oldest item in the invertebrate collection, a giant barnacle (Balanus nubilus) collected in 1849. 2. Nearly two stories tall, the invertebrate collection houses over 65,000 jars.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 19
Story Gathering The Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project By Dr. Tzu-I Chung, Curator of History
of the PCLP with a modest BC Museums Association Canada 150 grant administered through the UFV. In response to community feedback on further outreach, the SASI and the Royal BC Museum have collaborated to hold community workshops, continuing engagement and collecting family history. In late 2017, we completed workshops in Golden, Prince George, Paldi and Duncan, Kelowna, Vancouver, Surrey and Abbotsford.
S
tories of the past inform and shape our understanding of the present. But what becomes of the stories less shared? As a public institution, the Royal BC Museum is committed to exploring, preserving and sharing British Columbia’s diverse heritage. Our work on Phase 1 of the Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project (PCLP) in 2015–17, conducted with guidance from an advisory committee and in partnership with the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), has resulted in the development of new collections, new online educational tools and community consultations throughout the province. In the Phase 1 consultations, communities expressed the desire to create strong, diverse legacy projects, including educational materials for K–12 students and the public, travelling exhibitions hosted in traditional and non-traditional exhibition spaces, and community engagement and community development, among other things. The advisory committee is currently helping to shape a fundraising plan for these new projects. Based on feedback from the consultations, we have begun work on Phase 2 (2017–19)
20
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
no Sikh temple in the area. They brought the utensils, religious items and even a priest from Paldi on Vancouver Island to perform the wedding ceremony. At the Paldi community workshop we heard how, in the early days when the community was smaller, people travelled to different gurdwaras to celebrate holidays and gather for commemorations. For example, the Independence Day of India was celebrated at Masachi Lake Gurdwara, and Vaisakhi was celebrated in the Victoria Gurdwara. For me personally, the warm connections revealed by these stories, between pioneer communities and across generations, have been the highlights of this project. Phase one was made possible by the generous support of the H.Y. Louie Co., as well as support from host institutions across BC. 1. Community Workshop at the Golden Sikh Temple in Golden, BC in July 2017. 2. Swarn and Balbir Patara, whose 1972 wedding was the first Sikh wedding in Golden, BC. 3. Swarn and Balbir Patara’s wedding,1972, Courtesy Swarn and Balbir Patara.
The project coordinator stayed on in each region to collect oral history after the workshops. By March 2018 we estimate we will have completed 80 interviews. The stories we have collected so far reveal amazing connections between Punjabi Canadian communities across the province and around the world. For instance, when Swarn and Balbir Patara celebrated their first Sikh wedding in Golden in 1972, there was
Time Travel Is Possible Visit the BC Archives Reference Room By Emma Wright, Archives Manager
C
urious about what goes on in the BC Archives Reference Room? Don’t let the hushed quiet fool you—that’s the sound of our ancestors making their voices heard. Stepping through our doors might feel like stepping back in time but that’s because, in a way, it is! The BC Archives acquires and preserves the documentary heritage of the province —records about the society we live in and how it came to be. Maps, photographs, documents, paintings, audio recordings, films and publications—all these records transport you in time and place, providing unique insight into human experiences and contemporary environments. We provide access to the millions of archival records in our collection in numerous ways, both online and in person. The BC Archives Reference Room in Victoria is our central space for providing in-person access to the archival treasures we hold. Anyone can access the Reference Room for free; we only require online registration so that we can issue
you a researcher card. Our archivists and archives specialists are on hand to assist you in locating the records you need and to help you access them, wherever they are. Some of our records are available on microfilm or microfiche or must be retrieved from storage. We also offer reproduction services if you would like to order physical or digital copies of records, although you are welcome to take your own digital photographs for personal research use. Many of our Reference Room clients are genealogical researchers, but we also assist academic researchers, students, schools and community groups, as well as people who are simply interested in local history. Last year we retrieved almost 9,800 items—a 25 per cent increase over 2016—for approximately 3,700 visitors. This was due in part to the influx of government records into our custody following the signing of an MOU in 2015 and the great work of our Government Records team in processing this ongoing flow of information from the provincial government.
