Fall 2014
Royal BC Museum Commemorates WWI 2015 Exhibition
Gold Rush! El Dorado in BC A Closer Look
Our Closest Invertebrate Relatives
$3.95
SUMMER 2014 FEATURE Commemorating the Great War
2
Feature Partner Greater Victoria Public Library
5
FEATURE Gold Fever Sparks Major Exhibition
6
Volunteer Profile Anastasia, aka Asia
9
MANAGING EDITOR Kathryn Swanson Membership & Marketing Coordinator
2
Gerry Truscott Publisher
A Closer Look 12 Beautiful Bee C
Jenny McCleery Graphic Designer
FEATURE 14 FISH = Find Interesting Specimens Here
Shane Lighter Photographer
New Publication 16 From the Royal BC Museum
FEATURE 18 Conservators are not (all) Tree Huggers FEATURE 21 Cowichan Estuary: A Collaboration
David Alexander Head of New Archives & Digital Preservation Erik Lambertson Corporate Communications Officer
A Closer Look 10 Rarer than Gold: A Sneak Peek at an Artifact in the Upcoming Gold Rush Exhibition
Staff Profile 17 Janet MacDonald
Erika Stenson Head of Marketing & Development
6
FEATURE 22 Save Our Species!
What’s inSight is an electronic magazine released four times annually, in March, June, September and December, by the Royal BC Museum. In the interest of keeping our administrative costs low – and our carbon footprint small – this print version is provided to members without computer access only. ONE MORE WAY TO GO GREEN Contact Kathryn Swanson to request a digital version of What’s inSight Membership & Marketing Coordinator 250-387-3287 membership@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
A Closer Look 24 Our Closest Invertebrate Relatives Partner Profile 27 Satisfy Your Curiosity with Continuing Studies
Cover Image British Columbia recruits departing Victoria, ca. 1915. Ernest Crocker photograph, f-00327
2
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
14
Dear Friends, Our new installation British Columbia Remembers: The Great War in Clifford Carl Hall shows four new montages of film that were shot in British Columbia one hundred years ago. These everyday scenes of soldiers leaving for war, drilling and training have today acquired an outsized significance as they touch the official history of Canada. Up close, the films look grainy with the patina of age, and some look blurred; but standing back, archivists have been able to identify many of the locations shown. One sequence features Willows Racetrack in Oak Bay, another Macaulay Plains in Esquimalt, while others show Victoria Harbour and the Vancouver CPR terminal. Some of the regiments can be identified, but sadly the names of those they feature are not known at all. In parallel, archivists at the Royal BC Museum have digitized almost 5,000 letters from our collection to allow the rest of the world to understand the impact of the war not just on lives but on whole communities. The letters will be available to be read and transcribed this fall. There is nothing mystical about these letters, they are simply painfully literal. Taken together these two projects make an indispensable dossier. The Great War lasted almost five years, leaving millions wounded, missing or dead. More than 60,000 Canadians perished. On both sides, the Allies and the Central Powers, the numbers were terrifyingly large, over five million casualties and over nine million dead. The war bequeathed us a new world that we are still coming to terms with. Our task at the museum and archives is to cultivate a spirit of remembrance especially when there are no more survivors of the Great War. Through projects like these we hope more objects, archives, photographs and films will emerge from the depths of our collections for the benefit of us all.
British Columbia recruits in training exercises ca. 1915. Ernest Crocker photograph BC Archives f-00333 From the collections of the Royal BC Museum
Yours,
Professor Jack Lohman, CBE Chief Executive Officer, Royal BC Museum
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
1
British Columbia recruits departing Victoria, ca. 1915. Ernest Crocker photograph, f-00329
Commemorating the Great War By Erik Lambertson, Corporate Communications Officer
T
his year the Royal BC Museum will mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War – also known as the Great War – with a special installation, participation in commemorative events and an online focus on archival materials related to this catastrophic, epochshaping event.
