FALL 2018
MAYA: THE GREAT JAGUAR RISES COMING SUMMER 2019 CROSSING CULTURES AND HEALING COAST SALISH MASTER CARVERS A CULTURE OF PEACE CANADIAN CREATIVE INDUSTRIES TRADE MISSION TO CHINA
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FALL 2018 FEATURE Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises FEATURE Crossing Cultures and Healing Giant Steps Egypt by the Numbers FEATURE Supporting Communities A Celebration of Friends INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS A Culture of Peace Behind the Scenes and Front of Mind GOING DIGITAL Revolver Accidental Learning PROFILE Leslie McGarry, Cultural Program Facilitator FEATURE BC Interior’s Lake Life, 52 Million Years Ago A Drone and a 360° Camera Come to the Museum PARTNERSHIP PROFILE BCGEU What’s On Calendar DONOR PROFILE The Bamjis Help Empower the Next Generation of Learners Our Littlest Learners
E DITOR IN CHIEF Erika Stenson Head of Marketing, Sales and Business Development
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MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Vanderzee Marketing and Sales Manager Michelle van der Merwe Publisher
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Nathan Oickle 2D Graphic Designer
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Annie Mayse Editor
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Shane Lighter Photographer What’s inSight is an electronic magazine released four times annually, in March, June, September and December, by the Royal BC Museum.
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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.
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COVER IMAGE Sofia Paredes Maury, Executive Director, La Ruta Maya Foundation and Leah Best, Head of Knowledge, Royal BC Museum exploring the collection at La Ruta Maya Foundation, Guatemala.
Erik Lambertson Corporate Communications Manager
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To switch your What’s inSight subscription preference from print to digital format, please email membership@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or call 250-387-3287.
Dear friends, Early in their careers most paleontologists and geologists learn about Charles Doolittle Walcott, who never earned a degree but rose to become Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
Burgess Shale Marrella splendens 4–6. Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution. C. Clark photograph.
It was Walcott who discovered fossil examples of the Cambrian explosion of life when his horse stumbled in the Canadian Rockies on August 30, 1909, at what is today the Burgess Shale site. This is an important location. The nature of the site’s geology has preserved a very clear record of thousands of types of marine creatures that inhabited a unique ecosystem 508 million years ago and then disappeared. Research work continues to discover new aspects of these creatures. The Smithsonian Institution holds Walcott’s collections, but the Royal British Columbia Museum has a collection of about 100 rare and exquisite Burgess Shale fossils. It is this type of collection that I want British Columbians to enjoy and engage with when they come to the museum. The Burgess Shale is particularly important because of its UNESCO World Heritage status; however, there are countless collections across numerous disciplines that form the provincial collection. They are astonishingly diverse, from fossils and type collections to archaeology, archives and paintings. Together they are the story of our province. Our mission is to ensure that these collections are accessible and can be shared with a global audience.
Charles Doolittle Walcott in the field at Fossil Quarry in the Burgess Pass, circa 1911–12.
Yours,
Professor Jack Lohman, CBE Chief Executive Officer, Royal BC Museum
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FEATURE
Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises Coming Summer 2019 By Leah Best, Head of Knowledge
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ext summer’s breathtaking exhibition on Maya civilization is the result of a unique international partnership between the Royal BC Museum, MuseumsPartner Austria, the Ruta Maya Foundation and the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (MUNAE) in Guatemala.
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Unusual? Without question. Maya is an award-winning exhibition that most recently toured large museums throughout Europe and is now making Victoria the first stop on a three-year North American tour. The exhibition is the brainchild of MuseumsPartner (MP), an international travelling-exhibition firm based in Innsbruck, Austria. MP works with museums to put together and offer exhibitions under turnkey contracts. Firms like MP provide their services to museums like the Royal BC Museum, who are keen to bring high-quality, globally-sourced exhibitions on engaging subjects to their audiences. In a rare move, MuseumsPartner and the Royal BC Museum are working together to revise the exhibition’s content, narratives and text for North American audiences. The result? The Royal BC Museum is not only an early adopter of the exhibition, it is also an early adapter, an acknowledgement of the museum’s profound understanding of the needs and interests of North American audiences. Broadly speaking, audiences are idiosyncratic. According to Erika Stenson, head of Marketing, Communications and Business Development at the Royal BC Museum,
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“North American audiences are more aware of Indigenous peoples and their living cultures. They are looking for context, story and experience in their visits to museums. They want to drill down, asking what now? What next? Why? Europeans tend to look at things and want to know what they were used for. They less often look for context. Additionally, part of the process of adapting the exhibition for North American audiences is in the translation of content. This includes the phrasing, vernacular and sentence structure. North American English, which varies across the continent, is very different from the English spoken in Europe. So when text is translated in Europe, it quite often doesn’t read well in North America. The teams working on content and editing spend a lot of time ensuring that the translations make sense while respecting the curatorial vision.” European audiences may have different tastes, but good design is universal. Michael Barnes, head of Exhibitions, experienced this first hand on a recent trip to see the exhibition at its last European venue, the Museum of Archaeology (MARQ) in Alicante, Spain. First impressions? “Before travelling to Spain, I’d seen photos of the Maya exhibition at MARQ, but seeing it in person is another matter. When you first enter the space, it’s easy to see why it won Spanish designer Angel Rocamora a Gold EMPORIA 2017 national award for exhibition design. Incredibly bold and theatrical, the exhibition set pieces and wall-size graphics glow invitingly within the galleries. Referencing traditional Maya architecture and using daring colours, the stepped pyramids, architectural portals and naturalistic elements draw you into the space with a sense of wonder. With custom-printed carpet featuring Maya patterns, jungle scenes and theatrical lighting and audioscapes, Rocamora has created a truly immersive experience. Multimedia is used judiciously and effectively and clearly a great deal of thought was given to
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universal design considerations. Touchable replicas and braille text were included for the visually impaired; labels were well lit and displayed at accessible heights.” Talking to Michael about the exhibition, you quickly get a sense of how excited he is to bring Maya to Victoria. For him, design is one thing, but what truly made an impact was the content. (continues on page 6)
1. Tikal National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre located in Guatamala. 2. Painted limestone and stucco male sculpture with jaguar attributes. Early Classic (250–600 AD). Guatemala, the Ruta Maya Foundation. 3. Ceramic censer in the shape of a seated figure, classic (250–900 AD). Guatemala, the Ruta Maya Foundation.