In addition to our daily research services, we deliver talks, workshops and events about the records in our collections and how to use them effectively. We also work with educators to coordinate an introduction to our collections for home learners and student groups. For inquisitive types, we provide tours of the Reference Room and archives work areas, including behind-the-scenes tours. Our display area in the BC Archives lobby showcases records and artifacts from our collections or from the Sisters of St. Ann Archives, which is also located within our premises. To learn more about what we do, you can watch Welcome to the BC Archives on our YouTube channel. For more information about Reference Room hours and location, or if you are interested in browsing our collections, visit us online at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/bc-archives/info We look forward to welcoming you to our Reference Room. The BC Archives Reference Room is open for public research Monday–Saturday. See website for details.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 21
GOING DIGITAL
Voices from the Past Language Digitization By Ember Lundgren, Preservation Manager
I
n the 1950s, the former Royal BC Museum Linguistics Department began recording Indigenous community members speaking their own languages. These recordings, gathered from communities throughout British Columbia, are a rich source of information for language renewal, containing vocabulary, sentence structure, tenses, place names and pronunciation. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) has identified the loss of language resulting from the residential school system as a contributing factor to loss of culture for communities across Canada.
1.
22
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
The TRC’s Calls to Action stipulate that language renewal and revitalization are key to redressing the residential school legacy. Stewardship of audio collections is difficult. The only way to preserve the content and reduce wear and tear on the original recordings is to record onto new tape, which is now obsolete. Audio tape degrades over time due to chemical instability, and copies made in the past are now at risk. The machines required to play back these recordings are also becoming obsolete, and the traditional course of action for preservation is no longer viable. Every time a fresh copy is created it takes the full length of the recording time to make a copy. Copying takes place in real-time; one hour of recorded sound takes at least one hour to copy. This slow process is frustrating for community members and staff alike. Digitization is the only preservation action for saving these precious recordings. The creation of the preservation master is still time consuming but digitization means faster creation of subsequent copies, giving the museum a better way to grant access to the communities who need them. The Royal BC Museum is committed to preserving these important recordings as a response to the Calls to Action of the TRC. Several years ago the original recordings were placed in a climate-controlled vault to slow the chemical breakdown until such time as resources for mass digitization could be arranged.
Not only are the recordings themselves important but the supporting documentation, often written in notebooks or in accession files, holds incredibly detailed information. Over the next few years, we hope to digitize or transcribe this supporting documentation and add it to the catalogue record. While this will take some time, we are confident that it will improve access to our holdings. More importantly, we will be able to provide community members with the recordings needed to support language revitalization. The recordings themselves will not be accessible online, but we will be able to duplicate and pass on the digitized items far faster than we have been able to.
1. Open reel linguistics tapes created in the early 1970s. 2. The Our Living Languages exhibition allows the public to explore the rich language diversity of BC and supports the need for language revitalization.
TD is proud to support the Royal BC Museum’s First Nations language revitalization initiative. TD’s support will help accelerate the process of digitizing thousands of First Nations audiotapes in our collection.
CURIOUS
The Ancestors Are Calling By Jónína Kirton, Curious Contributor
Curious is an online publication and app that collects essays, research, archival items and photography from Royal BC Museum curators, archivists and other experts. Each issue of Curious engages with a particular theme that is important to British Columbia residents and visitors. In this issue, First Nations community members in British Columbia join Royal BC Museum staff to explore themes of belonging, self-discovery and community.
J
ónína Kirton is a prairie-born Métis/ Icelandic poet, author and facilitator who currently lives in Vancouver, in the unceded territory of the Coast Salish people. She graduated from The Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University in 2007, is currently a member of their advisory board and is the liaison for their Indigenous advisory board. She also sits on Room magazine’s editorial board. Jónína received Vancouver’s 2016 Mayor’s Arts Award for Emerging Artist in the Literary Arts category. She has published two poetry collections: page as bone ~ ink as blood and An Honest Woman.