August 4, 2014 was the centenary of Britain’s declaration of war against Germany. As a member of the British Empire, Canada was automatically at war and British Columbians enlisted enthusiastically – 55,570 of them served in the 620,000-strong Canadian Expeditionary Force. To mark the anniversary of the Great War (1914–18), the Royal BC Museum began its recognition with an installation called British Columbia Remembers: The Great War. The installation will evolve over the next four years. Initially, it features four video montages of British Columbian recruits training, drilling and marching before departing for the war in Europe. The raw footage, shot on 35mm cellulose nitrate stock, was painstakingly stitched together by archivist Dennis Duffy. Period music selections augment the montages.
The films are introduced with still photographs by enterprising Victoriabased commercial photographer Ernest Crocker (1877-1968), also known as “Trio.” Crocker made thousands of candid photographs of troops waving farewell, as they embarked from Victoria’s Inner Harbour bound for further training and eventually for combat in Europe. On October 25 we will participate in a special concert by the Victoria Symphony, Lest We Forget, at the Bay St. Armoury. The concert of remembrance will include excerpts from the First World War-era raw footage and will feature a new work by local composer Tobin Stokes that tells the story of J.C. Richardson, who famously piped Canadian troops into battle. In the Spring 2014 edition of What’s inSight we told you about our plans to digitize a selection of letters, from our collections, written by soldiers on the battlefronts of the Great War. Our ambition is to provide contemporary audiences with access to the dramatic personal experiences of British Columbians on the battlefield one hundred years ago. These letters will be ready for continues page 4
2
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 3
Right: Dawn Loucks discovers a photo of her ancestors in the BC Archives Below: “Departure of Army Medical Draft, Wednesday June 13, 1917” Government Street, Victoria. Ernest Crocker photograph, f-00336
reading and transcription in the fall of 2014. Royal BC Museum archivist Ann ten Cate has selected many of the letters and diary entries for this project. One person she has chosen to feature is Frank Swannell, whose diary entries she characterizes as “heartbreaking” and vivid, “because Swannell is living through some of the worst of the trench warfare.” Through the lens of entries like Swannell’s, we see how the Great War was experienced by local volunteers, in all its numbing boredom, shocking violence and close calls. In one entry from May 28, 1915, he writes how “three shells drive right into [our] parapet” and he barely escapes injury “from a fragment glancing from my shovel, grazing my thumb.” After scanning, the digitized materials will become much easier for the Royal BC Museum to share. Our website – open year round, no appointments necessary – is the ideal showcase. There is also value in transcribing these materials, particularly to increase legibility and searchability. The Royal BC Museum is crowd-sourcing talent and energy for this project, encouraging the public to read and
4
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
transcribe Great War-era letters -- a project that would take much longer without additional volunteer support. Transcription heightens the efficiency of research at the BC Archives, as researchers are able to search records online, looking for key words, names and dates in a search engine, rather than having to read a document in its entirety. Whether digitizing or transcribing Great War records, our aim is to bring original, often hidden, materials into the light of day. This helps researchers, historians and novelists looking for source materials. It can also help the descendants of Great War veterans better understand the personal histories of their ancestors. One heartwarming result of our Spring 2014 edition was Royal BC Museum member Dawn Loucks coming face-to-face with an image of her grandfather, Erroll Pilkington Gillespie, in the article Digitizing Letters from the Front. Recently, Loucks visited the BC Archives to rediscover some of the original photographs her aunt had donated many years ago. Loucks pored over one photo taken in the family home, Highwood,
of her great-grandfather, greatgrandmother, and their eight adult children. Astonishingly, most of the seven brothers in the photo – including Dawn’s grandfather – had all recently served in and survived the Great War. The husband of their sister, Florence, had not. “Like so many who came back from the war,” she said, looking at the solemn faces in the portrait, “they didn’t talk about their experiences.” The war-time letters from her own family, held in the BC Archives, can certainly help her understand what they may have endured. From now until 2019 the Royal BC Museum will honour the men and women who served in the Great War with ongoing thematic displays of images, artifacts and archival records to commemorate the war and its dramatic legacy. We will remember.
FEATURE PARTNER
Greater Victoria Public Library By Kim Gough, Adult Learning Team Lead
WIN A TRIP TO
I
recently became aware of a new acronym “GLAM” which stands for galleries, libraries, archives and museums. Looking at these institutions as a group makes a lot of sense because of all the attributes we share – we all collect, manage and serve an audience that includes researchers and learners of all ages. Our audiences want access, participation and multilayered experiences that can be best served through collaboration.