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“The real stars of the show are the artifacts. Featuring hundreds of spectacular items, from ceramic figures to massive monumental stelae, the exhibition is a feast for curious minds. For me, the most memorable moment was turning a corner to encounter the sculpture of a man with the attributes of a jaguar (page 5, figure 2). At nearly three metres in length, the sculpture represents a man in a jaguar mask, dressed in a loincloth and a skirt, lying on his belly in a lurking posture resembling a cat’s when hunting. Seeing this masterpiece of Maya sculpture was genuinely electrifying and one of the great museum experiences of my career. I’m tremendously excited that visitors to our museum will be able to experience this for themselves.” Joining Michael in Spain was Janet MacDonald, head of Learning. “As an audience advocate, the visitor experience in any and all exhibitions is important to me. When I’m able to observe visitors during their experiences, I learn how to make an exhibition more engaging, fun and educational for participants. Watching visitors explore and interact—and taking good notes on what
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visitors are actually doing—is a crucial part of any pre-evaluation project. And so there I was, queuing up at MARQ on the last day of the exhibition run. It was the Catholic celebration of the Epiphany and the museum had opened its doors for free to the local community. "What do you find out when you observe hundreds of visitors enjoying a last chance opportunity to see Maya? You see what really happens in an exhibition—what routes visitors intuitively take, what objects hold their fascination most, what sections people ignore, and what overheard comments expressed admiration or confusion. First and lasting impressions bode well for Maya’s future on the road. I saw the universal relevance of the destruction of Indigenous languages when confronted by a codex burnt by missionaries. I experienced the lure of jade masterpieces and monumental stelae as I jostled with crowds to catch a glimpse and was reassured that our unconscious fascination with the human form in art connects us all. Are there ways that we can enhance and adapt the exhibition experience? Most certainly, and I look forward to the work ahead with our international colleagues.”
On a final note, two new focus areas in the exhibition are under development at the request of the Royal BC Museum: one on Mayan languages and one on the Maya today. In 1996, Guatemala formally recognized 21 Mayan languages still spoken; 2019, the year the exhibition will open, is the International Year of the Indigenous Language, inspiring the first new focus. The second new component is a critically important nod to the more than 6 million people in Central America who identify as Maya and who represent an unbroken lineage of cultural memory and practices. There’s more to tell about these contemporary spaces. Stayed tuned for updates in the next issue of What’s inSight. Entrance to the Maya exhibition, MARQ, Alicante, featuring pyramids.
FEATURE
Crossing Cultures and Healing Coast Salish Master Carvers Share Their Practice By Erika Stenson, Head of Marketing, Communications and Business Development
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n the fall of 2017 staff were brainstorming ideas for activities to share with visitors during the summer of 2018. What could we do that was interesting, fun, educational and mandate-driven? How could we include partnerships with the communities the museum serves? As happens often among museum folk, we looked to the past for inspiration. Visitors and staff speak fondly about the old Carving Studio, the exceptional carvers who worked there and the works that came from it. Could we try something similar again? We were excited about the possibility of developing a new Indigenous carving program in collaboration with the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. At around the same time, the BC Ministry of Health approached us about a project they were considering. Stephen Sxwithul’txw, senior advisor of cultural safety and Aboriginal recruitment, met with us to discuss his idea to have a totem pole carved and raised in acknowledgement of the process of reconciliation that has started at the ministry. Their challenge was finding somewhere public to carve the pole so that the process could be shared. Voila! A new partnership was born. Chief Ron Sam of the Songhees Nation recommended master carvers (and brothers) Tom and Perry LaFortune. Tom and Perry are members of the Tsawout First Nation with ancestral connections to the southern part of what is now known as Vancouver Island. Both are internationally accomplished carvers. (continues on page 8)
Tom LaFortune, master carver, shaping the pole.
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Tom completed his first carving when he was 11 years old. He has since advanced to carving masks, rattles, paddles, dishes, talking sticks, single figures and totem poles. He has also made and painted drums. Tom’s work is distinguished by its stylistic fluidity and refined use of colour. Perry received most of his training from his brother, Francis Horne, and has been influenced by his Elders. He apprenticed under Francis on several major projects, including assisting in the carving of four poles for the City of Totems in Duncan. Perry also had the privilege of working with the late Coast Salish master carver Simon Charlie. He works in a contemporary Coast Salish style, and many of his pieces emphasize the natural properties of the wood that he uses. Tom and Perry called the project “Crossing Cultures and Healing”. When we first met, Tom said, “For me this is really about healing. Reconciliation is a word that isn’t meaningful to me. This is about sharing our art across cultures.” This theme of healing and cultural understanding is reflected in the final design Tom developed for the seven-metre pole.
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Preparation and preliminary work took place at the carving shed on Admirals Road in June and early July. In late July the pole was transported to the Royal BC Museum so our visitors could learn about contemporary carving practice and see the masterwork come to life. Tom and Perry like to have fun, so there were more than a few laughs along the way! TimberWest generously sponsored the project and provided the log for the program. The company has a history of supporting First Nations artists through their TimberWest First Nation Cultural Art Showcase Program, which recognizes and supports four First Nations artists each year. (The call for 2018 artists was under way at the time this article was written.) Crossing Cultures and Healing is expected to be complete by the end of September, and the pole will be raised at the Ministry of Health building on Blanshard Street in October. 8
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2. 1. Tom and Perry LaFortune, master carvers, designing the pole. 2. Carving the "Crossing Cultures and Healing" pole.