This is an excerpt from Jónína’s article, “The Ancestors Are Calling”: Like many Métis, my family hid their Indigenous roots. Several strategies were used to shut down any questions. There was the visible shaking and shunning silence from my grandmother and her sister. I later learned that they had grown up in Manitoba, where I too
was born, and that I had sat on their father’s knee as he sang the Métis songs. Widowed early, a fiddle-playing man, he raised his family in a Michif-speaking home. At some point my grandmother and one of her sisters decided to hide their Métis ancestry. The timing and reason for this change is unclear but one cousin believes it happened after my grandfather passed away and my grandmother, now a young widow with four children, decided her children were at risk of apprehension. All around her, Indigenous children were being taken into foster care or residential school. She felt it was best to say they were French. When queried last year about the family speaking
Michif, my father said he always thought they were speaking French. My white mother dismissed my interest in our Indigenous roots, asserting my father did not like to talk about it and that it was too far back to matter. Despite my longing to know more it appeared that there was no way into the stories of my ancestors. Given this I put it all aside for a time. Join Jónína and her fellow Curious contributors online at curious.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Billie (Joe) Bouchie, right, his wife Lizette Allard Bouchie, left, and an unidentified gentleman, centre, outside the Bouchie’s home on the west side of the Fraser River; Quesnel, ca. 1890.
“Everyone is a reader…some just haven’t found their favourite book yet.” –Anonymous The Royal BC Museum Spring 2018 Publications Catalogue is available now. Which book will become your favourite?
NEW
Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį: Teachings from Long Ago Person Found “The Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį discovery has brought back that part of our history that seems just like yesterday.” – Ron Chambers, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations
ISBN 978-0-7726-6699-4
$49.95
The Language of Family: Stories of Bonds and Belonging “Odds are, it will shake the reader’s concept of what a family is.” – Times Colonist
ISBN 978-0-7726-7052-6
$27.95
Available online, at the Royal Museum Shop and at your local bookstore.
For more information visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/publications
DONOR PROFILE
Dr. Joyce Clearihue’s Legacy Gift By Jonathan Dallison, Manager, Donor Relations
“I think the most important thing is that museums are alive. They shouldn’t be mausoleums. They should be full of life. And I think it is everyone’s responsibility to help with that.”
“It was a shiny, living, female Black Widow spider kept near the entrance,” chuckles Dr. Joyce Clearihue as she looks out her living room window at the Royal BC Museum across the harbour. “That was what first grabbed me about the museum. I remember my mother taking me after school, and I couldn’t wait to see it. The natural history collection really drew me in, and that influence has stayed with me my whole life.” “I think it shows that the educational responsibility of a museum is important. In my case, I was an only child, and the museum connected me to a larger world. There were wonderful, hands-on activities. I don’t even remember them all now,” she smiles, “But they sparked my curiosity.” Over the years, Dr. Clearihue has stayed close to the museum, even serving for a time on the board of what is now the Royal BC Museum Foundation. As a lifelong member, she regularly attends our once-a-month
Live @ Lunch lectures, and she has enjoyed our recent summer exhibitions. “The Gold Rush! and Family exhibitions were very interesting to me because I found there was a direct connection to my own family’s history and to people I know in the community. It was fascinating, really. And!” she suddenly adds, “The IMAX is a highlight. What a wonderful addition it has been.” Recalling her love of the Audubon lectures and slide shows once held in the former Newcombe Auditorium at the south end of the museum, Dr. Clearihue is excited about the new Learning Centre project being developed for the same space. “It is good to know so much is being done to modernize the museum. The potential offered by technologies like 3D printers and virtual reality just sounds like science fiction to me. I mean I don’t even have a computer, but I am pleased to know that everyone across the province will have more opportunities to be inspired by the collections.”
“When someone has benefitted from lectures, exhibitions, outreach programs and the archives, it is very important to give back in order to perpetuate that benefit for others. That is why I chose to make a legacy gift to the museum. Legacy gifts can range from a simple bequest to a donor advised fund. In my case, I bought a life insurance policy that names the Royal BC Museum Foundation as the beneficiary. It is an easy and very affordable way for virtually anyone to help.” We appreciate and need the support of individuals like Dr. Joyce Clearihue. Please consider joining her in making a legacy gift to the Royal BC Museum Foundation. Your support can help ensure the Royal BC Museum remains a treasure that inspires future generations.