With similar roles and goals, it is natural to combine forces and expertise. The Greater Victoria Public Library has been a great friend and partner to us. Since 2011 we have provided access to familiesin-need by providing lending family memberships available at the library. Users can sign out the pass for one week and enjoy unlimited access to the Royal BC Museum’s galleries. On a smaller scale, my colleague Chris O’Connor and I have participated with the Children and Family Literacy Program by selecting books related to our exhibitions, enhancing them with artifacts from the collection and presenting it to young readers at the library. This has been a great way to interact with an audience who may not normally come to the museum and archives, to introduce them to
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
the type of work we do and give them a taste of our collections. Based on these positive experiences, we are continuing to explore ways to work together. As part of Remembrance Day commemorations we will conduct a joint Booksmack on November 5, 2014. A Booksmack is a panel of librarians joined by a Royal BC Museum expert for a rapid-fire discussion of favourite books from and about the subject. The Royal BC Museum is also developing its own book club. Librarians and Curators will come up with a book list based on a theme; our first theme will be the Gold Rush to complement our upcoming exhibition that opens in May. We are also working on a partnership to deliver a comprehensive overview of resources available to people interested in researching their family history. By putting our BC Archives team together with the Greater Victoria Public Library we will assemble a squad of “Information Superheroes.” If you have ideas you would like us to explore in programming contact Kim Gough at kgough@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
I N VA D E
B R I TA I N
Discover who the Vikings really were and enter for a chance to win a trip for 2 to Britain, including flights and a 5 day tour. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/ vikings/contest
5
Gold Fever Sparks Major Exhibition By Kyle Wells, Communications Specialist
G
old.
It captures the imagination, the ambition, the thirst for adventure and the greed of so many who come across it. It is the source of dreams on which civilizations have been built, and of a thirst for wealth which has caused the downfall of so many who have answered its siren call. It is also one of the most important factors in the development of our modern British Columbia and the focus of the Royal BC Museum’s major exhibition for 2015.
“It’s a very powerful motivator. You could say it’s a form of insanity,” said Dr. Lorne Hammond, Curator of History with the Royal BC Museum. “It brings out some of the best and some of the worst in people. People murder for gold, lie and cheat; but people also take heroic risks for gold.” Royal BC Museum staff are currently hard at work researching and developing this major exhibition with a unique take on this important historical event, which will open at the Royal BC Museum on May 13, 205 before heading on tour. “We decided we really wanted to get into the social story of the Gold 6
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
Rush,” Hammond said. “To look at life in the gold fields, how people got here and where they came from. We want to talk about the Gold Rush of 1858 in a global context.” By 1858, the start of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, world events had set the stage for British Columbia gold to cause a commotion. As Governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island, James Douglas, along with the world, watched and learned from gold rushes leading up to BC’s own. He saw the conflicts between different cultures carry out during the California gold rush of 1849. He saw the Australian government attempt to heavily tax miners and face an uprising during its rush of 1851. He saw the tensions sparked with First Nations communities when gold was discovered that same year on Haida Gwaii. He also saw the potential. California’s gold rush had led to an explosion in its population and economy, transforming San Francisco from a sleepy port into a bustling city, and paving the way for statehood. Australia saw the same influx of people and money into its economy. Haida Gwaii quite suddenly became of greater interest to Britain, thanks to its minor brush with gold.
What followed would change British Columbia forever. It would bring people from all over the world, permanently altering the ethnic landscape of the area and triggering a population boom. It would create conflict, including an armed battle known as the Fraser Canyon War between American miners and First Nations. It would become the catalyst for the establishment of British Columbia as a colony and, eventually, as a province. The Royal BC Museum exhibition will explore the build up to the British Columbia gold rushes, both in the Fraser Canyon and the Cariboo, and will allow visitors to explore and understand the significance these few short years had to the development of our province. By utilizing significant records and artifacts in the Royal BC Museum’s own collections and working with partners provincially, nationally and internationally, the exhibition will showcase the collected history of the gold rush and its ongoing legacy on the land and the peoples. The story of the gold rush is also the story of the birth of multiculturalism in BC, a history this new exhibition is committed to telling. Miners came from around the world to search for gold in BC. African
Exhibition Tour Dates May 13, 2015 – October 31, 2015 Royal BC Museum November 1, 2015 – March 1, 2016 Guangdong Museum of Chinese Nationals Residing Abroad, Guanzhou, China May 24, 2016 – January 15, 2017 Canadian Museum of History, Ottawa royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
7
Some of the great of the great treasures from the collections of the Museo del Oro, Bogota, Colombia
The Royal Canadian Mint, the Canadian History Museum and the Canadian Museum of Science and Technology will lend objects speaking to the uses of gold, both practical and ornamental, and the significance of the gold rush.