Giant Steps Acquiring a Grafton Tyler Brown Painting By Erik Lambertson, Corporate Communications Manager
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n March 2018 the Royal BC Museum acquired a singularly important landscape painting, Giant’s Castle Mountain: A. L. Fortune Farm, Enderby, BC Oct 6, 1882, by Grafton Tyler Brown. The Royal BC Museum now holds the greatest number and most significant of Grafton Tyler Brown’s Canadian works in the world with this addition, a work of artistic and historical significance with a special connection to British Columbia.
G.T. Brown (1841–1918) was a painter, lithographer and cartographer, the first African American artist to create works depicting the Pacific Northwest. In 1883 he made 22 paintings of BC in his Victoria studio, based on drawings made during a geological survey into the southern interior. Giant’s Castle Mountain is one such product of the expedition. The painting depicts the farmstead of A.L. Fortune, one of the first settlers in the North Okanagan to pre-empt land. Commenting on the painting, Professor Jack Lohman, CEO of the Royal BC Museum, said, “We hope that the painting’s subject matter and history will lead to significant, perhaps challenging, conversations about the history of settlers in BC—including black immigrants like Brown.” For him, Giant’s Castle Mountain “is a focal point for discussing race and identity, and also allows us to probe the relationship between landscape paintings, nature and the presence of humans.” Dr. John Lutz of the University of Victoria, a Brown authority, considers this work the most important of Brown’s BC paintings. Lutz provides historical context for
Fortune’s ranch, noting that Fortune was “a major historical figure in the Okanagan as well as one of the Overlanders in 1862.” The Overlanders were a group of adventurers who walked over the Rocky Mountains to the Cariboo goldfields. Don Bourdon, the museum’s curator of images and paintings, observed that “the painting can be viewed as an archetypal image, representing first-generation settler society establishing a foothold in BC’s interior. But there are other viewpoints to consider. As a member of the Splatsin First Nation, you might view this scene as the site of a burial ground for ancestors who succumbed to smallpox. Though Fortune respected this site during his lifetime its status remains unresolved today.”
are accounted for in public and private collections, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. The Royal BC Museum purchased the painting with funds from the Royal BC Museum Foundation and additional financial support from the Friends of the BC Archives. Giant’s Castle Mountain. A.L. Fortune Farm, Enderby, BC Oct 6, 1882. Grafton Tyler Brown painting.
The BC Archives already holds Brown’s BC catalogue and a rare portrait. Only 10 of Brown’s other Canadian works
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Egypt by the Numbers By Michael Barnes, Head of Exhibitions
Although we have already started to plan next summer’s exhibition, I’d like to take a minute to recognize the exhibition installation team and the hard work that went into our current blockbuster, Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs. This exhibition is big, … really big!
• Applied: 1,021 square metres of fresh paint
With only six weeks between the closing of our winter show, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and the opening of Egypt, the transformation of our 929 sq. m. (10,000 sq. ft.) temporary exhibition space had to be executed with military precision.
• Assembled: 155 showcases
Here are just a few of the tasks completed in those few short weeks. • Erected: 189 metres of new 4 metre walls
• Unpacked: Eight 12-metre shipping containers
• Installed: 330 artifacts • Hung: 200 graphic panels • Wired up: 20 interactive multimedia displays • Placed: 6 large-scale architectural models Visitors enjoying the Egypt: The Time of Pharohs exhibition.
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FEATURE
Supporting Communities The Royal BC Museum’s Granting Program By Lou-ann Neel, Repatriation Specialist
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n June, the Royal BC Museum’s Repatriation Grant completed its first call for applications. We received 25 applications from First Nations communities and Indigenous organizations across BC. For me, it’s an interesting balance of excitement and melancholy. As the Royal BC Museum’s repatriation specialist, my role is to work closely with each First Nations community and Indigenous organization to locate their ancestral remains and the cultural treasures that belong to them, and then to make arrangements for the return of these ancestors and belongings. I know from personal experience that for many communities this is an important step in a much broader healing process. I remember when my home community of Alert Bay repatriated what became known as the Potlatch Collection, a collection of masks, rattles, blankets and other ceremonial pieces that were confiscated under the infamous Potlatch Ban—a section of the Indian Act that made it an indictable offense to participate in the traditional ceremonies of our people.
ceremonies, but once the treasures were returned, the tears were washed away, and we celebrated by singing those ancient songs and dancing those origin stories. In the years since the return of our treasures, our cultural centre has become an important place of learning—reconnecting our people to our traditions and our Kwak’wala language. Many communities simply do not have the funds to carry out the research, planning and implementation of plans to repatriate ancestral remains or cultural treasures from museums in Canada or in other places around the globe. It takes a great deal of time, work and energy to bring community knowledge-holders together to develop plans and strategies for the
safe return of these treasures. While the Royal BC Museum and other museums across Canada have been working with First Nations communities and Indigenous organizations for many years to repatriate ancestral remains, the new Repatriation Grant provides the financial support communities may need to cover the costs associated with the complex process of repatriation. Each community must consider the steps needed to prepare the ancestral remains for their journey home. This could involve special ceremonies to protect not only the ancestral remains but also those who Lou-ann Neel, repatriation specialist at the Royal BC Museum.