May is LEAVE A LEGACY™ Month, as promoted by the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. For more information about making a legacy gift, please contact Jonathan Dallison, Manager, Donor Relations, at 250-413-7756 or jdallison@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca, and visit us online at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/support-us Please seek the advice of your financial advisor or lawyer when considering your estate planning.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 25
Behind the Hoarding Escalator Replacement Project By Pamela Lowings, Head of Property Management and Site Development
“Pardon our mess, but our first-floor escalators are tired and downtrodden. We’re replacing the machinery and will be back to normal by spring 2018.” That’s the message on the signs in our lobby at the moment. The project began last year, and it’s now well under way. We were fortunate to receive capital funding from the province of BC to begin replacing our aging escalators. Of course, everything had to follow the proper process: first we posted a Request for Proposal on BC Bid, then we selected a successful candidate (KONE) to begin the work. But it is now official: we have ordered a new “up” escalator. The escalator is a heavy-duty model with a power-save mode, meaning it slows down when not in use. This not only saves on power used but also reduces the daily wear and tear on the equipment. To prepare for the arrival of the new escalator, in late October 2017 we temporarily relocated coat check and the information desk. Later, walls were demolished and temporary hoarding and safety netting were installed around the work area. At the end of November, the old escalator was removed in a massive eight-hour undertaking involving concrete cutting, rigging and gantry systems. Work to prepare for the new escalator is under way and will include the expansion of the escalator pit to make room for the new motor, as well as seismic-code upgrades. The new escalator is scheduled to arrive in late January 2018 , and the project should be complete mid to late May 2018. 26
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
1. Ium harchitiis ab iliqui voluptatur? 2. Officillam, cone nobitatist, qui solupti
Together We Can Do So Much Aligning Your Brand with the Royal BC Museum By Sanjay Uppal, Partnerships Manager
T
he Royal BC Museum’s programs offer exceptional corporate partnership opportunities that allow companies to build relationships and affinity with our vast audiences. From the museum’s hugely successful Night Shift Halloween and Valentine’s Day events to First Nations interpretive programming to world-class feature exhibitions including Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs and Wildlife Photographer of the Year, we offer a vast array of programming for a range of audiences. A corporate partnership with the Royal BC Museum positions an organization as a leader in the community and as an exceptional corporate citizen. Royal BC Museum corporate partners benefit from exposure in robust
communications programs and receive unique and valuable hospitality benefits. Our museum provides an exceptional platform for creative and customized activation plans designed to achieve specific business objectives. From naming rights for our state-of-the-art Learning Centre, to the position of supporting sponsor for our outreach kits, we have a number of sponsorship options. Corporations understand the value in aligning their brand with the reputation and audience that the Royal BC Museum affords. So whether an organization wants to inspire the next generation of leaders or support seniors in dealing with dementia, the Royal BC Museum has a number of
programs and initiatives that complement most corporate social responsibility pillars, specifically education, youth, environment and First Nations.
Contact, Partnerships Manager Sanjay Uppal at suppal@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or 250-889-9679 to discuss how a partnership with the Royal BC Museum through sponsorship can help achieve your corporate goals.
Thank you to the valued corporate sponsors who help make our programming possible!
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 27
What’s on
For a full listing of what’s happening at the Royal BC Museum, view our calendar online at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/calendar MUSEUM HOURS: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm daily Open late until 10:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays from May 18 to October 8.
FAMILY PROGRAMS
ADULT PROGRAMS
WONDER SUNDAY See, think, activate! Join us in the galleries for some fun learning. Included with admission or membership.
PHOTO CAMP FOR ADULTS A workshop facilitated by our own museum photographer, Shane Lighter, and wildlife photographer Sam Rose Phillips. March 24 | 9:00 am – 3:00 pm $45 per person | Newcombe Conference Hall
Animals of Nature Discover which animals are native to our island and which ones come from elsewhere. March 4, 11, 18, 25 | 1:00–3:00 pm April Fool’s Participate in a museum-wide April Fool’s scavenger hunt. April 1 | 1:00–3:00 pm Local Finds Join us to learn about artifacts discovered locally and put some archaeological practices into use. April 8, 15, 22, 29 | 1:00–3:00 pm Ancient Civilizations Visit the museum to learn about ancient civilizations and their customs, from written language to historical art. May 6, 13, 20, 27 | 1:00–3:00 pm KIDS’ CLUB Join us at the first Wonder Sunday of each month for a special behind-the-scenes tour just for Kids’ Club members. March 4, April 1, May 6 | 1:00 pm Included with membership
SPRING BREAK CAMPS FOCUS ON NATURE Aspiring shutterbugs can develop their skills by participating in this photography-inspired camp. March 19–23 and 26–30 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm $280 per person | Ages 7–11 Before-and-after-camp care available
Information correct at time of printing. Subject to change. Please visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/calendar for most up-to-date information. Prices do not include applicable taxes.