Americans come in large numbers from the United States, searching for freedom and fortune. Jewish immigrants come to BC with the tide of people, setting down roots and establishing the oldest synagogue in Western Canada, in Victoria. Germans, Chinese, South Americans, Australians, Hawaiians, Polish, Irish and many other immigrants came to BC during this feverish time. “Anybody you can think of were here,” said Dr. Tzu-I Chung, Royal BC Museum Curator of History, who focuses on the multicultural history of the province. First Nations communities are also an integral part of the story, both as participants and in opposition to this mass migration of Europeans and others into their traditional lands. “The Gold Rush shaped today’s BC in a lot of really fundamental ways,” Chung said. “We still have a lot of stories that are yet to be discovered, cultural stories and interactions between groups.” Chung has combed through the museum’s collection and has worked with partner organizations to bring
8
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
in objects and records which tell this story of multiculturalism. The significance of gold itself will also be tackled. Thanks to the generosity of the Museo del Oro in Bogota, Colombia, the museum will be able to showcase a unique collection of over 100 pre-Columbian exquisitely crafted gold artifacts. From ornate jewellery and body adornments to ancient symbols and golden figurines, these pieces marry the skills and messages of the ancient craftsman to the innate allure of gold itself. Showing for the first time ever in Western Canada, this collection provides insight into a civilization that celebrated the power of gold and its integral place in their society. A section on gold in the modern world will focus on the ways in which gold continues to be a significant presence, with its prices skyrocketing and its uses continually expanding. Objects here will include everything from a Nashville guitar, to an American Express Gold Card to famous gold-plated awards, such as Olympic medals.
Archivist Ann ten Cate has been mining through the BC Archives at the Royal BC Museum in search of documents, art, photographs and other materials which will help bring this story to life for visitors. “We have selected some really unique items that people won’t have seen before on exhibit,” ten Cate said. For example, the Royal BC Museum is home to a petition from about 400 miners, including women, in the Yale area around 1858. The petition is seven feet in length and asks the Governor of British Columbia, James Douglas, for an official escort to transport gold from the Fraser Canyon, and for the establishment of a post office in Yale. Another item ten Cate hopes to display is the journal of Emily Carr’s father, who was a successful businessman during the California Gold Rush and eventually came to British Columbia in order to open up shop as a supplier to the gold trade. From art to politics, from the economy to the very social makeup of British Columbia, gold has left its mark on our province. Learn more: royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/ upcomingexhibitions
Anastasia posing with a preserved Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) specimen in the invertebrate laboratory.
Volunteer Profile
Anastasia, aka Asia, the Royal BC Museum’s Youngest Volunteer By Heidi Gartner, Invertebrate Collection Manager
A
sia is 10 years old and volunteers in the Invertebrate (animals without backbones) Collection. You’re probably wondering how we were able to find a 10-year-old interested in volunteering at the Royal BC Museum? Truth be told, Asia found us! Asia has had a strong interest in marine life since she was six years old. Through a Royal BC Museum school program called Learning in Depth Asia was assigned the subject of corals. Well, this was right up Asia’s alley, and she has since devoted many hours to learning more about these amazing animals, their relationships with other organisms, and how they are being affected by environmental issues such as global warming. After a few months of study, Asia was talking about things her mother could hardly understand. Her mother contacted Royal BC Museum staff to see if we would willing to talk to Asia about corals, so we invited them to come into the Royal BC Museum to meet in person and get a chance to see our amazing behind-the-scenes research collection.
which includes, of course, corals! During our first meeting Asia was incredibly enthusiastic, engaged and knowledgeable. As we were touring the collection, I mentioned the incredible work that Royal BC Museum volunteers do for our collections. Asia was immediately interested and we offered her a position on our amazing team of Royal BC Museum volunteers.
history images and classifies them to higher level taxonomy, thereby making them more easily searchable. Asia also helps add Royal BC Museum labels to incoming specimens to the collection. However, Asia’s favourite task is going through the collection and topping up the alcohol levels in specimen jars. Of course she usually bee-lines for the coral section first.