In 1980 the U’mista Cultural Centre was built to house the repatriated collection, and I was there when the centre opened. It was both joyous and heart-wrenching to see our old people witness the return of their respective family treasures. Many tears were shed as we remembered our grandparents who were imprisoned for their participation in our potlatch royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 11
are carrying them home. Special burial containers may need to be created, and once the remains arrive home, a proper reburial needs to take place. If the community creates a special grave cairn or marker, then consideration must be made for ongoing maintenance. It is also very important for each community to document the work to ensure future generations will know and understand the history of this process. Many communities are also working closely with the Royal BC Museum and other museums to access and return historical photos and audio recordings. The photographs and audio collections at the museum record the histories of many families and nations, and these records may be an important part of a community’s efforts to revitalize its languages and cultural practices. About ten years ago, I came across a recording of my grandmother, Ellen Neel, in the BC Archives. This was so exciting—I had never heard my grandmother’s voice, because she passed away when I was a toddler. It filled my heart with joy to hear her voice for the first time. As a practicing artist and language-learner, I know how incredibly valuable it is to be able to study archival photos and audio recordings. Every object in these old photos and every word spoken in the audio recordings is significant; they help to piece together important teachings that have been lost over time, but which are being brought back into everyday use once again. This important work may take years to complete, but each of our communities recognizes how incredibly vital it is to restore what was once thought be lost, so we can ensure that our children and grandchildren will know who they are and understand the rich, sophisticated histories of their nations.
A Celebration of Friends Francis Kermode Group Dinner and Gala By Erika Stenson, Head of Marketing, Communications and Business Development
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n May 16 the Royal BC Museum hosted the fifth annual Francis Kermode Group Dinner and Gala in celebration of our new exhibition Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs. By all accounts the evening was a phenomenal success. Importantly, as guests looked through “a window on the world” at Egypt, there was an underlying theme on the role of museums in today’s world of editorialized “news”. In that vein, we were honoured by the words of British Columbia’s new lieutenant-governor, Janet Austen. Here is an excerpt from her speech.
“I would also like to take a moment to reflect on the role of museums at this particular point in history. And to do so I’m going to invoke George Orwell, who once famously said, 'The very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world. Lies will pass into history.' "How extraordinarily prescient that comment seems in this global “post-truth” era, where objective facts have lost ground to emotional appeals in the shaping of public opinion and could even make us vulnerable to the re-writing of history.… "…Our public and cultural institutions, our libraries, universities and museums have always played a key role in encouraging rational dialogue and validation of information and ensuring that the history we create now cannot easily be manipulated or distorted. "The current global context gives us all the more reason why we as citizens must respect and value the important work of museums. Why we all bear responsibility for ensuring that treasured cultural institutions like this one are supported and sustained. "For doing just that, we owe thanks to the entire [Royal BC] Museum organization and all who support it.” We couldn’t agree more. Gala sponsored by
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1. The Honourable Janet Austin, OBC, accepting a gift from Dr. Wafaa El Saddik at the fifth annual Francis Kermode Group Dinner and Gala. 2. Board Chair, Susan Knott (right), husband Lyle Knott and Darion Jones of Global Fashion Realty Advisors attending the fifth annual Francis Kermode Group Dinner and Gala. 3. Professor Jack Lohman, CEO of the Royal BC Museum, speaking at the fifth annual Francis Kermode Group Dinner and Gala. 4. The fifth annual Francis Kermode Group Dinner and Gala.
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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
A Culture of Peace Canadian Creative Industries Trade Mission to China By Professor Jack Lohman CBE, Chief Executive Officer
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n April of this year I joined the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, on a cultural delegation to China. The objective of our participation was to deepen relationships with museums in Beijing and to identify partners who can share BC museum content and tour our exhibitions to reach international
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audiences. I am pleased to report that the trip was very successful in accomplishing these goals.
in Beijing. Minister Joly’s clear leadership highlighted the immense value of culture in building a relationship with China.
Federal government support to the Royal BC Museum both before and during the mission was extensive and I am genuinely indebted to the highly efficient embassy staff
On April 12, 2018, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the Royal BC Museum and the Capital Museum in Beijing, one of China’s leading
museums. This MOU enhances our existing relationship by providing a platform for exhibition, research and training exchange, and establishes the Royal BC Museum as a preferred partner for exhibition exchange. It is a very exciting development for our institution’s international program. In discussions with the Capital Museum we agreed to focus on museum leadership training to ensure Canadian museum professionals have the skills and capacity to cope with a new era of cultural connection with China. This focus is not just about ensuring future museum leaders are culturally literate but about helping them to navigate international diversity, recognize cultural signals and get museum business done against the backdrop of a
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fast moving economy. Underpinning all of this is a belief that there is an urgent need to increase the international outlook and understanding among the next generation of museum professionals in Canada.
1. Capital Museum in Beijing, China. 2. Professor Jack Lohman meets with the National Museum of China executive team. 3. Professor Jack Lohman meets with Mr. Luo Shugang, Minister of Culture and Tourism of China.
It was inspirational to see the strength of the Royal BC Museum’s Indigenous collections recognized in China. In discussions with the National Museum of China, staff welcomed the idea of an exhibition featuring masterpieces from across Canadian museum and archives collections as a focus for nurturing a renewed relationship. We discussed how best to activate the diaspora communities in such a project and how to provide a physical expression of the relationship between our two countries.
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As this mission clearly demonstrated, culture is an effective tool for developing relationships and partnerships with China; not least as it provides an alternate focus from issues that are deemed contentious, such as human rights. The message of building a ‘culture of peace’ in the world through collaboration and partnership and holding out greater economic prosperity for both nations—referenced in speeches by both ministers—fits neatly into the narrative of Canadian foreign policy and perceptions of Canada in China.
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Behind the Scenes and Front of Mind By Janet MacDonald, Head of Learning
Collection Conversations Three massive feature walls in the welcome and workspace areas of the Learning Centre will display a diverse selection of our museum and archival collections.
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he new Learning Centre at the Royal BC Museum is a vital undertaking. This unique and dedicated educational space will cater to the widest possible audience, helping us realize our full potential as a provincial destination for lifelong learning.
Tapping into the IT Crowd Following on from this foundational work, we invited a group of local IT experts, educators and museum staff for a one-day technology and innovation charette. The charette was intended to help the museum create a strong concept for the Tech Lab at the core of the Learning Centre.