MUSEUM HAPPY HOUR Drink, eat, meet and explore. Enjoy one-nightonly themed events and activities in one of our core museum galleries. $10 per person Drinks and light fare available for purchase 19+ | Two pieces of ID required for entry Fooling Around with History Challenge your wits by playing a game of true or false with our history and archival collections. April 12 | 5:15–7:00 pm Becoming BC gallery
Fooling Around with Nature Challenge your wits by playing a game of true or false with our natural history collections. April 26 | 5:15–7:00 pm Natural History gallery Supported by
IT’S COMPLICATED: THE POLITICS AND POETICS OF REPRESENTATION As part of Asian Heritage Month, this discussion evening will begin to unpack the difficult dynamic of representation. May 24 | 5:15–7:00 pm By donation | Newcombe Conference Hall
ALL AGES NETHERLANDS CENTENNIAL CARILLON 50TH ANNIVERSARY Provincial Carillonneur Rosemary Laing will play a special recital featuring a newly commissioned work. April 28 | 3:00–3:45 pm Free | Lower Plaza
INDIGENOUS FILM SCREENINGS In collaboration with MediaNet and the IndigeVision Film Festival, we present two special screenings to showcase the vital and vibrant work of reconciliation. Awaḵ̕ wa̱ s: Gathering Place Awaḵ’was: Gathering Place is a documentary film made by the Kingcome Collective (Lindsey Mae Willie and Jennifer Schine) investigating the joy and the pain that comes from remembering cultural knowledge that was nearly lost. April 14 | 2:00 pm Included with admission or membership Our Living Languages exhibition Witness Blanket Documentary Inspired by a woven blanket, the Witness Blanket is a large-scale art installation made from hundreds of items reclaimed from Residential Schools, churches, government buildings and traditional and cultural structures from across Canada. April 15 | 7:00 pm Free, with limited space available Newcombe Conference Hall FIELDTRIPPERS Join us for themed outdoor field trips led by museum staff and community collaborators. By donation. $5 per person suggested. Mammoth Walk March 3 | 2:00–3:30 pm Island View Beach Earth Day Wildflower Walk April 22 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Mill Hill Regional Park ASTRONOMY DAY April 21 | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Included with admission or membership SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND HERITAGE FAIR May 11 | 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Included with admission or membership Clifford Carl Hall
LIVE @ LUNCH By donation | Newcombe Conference Hall New Plant Discoveries from the Northern BC Alpine March 7 | 12:00–1:00 pm A Sneak Peek at Egypt: Land of the Pharaohs April 4 | 12:00–1:00 pm Fugitives: Anarchival Materiality in the BC Archives May 2 | 12:00–1:00 pm
Spatial History: Locating Early Settlers in the Cowichan Valley May 20 | 2:00–3:30 pm
DID YOU KNOW? Royal BC Museum members enjoy up to 20% off admission at more than 25 partner attractions. Just flash your membership card to receive your discount! View the full list of partners at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/reciprocalpartners
FRIENDS OF THE BC ARCHIVES LECTURE SERIES Free for members of the Friends of the BC Archives or $5 for non-members, payable in cash at the door. Newcombe Conference Hall The Sights and Sounds of Carnival Week in Victoria, August 1913 March 18 | 2:00–3:30 pm BC Adventures with the Millionaire Kid April 15 | 2:00–3:30 pm
GET THE ROYAL TREATMENT Become a Royal BC Museum member and get unlimited access to Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs.