There are many, and varied, tasks that are completed daily to help maintain, protect and improve our invertebrate collection and associated data. Asia’s first task is to help improve our image database. She goes through historic natural
We are very thankful to have Asia working in the Invertebrate Collection. It is inspiring to work with her; knowing we have the pleasure to work with one the future’s great curious minds.
Asia came in to see our collection of over 65,000 invertebrate specimens royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
9
A Closer Look
Rarer than Gold: A Sneak Peek at an Artifact in the Upcoming Gold Rush Exhibition By Tzu-I Chung, Curator, History
I
n June 1858, news of gold in the Fraser Canyon transformed Fort Victoria from a quiet outpost of the Hudson’s Bay Company into a booming town. Three Chinese merchants, Loo Chuck Fan, Wong Tien Luie and Chang Tsso, arrived from San Francisco and purchased the undeveloped area on Comorant Street. They set up their stores and built wooden huts as tenement houses for their recruited labourers, from San Francisco and China, in what is now known as Centennial Square.
10
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
One of the three merchants, Wong Tien Lui, partnered with Tong Him Tai (alias Tong Kee) to form a wholesale company Tai Soong & Co shortly after arrival.1 Located at 40-42 Cormorant St (550-556 Pandora Ave today) Tai Soong & Co was one of the largest Chinese trading companies in the gold rush era. Wong Tien Lui, as many overseas Chinese merchants, maintained strong ties to Guongzhou, Hong Kong, and San Francisco by operating Tai Chuen Co in Hong Kong and Kwong
San Tai Co in San Francisco. 2 Two or three times a year, he chartered a clipper to ship tons of dried goods and Chinese merchandise from Hong Kong to Victoria. He also quickly developed a network of subsidiaries and agencies in the interior to distribute the goods to Chinese stores in gold-mining towns on the mainland. As business involved making, selling and delivering products and services, he operated transportation businesses, first with mules and later with wagons, up the Fraser Valley and into the Cariboo. 3
Opposite: Early opium can and detail showing original engraving on lid, made by the Tai Soong & Co. Courtesy of Reg Beck Collection
These companies together made Canada’s oldest Chinatown an influential economic centre in the trans-Pacific trade. Among the merchandise that drove the booming transpacific trade was opium, an important commodity from the global British trade that was legal here until 1908. In the 1880s the Port of Victoria served as North America’s major centre for opium distribution and Tai Soong & Co was one of the leading manufacturers. The opium dens in Fan Tan Alley served customers, Chinese and non-Chinese, who
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
smoked it. Finding an early opium can is very rare, but visitors to the feature exhibition Gold Rush, opening May 13, 2015, will have a chance to see one. On display will be an opium can that was reconstructed by Reg Beck from pieces that were found along the Fraser River area. Its original engraving in Chinese tells us that it was originally made by the Tai Soong & Co in Victoria. This can is only one of the many rare artifacts included in the Gold Rush exhibition that will help reveal
the rarely told stories from BC’s multicultural past. 1 David Chuenyan Lai, The Forbidden City within Victoria. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers, 1991, chapter 2. 2A Commemorative Issue of he Grand Opening of the Yue Shan Society Building in Vancouver. Vancouver: Yue Shan Society, 1949, Section 2, p. 2. 3 Harry Con et al. From China to Canada: A History of Chinese Communities in Canada. Toronto: McClelland and Steward Ltd., 1982: 18. Below: Photograph of the interior of a miner’s cabin; white and Chinese miners share a meal together; Williams Creek. 1904. BC Archives A-06021
11
A Closer Look
Beautiful Bee C
1 The non-native Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is only one of hundreds of bee species in British Columbia. Photo credit: Darren Copley 2 A native leafcutter bee (Family Megachilidae; Genus Megachile). Photo credit: Dave Blades 3 Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii). Photo credit: Dave Blades 4 A native green sweat bee (Family Halictidae; Genus Agapostemon). Photo credit: Dave Blades
By Claudia Copley, Collection Manager and Researcher, Entomology
W
hen you hear the word “bee” what comes to mind? Honey bees for sure, right? Perhaps bumble bees? You may be surprised to learn that there are approximately 450 species of bee in British Columbia and potentially as many as a hundred more species may be added to that list! British Columbia is the most biologically diverse region of Canada, thanks to our complicated geological history and varied geography, and our bee fauna is no exception. In fact, we have more than half of the bee species that occur in Canada and fully 30% of these can only be found in the south-central interior of our province. Not everything that can sting is a bee — wasps and ants, while related, are not bees. So what do I even mean by the term “bee”? All true bees share a few key features that are unique to their lineage. For example, unlike wasps and ants, bees are vegetarian. Instead of a predaceous lifestyle, bees feed their young protein-rich pollen. Another difference can be found in the hairs of bees. While not all bees are hairy, they all have some hair and some of these hairs are plumose (branched), when viewed under the microscope. And just when you think you have it figured out, along comes a fly posing expertly as a bee! Here the easiest things to check for are the four wings (on a bee) and antennae. Flies only have two wings and bee-mimicking flies have very short antennae.