In the crucial design phase of the facility, the Learning Department hosted a strategic-planning workshop to ensure communities’ priorities and the perspectives of a wide range of stakeholders were considered and incorporated from the outset. The workshop brought community leaders and other key stakeholders together to clarify the needs and trends in programming for families, preschool-aged children, school-aged children, adults, seniors and elders—our primary audiences.
At the end of the day a unanimous recommendation was endorsed by all participants. Entitled near/far, the concept infuses technology into an education platform for the delivery and sharing of knowledge, on site and remotely. There are two sides to the lab: the ‘near’ side, primarily a makerspace for on-site classes to explore the potential of technology to create innovative ways of interpreting museum collections, and a ‘far’ side, facilitating learning across the province and around the world.
This collaborative work has provided key recommendations for moving forward. Key themes, based on prevalent needs and trends, have informed the vision, mission, goals and strategies for the 2018–21 learning plan, which incorporates the considerations required for opening the Learning Centre in year two of the plan.
The near/far concept is feasible now, but crucially it is also future ready. Technologies and digital innovation develop fast; to keep up, we need to have flexible frameworks to build on. The concept also provides significant partnership opportunities. As this article goes to press, we are refining the business requirements for this innovative space.
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The visuals aim to take your breath away, but there will be a deeper conversation at play as well. The juxtaposition of objects will encourage a more holistic exploration of our province and people, reinforcing our sense of place and interconnectedness. Through facilitated conversations and handson explorations, history and memory will combine to tell stories about our identities, relationships, roles and responsibilities through the generations. This represents the first two stages of active learning—‘focus’ and ‘explore’—in a light and intriguing way. The selection of objects for this display has already begun. In collaboration with the Learning team, designers, curators, collections managers and archivists will undertake to create a focal point that sparks engagement and curiosity. The objects will speak to and interact with each other in relation to a number of themes, including diversity, innovation and ingenuity, resilience, transformation, continuity, mystery and comedy. Industrial Space Provides Practical Experience Currently, we are in preconstruction mode in the Learning Centre. The look is a bit industrial—described as “cool” by a number of visitors— but we are already using the space for everything from professional development sessions for teachers to summer camps, and from school programs to
community lectures. We’re getting to know what works best and figuring out how our audiences use the space. What’s in Store… When complete, the Learning Centre will be a creative and collaborative space for deeper thinking, doing and learning. Courses and workshops will provide an opportunity to explore the role of objects and the meaning of collecting. Weekly offerings will be designed for socialization and skill development, increasing engagement with the museum and the broader community. Imagine: courses on climate change, BC archaeology and the impact of tsunami debris on the west coast; behind-the-scenes explorations of collection highlights, nature in art and photography, and fashion and society through the prism of our textiles collection. The Learning Centre no longer feels like just a museum space—it already embodies our aspirations, and we are still gaining momentum. Stay tuned… 1. Artist’s concept for the refreshed Learning Centre. 2 Spring break participants enjoying the current Learning Centre.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! $1.2 million is still needed to complete this important project. If you would like to learn more or contribute to our Learning Centre campaign, please contact the Fundraising and Development Department today at 250-387-7222, or visit us online at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/support-us.
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GOING DIGITAL
Revolver Beetles on the Move By Shane Lighter, Digital Imaging Technician
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ast January, I was tasked with exploring the possibility of photographing entomology specimens for a new 3D gallery on our website. After some initial discussion about what kind of 3D images we were actually looking for, I started researching methods and equipment. Fast forward a few months and I was ready to begin testing. Choosing from the thousands of objects in our entomology collection was difficult, so we looked to the Egypt exhibition for inspiration and decided to showcase the magnificent scarab beetles of British Columbia. With the help of Claudia Copley, entomology collection manager, we chose scarab specimens and then began experimenting with lighting and post-processing techniques.
It turns out that one of the trickiest aspects of shooting 3D is placing the objects correctly. They have to be dead centre on the turntable, which rotates them slightly for the camera. Once the specimens were placed, the software took over, running both turntable and camera. Every image was processed in Photoshop for colour balance and tone, cropped and finally run through the 3D software to create the 3D image, which the Digital team then put online. Projects like this allow us to learn new skills and techniques, while sharing our magnificent collection with the world. To see the online gallery, visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/beetle3D.
Euphoria inda, the Bumble Flower Beetle, is the latest specimen to be featured in our 100 Objects of Interest.
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Accidental Learning Designing Museum Programs for Adults By Kim Gough, Learning Program Developer
are helping them to rediscover us and our collections. We are inviting them to start a new relationship with the museum, a place they may not have come to since they were children themselves. Come and experience one of these events yourself. If the party atmosphere isn’t your thing, we also offer talks, lectures and discussion panels, as well as special events like the Storytelling as Medicine Indigenous Art Symposium, presented in partnership with the City of Victoria and their Indigenous artist in residence. For a full list of events visit rbcm.ca/calendar. 1.
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hat started out as a modest afterhours party for 100 adults has grown into two signature Night Shift events and a spinoff series called Museum Happy Hour. During these events adults can visit a museum free of children, purchase a drink and dance to music. But before you dismiss these ventures into adult programs as distractions from the educational mandate of a proper museum, read on. Museums, art galleries, zoos, parks and aquariums are sites of informal learning, places where learning takes places outside of formal institutions such as schools. Whether visitors arrive with the conscious intent to learn or come to enjoy themselves in other ways, the very design of the museum and its programs can ensure that guests will come across something that interests or surprises them. Museum academics call this “accidental learning”.
1–2. Guests exploring the museum at Happy Hour.