EXHIBITION OPEN May 18 – Dec 31, 2018
LECTURES RESEARCH DAY 2018 Drop in on Research Day and hear about the fascinating studies taking place across our organization and the new knowledge that our collections have generated. March 15 | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Free | Newcombe Conference Hall
Join today royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/join
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 29
Thank You to Our Learning Centre Supporters We Still Need Your Help to Turn This Vision into a Reality By Angela Williams, Deputy CEO and VP, Collections, Research and International Programs
L
earning is at the heart of our mission here at the Royal BC Museum, and our Learning Centre will provide a vital hub where teachers, students and British Columbia’s diverse communities can come together to further knowledge and understanding.
$2,200,000
We are excited to report on the status of our Learning Centre campaign. Thanks to the generosity of our donors we are well on the way to meeting our $2,200,000 fundraising goal. More than 90 people have contributed to our direct mail campaign. We would like to acknowledge the generosity of our key supporters who have made substantial donations to get our project off the ground: Anonymous (2) Michael Albrechtson Patrick and Anne Anderson Andrew Mahon Foundation Gary and Susan Braley Susan Henderson and Ron Carter Lily Chow Kelly and Rose Chu Concert Properties Christopher Considine Daphne Corbett Suzanne Ellyin Murray and Lynda Farmer Barbara Fields Bruce Hallsor Olga Ilich Audrey Johnson Professor Jack Lohman CBE Ron and May Lou-Poy Anne Mayhew
Tommy Mayne Lois McNabb Debbie O’Brien Stefan and Magdalena Opalski Gwendolyn Page Pauline Rafferty and Bob Plecas Barbara Potash Sandy Pratt Raymond and Sheila Protti Robert and Devi Jawl Foundation Robert Peterson and Craig Rosario Donald and Anne Russell Peter Seward Anthony and Darlene Southwell Betty Thacker Uplands Probus Club Margaret Vandenberg and Robert Wilband Peeter and Mary Wesik Angela and Gerald Wesley Angela Williams
We still need your help to make our vision a reality. Your support will ensure we realize our potential as an engaging and accessible source of inspiration and learning for everyone, regardless of age or geography. Please make a gift today! Contact our fundraising department at 250-387-7222 or donate@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
30
What’s inSight
Spring 2018
$1,000,000 $756,268.74
1. The Learning Centre will engage and inspire children and youth from kindergarten to high school. 2. New media and technology will help visitors create and connect.
Donor Form
YES, I want to help the Royal BC Museum create a new Learning Centre with my tax deductible gift of: $_____________________________________________
MONTHLY GIVING I prefer the convenience of giving monthly using my credit card. Please take a payment on the 1st or 15th of each month in the amount of $_____________________________________________ (Payments can be discontinued at any time by calling 250-387-7222.)
LEGACY GIVING I am interested in receiving information on leaving a gift in my will to help strengthen the future of the Royal BC Museum.
YOUR INFORMATION Name: Address: City: Province:
Postal Code:
Telephone:
Email:
PAYMENT DETAILS Credit Card:
Visa
MasterCard
American Express
Card Number:
Expiry Date (Month/Year):
/
Name on Card: Signature: Cheque (please make payable to the Royal BC Museum Foundation) Please return the completed form and donation to the Fundraising and Development Department via our box office, or mail to Royal BC Museum, 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 9W2. You can also donate by phone at 250-387-7222 or online at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/support The Royal BC Museum Foundation is a non-profit organization under the legal authority of the Societies Act (RSBC 1996, C. 433). The personal information collected on this form is subject to the Personal Information Protection Act (SBC 2003, C. 63). The personal information collected will be used by the Royal BC Museum Foundation to maintain our donor list, issue tax receipts and publicly recognize your donation. Personal information collected will be shared with the Royal BC Museum to provide you with up to date information on current events/exhibitions. If you wish to access or correct your personal information, or would like to make an inquiry about the Royal BC Museum’s privacy policies and procedures, you can contact our Information and Privacy Officer by mail, email at privacy@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or by telephone at 250-356-0698. Charitable #: 118933241RR0001
SPRING BREAK CAMP
FOCUS ON NATURE
Aspiring shutterbugs can develop their skills by participating in this photography-inspired camp. Campers will explore the natural history collections, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition and venture to Beacon Hill Park to learn about photo composition and storytelling.
March 19–23 and 26–30 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Register at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/camps PM42265026