12
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
So let’s take a closer look at bees in BC. The European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is a non-native species that was brought to the west coast in 1858 for honey production and pollination services. This single species receives the lion’s share of the credit as a pollinator, but in fact there are literally hundreds of different organisms that provide pollination services. In addition to bees, other pollinating insects include beetles, butterflies, and flies. But Honey Bees are the only bee in BC that produces honey, making them very important for anyone with a sweet tooth. Honey Bees form large colonies of up to 60,000 individuals, consisting of a single queen, thousands of female worker bees, and a few males waiting for a queen to hatch and carry out a mating flight. The queen can live several years, and hives over-winter as a large colony. So what about bumble bees? Because of their large size, most people have spent time watching one bumble about, but have you ever tried to identify one? Although not as diverse as other groups of bees, (only 39 species in BC), this is a very challenging group because of the variation within each species. With few exceptions, a bumble bee must be collected to identify it. The Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) is an exception. It is distinctively coloured in bold black with some yellow, and with
dark wings. Over the past decade it has become increasingly common on Vancouver Island, the lower mainland, and in the Okanagan. In contrast, another relatively easy bumble bee to identify, that is seriously declining across a similar area, is the Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis). In fact, the Western Bumble Bee is now considered Threatened under Canada’s Species At Risk Act, and efforts to determine the reasons for its decline are underway. Bumble bees form hives like the honey bee, but on a much smaller scale — a single queen, and usually fewer than 50 worker bees. Only a queen overwinters, and she only lives for a year. And last but certainly not least — the hundreds of solitary bees moving from flower to flower unnoticed and under appreciated. Here is where the greatest surprises can be found: species that look like wasps or flies, some so small you cannot tell they are a bee until you see them under a microscope, some that nest in the exit holes of beetles from dead trees, others that burrow into the ground, and still others that create special structures out of leaves to house their young. Some Osmia species even use abandoned terrestrial snail shells as a nest site! A solitary bee that many people have become familiar with is the Blue Orchard Bee, also called the Mason Bee (Osmia lignaria). In natural settings
2
4
3
this species uses small holes in trees to nest, but gardeners and farmers can provide artificial homes for this species and benefit from its incredible pollination efficiency. Ground-nesting solitary bees can be encouraged by leaving areas of exposed and undisturbed soil. Hollow plant stems are another popular nesting site for solitary bees, so don’t be so quick to tidy things up or you will be eliminating important pollinator habitat. For several years now efforts have been underway to determine bee distributions in BC and the Yukon. Here at the Royal BC Museum we have approximately 15,000 specimens of bees already in the collection, and many of them have been identified through the volunteer efforts of Dave Blades, a research associate in Entomology, as well as Dr Cory Sheffield, a leading bee expert in Canada now working at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. Staff from the BC Ministry of Environment and Environment Canada, as well as Royal BC Museum entomology staff and volunteers have been helping to improve these collections and provide a clearer picture of how this essential group of organisms is faring. This past summer was no exception, with collections made from Vancouver Island, northern British Columbia and the Okanagan. Perhaps as much as one third of the human food supply depends on
insect pollination, and I recently saw a cartoon of a bee with the caption: “If we die we’re taking you with us.” Pollinator declines are a serious issue that has been attributed to a myriad of impacts, including habitat loss and pesticide use. Individuals can help reverse these declines by choosing to eat pesticide-free foods, helping protect natural areas and providing habitat in urban areas through the use of native plants. The Xerces Society has a wealth of information available on their website about protecting pollinators and even offer pollinator habitat workshops. To gain the expertise really needed to identify bees for my work here at the Royal BC Museum,