At the Night Shift Halloween event, visitors may be primarily interested in winning the costume contest, but they can also take part in a scavenger hunt designed to get them looking more closely at the displays in the gallery. Attendees at Night Shift: Valentine’s may come with the intention of impressing their dates with a unique Valentine’s venue, but while here they chat with museum curators and collection managers and discover interesting facts about animal mating behaviours. Museum Happy Hour guests may have planned on just having a drink with friends after work but may instead find themselves sketching animal mounts, taking part in a pub quiz, learning how to jive, or seeing gay and lesbian history as reflected in the BC Archives collection. By carefully planning activities to engage, attract and entertain adult guests, we
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PROFILE
Leslie McGarry, Cultural Program Facilitator By Janet MacDonald, Head of Learning
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n any given day in the Jonathan Hunt House—particularly during the school year—you will find attentive students transfixed by one of Leslie McGarry’s stories. There is nothing quite like the power of storytelling, and sharing oral traditions with our youngest generation. It requires a unique generosity of spirit. Leslie McGarry has worked in partnership with the Royal BC Museum since 1994, but her connection to the museum has even deeper roots. Her paternal greatgrandfather was Chief Jonathan Hunt,
who approved the replication of his cedar plank ceremonial big house, now situated at the core First Peoples gallery on the third floor. The house was built by her grandfather, Chief Henry Hunt, with assistance from her uncle, Chief Tony Hunt; both of them worked with her maternal great-grandfather, Chief Mungo Martin, on the Totem Pole Restoration Project in Thunderbird Park. Imagine a place where your family surrounds you at every turn. Leslie’s uncle, Richard Hunt, worked for 13 years as the
resident master carver in Thunderbird Park; her mother, Shirley Hunt-Ford, created button blankets for museum exhibitions, including Robes of Power and The Legacy; her great-aunt, Emma Hunt, is one of the narrative voices in the Cosmology Theatre; and a Chilkat apron woven by her great-great-grandmother, Anisalaga (Mary Ebbetts Hunt), is currently on display. For 26 years, Leslie was the culture and community relations director for the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. She was a driving force in the success of the long-running annual First Peoples Festival and the Echoes of Ancestry carving program. She developed on-site museum school programs in the mid-1990s and, upon leaving the centre, she returned to the museum as an independent contractor supporting the museum’s Indigenouscentred school programs. She has also developed outlines for two new museum school programs. Today, Leslie conducts real and virtual tours of the First Peoples gallery, provides professional development opportunities for teachers and volunteers, and participates in a number of workshops aimed at incorporating more Indigenous ways into our programs and exhibition narratives. See our website to learn more about the Cultural Program that Leslie facilitates. Proud supportor of EAGLE Program.
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“Working with the Royal BC Museum has allowed me to maintain my family’s longstanding connection to the First Peoples gallery, a legacy spanning four generations. It is due to this ‘heart string’ that I feel inspired to encourage visitors to acquire a deeper understanding of the complex cultures and languages of British Columbia’s First Peoples.” – Leslie McGarry
EAGLE Program EAGLE is an acronym standing for Education and Appreciation Garnered through Listening and Exploring. This cultural awareness program features a series of interpretive tours of the Royal BC Museum’s First Peoples gallery from a First Nations perspective.
FEATURE
BC Interior’s Lake Life, 52 Million Years Ago By Marji Johns, Paleontology Collections Manager and Researcher (Retired)
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oised majestically along cliff edges and below rock hoodoos is one of Canada’s most richly diverse early Eocene fossil sites. The McAbee Fossil Beds Heritage Site overlooks the stark beauty of the Thompson River valley near Cache Creek, BC. Local First Peoples consider this area spiritual; others experience its serenity. To view the fossil beds, we first scrambled up a deeply grooved and washed-out road. Erosion-carved gullies and hoodoo rock pillars give the area an ethereal feel. Shale talus and remnants of
fallen rock litter the area. Close inspection reveals an ancient fossil on almost every piece of shale. About 52 million years ago, a series of valley lakes supported abundant life in BC’s interior. At the McAbee fossil beds, many different flowering plants and conifers populated the lake shores. The lakebed sediments preserve diverse fossil leaves, flowers, cones and seeds, some recognized as new to science. Fishes— among them a rare and early salmon—were
plentiful and fed on numerous insects such as flies, lacewings, wasps, beetles and ants. Crayfish scavenged close to shorelines. Rare spiders astound a fossil collector. Even fossil birds and individual downy feathers have been discovered in the shale. These fossils are a window into a time when vegetation was lush and the climate (continues on page 24) The view across the Thompson River Valley from the McAbee Fossil Beds Heritage Site.
was wetter and warmer than it is in the interior today. Temperatures rose to their maximum during the Eocene. Mountains were rising. Volcanoes spewed ash and debris tumbled into valleys. One of these debris flows buried the lake beds at McAbee; today, it forms the rock hoodoos that cap the fossil-rich shale layers below. Geological activity continued, changing the ecosystems and eventually exposing these sites for us to explore. The fossils here have a stunning delicacy and clarity; it is hard to believe they are 52 million years old. The diversity of plants in one area—redwood, pine, fir, ginkgo, ferns, horsetail, chestnut, beech, elm, maple, laurel, willow, alder, birch, oak, roses and many more—is a curiosity. Today, their relatives often occupy very different environments. But in the Eocene, they were all around these lakes. Was it the warm climate and enriched volcanic soils that created this productive ecosystem? The McAbee site contains exceptional fossils vital for scientific research and education. Its significance is recognized by Canadian researchers such as Dr. Mark Wilson (fishes), Dr. Bruce Archibald (insects) and Dr. David Greenwood (plants).
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Dave Langevin and John Leahy managed the site under mineral tenure before it was designated a heritage site in July 2012. Accessibility and the abundance of scientifically important and new fossils elevated the site to world renown. In the fall of 2017, about 18,000 fossil matrices collected from McAbee by John Leahy were donated by his family to the
Royal BC Museum. Fossil identifications of new species and other scientific discoveries about a time long ago enrich our knowledge. This research will give us clues about past and present climates and ecologies. The collection is a treasure-trove for new scientific information and learning at our museum. 1. Crayfish fossil from the McAbee Fossil Bed2 Heritage Site. 2. Eosalmo fossil from the McAbee Fossil Bed2 Heritage Site.