a couple of years ago I took the bee course offered through the American Museum of Natural History and found it invaluable. As you read this in the fall, most of the solitary bees that will emerge in the spring next year are already tucked away in their burrows as larvae feeding on the pollen their mother provisioned; some may have already pupated and are ready to survive the winter. Their contributions to our well-being may not be obvious, but they are critical. If you have more questions about bees, or insects in general, contact me at ccopley@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
1
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 13
1
FISH = Find Interesting Specimens Here By Gavin Hanke, Curator, Vertebrate Zoology
Y
ou’d think with all the fishing boats plying our coastal waters that there would not be any new fish to discover. Since 1999, the Royal BC Museum (RBCM) staff have partnered with colleagues from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to survey our coastal waters. While these surveys had specific goals, we were able to tag along on the CCGS W.E. Ricker and select animals from the catch for the collection. These were not your average shoreline surveys. Some trawl nets ranged down between 1.0 and 2.5 km depth and caught deep water species that rival anything from science fiction. Imagine eels that are leaf-like and completely translucent. We caught lanternfishes and a host of other fishes like the Shining Loosejaw (Aristostomias scintillans) which have bioluminescent organs (photophores) which they can use for communication, to disguise their body profile or perhaps to attract prey. Shallow water fishes seem boring by comparison.
14
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
A few years ago we thought we had 34 new species to report for British Columbia, but that number has grown to 47 after re-examination of fishes in the collection, additional fish from Department of Fisheries surveys, and fish from Archipelago Marine Research Ltd. and BC’s fishery observer program. These species are not new to science, but they are new to the waters of British Columbia.
a trawl sample. It took a while, but by 2012 we were able to publish the first records of duck-billed eels (Venefica ocella and Venefica tentaculata) in British Columbia. In a nutshell, this paper announced the presence of a new family (Nettastomatidae), a new genus, and two new species for British Columbia. The specimens themselves are housed in the Royal BC Museum’s ichthyology collection.
Because museum researchers preserve specimens in a wellmaintained collection, the fishes from historic surveys can be re-examined to see if they had been identified correctly. Yes, identifications sometimes are rushed and wrong, but since we keep specimens, we are able to look back and correct mistakes. Several duckbilled eels had been misidentified as either Saw Palate Eels or Snipe Eels, and unless you take the time to look, these mistakes can sit for decades uncorrected. Duckbilled Eels were not on our radar (actually sonar would be a more appropriate metaphor) until 2006 when I noticed a Duckbilled Eel among the fishes in
We also send specimens to experts when requested, and as a result Daniel Kamikawa and Duane Stevenson, from the US National Marine Fisheries Service, were able to publish the first record of the halosaur Aldrovandia oleosa for British Columbia along with their records for the United States coastline. The first two Aldrovandia specimens were collected west of Moresby and Graham islands, but had not been identified to species until Duane Stevenson had a look. Their work increases the value of the collection with each species identified. This year we have a research paper which details first records
1 A fresh Shining Loosejaw brought aboard the CCGS W.E. Ricker – the net tends to remove the fish’s fragile skin (photo by Jim Boutillier, DFO, Nanaimo). 2 The first Spiny-eared Assfish from BC collected October 11, 2006, southwest of Triangle Island (photo by Jim Boutillier, DFO Nanaimo). 3 One of the Transparent Eels from west of Vancouver Island, caught July 27, 2001.