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A Drone and a 360° Camera Come to the Museum Online Learning and Research Innovation Project By Liz Crocker, Learning Program Developer
A
s BC’s provincial museum, we strive to reach as many British Columbians as possible. Online learning programs, like the Learning Portal and our digital field trips, help us connect with visitors who may never actually get to the Royal BC Museum in person. These are strong programs, but they can always be better. One way to improve them is to add more original, dynamic photographs and videos. So I was pretty excited when earlier this year we received funding from the John and Joan Walton Innovators Fund to do just that. With this funding we have purchased a 360° camera and a drone. Both these new technologies capture photographs and video that can create more immersive storytelling experiences for our visitors. A drone can take aerial photos and video where a human cannot, for example over a pod of orcas or a herd of caribou. But with great technology comes great responsibility. With funding for this project we have also been able to train three museum staff as fully certified Transport Canada drone pilots.
of drone technology for archaeology research include increased efficiency and improved safety for staff working in unsafe terrain. Drones allow researchers to explore otherwise inaccessible areas and to tell their stories in a more enriched way. Most importantly, dronecaptured aerial photographs and video can reveal cultural features on the landscape that cannot be seen from the ground. By the end of our first year, we hope to share the stories of Royal BC Museum researchers,
both in the field and behind the scenes in the collections, so that more British Columbians can experience scientific exploration and discovery up close—digitally speaking. Thank you to the John and Joan Walton Innovators Fund for their generous support. Dr. Genevieve Hill, archaeology collection manager and researcher, and Meaghan Efford, co-op student in the anthropology department at the University of Victoria, getting ready to fly the Royal BC Museum’s new drone.
1. Ium harchitiis ab iliqui voluptatur? 2. Officillam, cone nobitatist, qui solupti
Online learning is not the only area that will benefit from this project. Museum researchers will also get a chance to try out our new equipment and experiment with its impact on their work. Our annual field research season provides excellent opportunities to capture original video from remote locations in BC. For this first year of the project, however, we are staying close to home. We are testing applications of the drone in the beautiful Cowichan Valley with Archaeology Collections Manager Dr. Genevieve Hill. Potential benefits royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 25
New from the Royal BC Museum
The Collectors A History of the Royal British Columbia Museum and Archives by Patricia E. Roy ISBN 978-0-7726-7200-1
$39.95 Purchase your copy online, at the Royal Museum Shop or at your local bookstore.
Available October 2018 For more than 130 years, the Royal British Columbia Museum and Archives has preserved and presented the province. From the glass cases of 1886 to the always-on digital archives of the present day, The Collectors tells the story of the museum and archives, a story of continuity and change, of quirks and curiosities, and of the fascinating characters and enduring themes that have shaped one of British Columbia’s most distinguished institutions.
“Today’s British Columbians are fortunate that the early settlers realized how much there was in the province to preserve.” – Introduction
For more information visit rbcm.ca/publications
PARTNERSHIP PROFILE
BCGEU E
very day, the members of the BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU) are making a positive impact on families and communities across British Columbia. The BCGEU is one of the most diverse and fastest growing unions in the province. And with more than 77,000 members working in just about every sector of BC’s economy, we are also one of the largest. Roughly one-third of BCGEU members work in direct government service, including staff at the Royal BC Museum. We also represent tens of thousands of workers outside government service in health care, community social services, education, highways maintenance, casinos and credit unions, as well as municipal and regional government. As a union, our goal is to support our members and improve the lives of all workers. For us, that means partnering with organizations that help strengthen families and build communities. The BCGEU supports the Royal BC Museum’s commitment to broadening the understanding of our province by telling stories that enlighten, stimulate and inspire. We were proud to sponsor the museum’s Species at Risk travelling exhibition in 2017 and the opening gala for the prestigious Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs exhibition in 2018. As we move into our centennial year in 2019, we look forward to working with the Royal BC Museum to explore and share the social and political history of our movement through the records of the BC Archives. To find out more about what the BCGEU and our members are doing in your community, please visit bcgeu.ca.
Royal Museum Shop Intriguing and Unique
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!
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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 6.
What’s on FAMILY PROGRAMS Night at the Museum Family Sleepover Come spend the night as an ancient Egyptian as we build pyramids, decode secret hieroglyphic messages and explore ancient Egypt. October 20 | 6:30 pm – 9:00 am $80 per person | 10% member discount Wonder Sunday Bring your curiosity—and the whole family! Join us every Sunday, from October to May, for exploration, excitement and family fun. Included with admission or membership. Animals of the Night October 14, 21, 28 | 1:00–3:00 pm Egypt November 4, 11, 18, 25 | 1:00–3:00 pm World Celebrations December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 | 1:00–3:00 pm ADULT PROGRAMS It’s Complicated: A Discussion Series This participatory discussion series tackles perspectives and definitions, upending assumptions to help us better understand ourselves and our community. By donation. Environment September 20 | 5:15–7:00 pm
BC Archives Pub Quiz Celebrate Archives Week with a pint during our traditional British-style pub quiz. November 23 | 5:15–7:00 pm $10 per person ALL AGES Fieldtrippers: All Ages Join us for themed outdoor field trips led by museum staff and community collaborators. Wear suitable footwear and be prepared for rain.
Walking Victoria’s Great War Join Royal BC Museum staff and military historian Paul Ferguson on a two-hour, three-kilometre traipse about Victoria to discover the city’s connection to World War I. November 24 | 1:00–3:00 pm By donation. Suggested: $5 per person.
Pathway to the Afterlife: An Interactive Event The Egyptians had a vivid understanding of the afterlife and rich, complex rituals to ensure the soul arrived there. Join us for a mock Egyptian funeral, organized by Camosun College’s Anthropology of Death class. November 24 | 1:00–3:00 pm Included with admission or membership
LECTURES Beneath the Sands of Egypt: Exploration and Discoveries in the Valley of the Kings Dr. Donald Ryan, an archaeologist and Egyptologist, has made multiple excavations in the Valley of the Kings, including one that resulted in the rediscovery of a tomb containing the mummy identified as that of Hatshepsut. September 20 | 7:00–9:00 pm $20 per person | Newcombe Conference Hall Live @ Lunch Find out what’s happening at the museum and archives in these monthly talks. First Wednesday of each month. By donation.
Rafting the Pacific: The Biological Story of the 2011 Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris September 5 | 12:00–1:00 pm
Women’s History Month October 3 | 12:00–1:00 pm A Case of Un(convent)ional Women: The Sisters of St. Ann November 7 | 12:00–1:00 pm A New Direction for Paleontology December 5 | 12:00–1:00 pm
Human Remains October 18 | 5:15–7:00 pm Unceded November 14 | 5:15–7:00 pm Night Shift: After Life From here to the hereafter. Our adult-only after-hours party Night Shift: After Life will be an evening like no other. October 27 | 8:00 pm – 12:00am $40 per person | 19+ Two pieces of ID required for entry Museum Happy Hour Drink, eat, meet and explore. Enjoy one-nightonly themed events and activities for adults. $10 per person | 19+ Two pieces of ID required for entry On the Home Front November 8 | 5:15–7:00 pm Old Town Extremely Extreme November 22 | 5:15–7:00 pm Natural History gallery 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.
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!
EXPLORE THE WORLD WITHOUT LEAVING VICTORIA! Become a member today and get access to three incredible exhibitions in 2018 and 2019, including Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs, Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the upcoming Maya exhibition. Indulge your curiosity for one low annual fee!
Visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/join or call 250-387-3287
DONOR PROFILE
The Bamjis Help Empower the Next Generation of Learners By Jonathan Dallison, Manager, Donor Relations
observes Perry. “We need to empower the next generation of learners and leaders. One way we can do that is to show our support in whatever way we can for the Learning Centre initiative.”
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magine yourself surrounded by unique and captivating artifacts from around the world, engaged in animated conversation with welcoming people who have wideranging interests and infectious smiles, and you will have some idea of what it is like to sit down with Annamaria and Dr. Pervez (Perry) Bamji in their home for a discussion of the Royal BC Museum.
The Bamjis joined our Francis Kermode Group earlier this year in order to offer their financial support, access special tours and events, and enjoy a closer relationship with museum experts and like-minded patrons. Soon after, they also made a contribution to our Learning Centre campaign. “The idea of a dedicated Learning Centre that will provide lifelong learning for any citizen regardless of age, background or physical location really attracted us,” 30
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They have brought this forward-thinking charitable mindset with them throughout their remarkable lives. While Perry hails from Mumbai, India, and Annamaria from Milan, Italy, they met in Oxfordshire, England. They have also lived in Shizuoka, Japan, and Kingston, Ontario, while Perry was working for Alcan International’s three research centres as a senior research scientist and technology manager, which he did for 28 years. He was also an associate professor at the Queen’s University Smith School of Business for 11 years before retiring in Victoria in 2006. He has a PhD in electrical engineering and 12 patents to his credit. Annamaria has a master’s in arts history, was owner and operator of an art gallery in Kingston and is currently researching and writing articles on Italians in Victoria during the gold rush. Coming from different backgrounds, Annamaria and Perry have differing passions and beliefs. One thing they share is a strong belief in supporting the community in which they live. Annamaria received an early exposure to philanthropy from her late mother, who supported wartime orphans and was a patron of visual arts. Perry’s late parents always encouraged their three children to receive a sound education, be respectful to people
of different cultures and support the disadvantaged in whatever way they could. Their charitable giving started at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where they established seven fully endowed bursaries and scholarships in various faculties. They have also participated in several international humanitarian projects through their affiliation with the Rotary Club. Currently, they are active supporters of many cultural and humanitarian causes in Victoria. “We have worked hard all through our lives,” Annamaria notes. “In return, Canada has been a good country to us. By supporting causes that we are passionate about, this is our little way of saying thank you Canada, and thank you Victoria.” Dr. Perry and Annamaria Bamji at our fifth annual Francis Kermode Group gala, celebrating the opening of Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs.
Would you like to join the Bamjis in the Francis Kermode Group? Are you interested in supporting our Learning Centre project? We would love to have you be a member of our supporter family. To learn more, please contact the Fundraising and Development Department today at 250-387-7222 or visit us online at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/support-us.
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.)
Our Littlest Learners Learning Centre Spotlight By Angelica Pass, Development Officer
W
hen you think of a classroom, what do you see? Desks and chairs in rows, a whiteboard and teacher at the front? For our early-learners space within the new Learning Centre, we imagine something different. We imagine a multi-purpose environment that is scaled for children–cozy reading nooks, theatres for role play, blanket forts, and collections that can be touched and viewed up close to develop motor skills and inspire curiosity. We imagine interlocking tables in a variety of heights and flexible seating that can move with active children. Our youngest visitors have unique needs, and we need your help to create a special environment that will help them learn through play and imagination. By designing a special space just for them, we can help kids build their self-esteem and realize their limitless potential. With your support, we can create a space for early learners to feel connected and welcome at the museum and archives.
Please make a gift today! Contact our fundraising department at 250-387-7222 or donate@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.
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:
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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
Night at the Museum Family Sleepover Come spend the night as an ancient Egyptian as we build pyramids, decode secret hieroglyph messages, explore the wonder of the ancient Egyptian night sky, and mummify a few vegetables! This mysterious and fun-filled night will not only be your most memorable museum visit yet, but will also gear you up for Halloween!
October 20 | 6:30 pm – 9:00 am
Get tickets at rbcm.ca/sleepover