2
for four species and exceptional range records for several others here in British Columbia. One, the Snub-nosed Spiny Eel (Notacanthus chemnitzii), was known for many years as far north as Dixon Entrance, but no publications officially announced its presence here. Another, the Pale Snipe Eel (Nemichthys larseni), had been published previously as a record for Washington in the book Fishes of Alaska, but it actually was caught within the Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone and is a BC record. The Cutthroat Eel (Synaphobranchus brevidorsalis) and Bobtail Eel (Cyema atrum) also are completely new to BC. I still get a charge out of publishing these new discoveries, even though in the grand scheme, it is light science. The paper is a collaboration between the Royal BC Museum, DFO and the University of Victoria. All the specimens in this 2014 paper, except the single Pale Snipe Eel, are in the RBCM collection. The Pale Snipe Eel is catalogued in the Auke Bay collection in Alaska.
Even in Freshwater we find new species. The Yellow Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus natalis), the Weather Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) and the Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) were found in BC in the last 10 years, along with a range of exotic fishes that were released one at a time and died without issue. The Yellow Bullhead likely was a contaminant with other game fish introductions many years ago. The Bluegill made its own way north in the Okanagan, and the origin of the Weather Loach is a mystery.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Publication of new species records and range records is one of the things museums can do really well. Don’t just take my word for it, ask an invertebrate zoologist. They find new
species and new range records all the time. What’s next? Cusk-eels are the next group I’ve tackled. Until now, we knew of only two Cusk-eel species in British Columbia. However, on July 7 th, I submitted a research paper to the scientific journal Northwestern Naturalist, announcing that we have found an additional seven cusk-eel species in BC. Which ones? The strangest of the seven, the Spinyeared Assfish, really took us by surprise as a first record for the entire eastern North Pacific Ocean. The rest we’ll announce when the research paper is accepted for publication. Stay tuned.
3
15
New Publication
From the Royal BC Museum J
ohn Ford presents the latest information on 31 species of marine mammals that live in or visit BC waters: 25 whales, dolphins and porpoises, five seals and sea lions, and the Sea Otter. He describes each species and summarizes its distribution, habitat, social organization, feeding habits, conservation status and much more.
Marine Mammals of British Columbia By John K.B. Ford $27.95 978-0-7726-6734-2
The book includes maps of sightings and pointers on where to find each species in BC waters. It also includes identification keys and hundreds of colour photographs and drawings to help recognize animals in the ocean. Marine Mammals of British Columbia is an indispensable field guide and
reference book for naturalists, boaters and anyone interested in sea life. Dr John K.B. Ford is head of the Cetacean Research Program at the Pacific Biological Station (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) in Nanaimo and adjunct professor in UBC’s Department of Zoology. Dr Ford will be presenting a Live@ Lunch talk on October 1 (see events calendar for details). Published by the Royal BC Museum Pick up your copy from the Royal Museum Shop and other fine book stores, or get it online: royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Publications
Events at the Emily Carr House Tea With Sympathy
September Events
Although Emily Carr House closes for our Visitor Season on September 30th we welcome you to book a private or group tour with Resident Curator, Jan Ross for an unusual look at Emily’s loving but often misunderstood relationships with her family.
Emily Carr House is delighted to be part of the “Puppets for Peace Celebration” September 19-21 throughout Victoria.
Book appointment at (250) 383 5843 or email ecarr@shaw.ca
Through the University of Victoria’s Art Collections we will be exhibiting “Penny Plain, Twopence Coloured,” a marvelous display of authentic Victorian Toy Theatres, that were first shown at Royal BC Museum over thirty five years ago! These unusual and rare toy theatres will be on display at the Emily Carr
16
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
house from September 5th through until September 30th. For more details on the celebration and festivities please contact us at Emily Carr House or at emilycarr.com
Emily Carr taking tea with her sister Elizabeth in the dining room. Courtesy of Private Collection.
Staff Profile
Janet MacDonald By Janet Macdonald, Head of Learning
F
or as long as I can remember, I’ve been curious about the past, from my early days spent scavenging through estate sales with my mother to living the 19 th century life in my teens amongst the cabins and barns of a pioneer village not far from my home. Imagine my initial undergraduate astonishment when I realized that you could actually study and make a career in the world of museums! I consider myself a lifelong learner with an MA in Museum Studies from University of Leicester and a BA in Anthropology and Art History from McGill, after having studied Applied Museum Studies, Museum Exhibition and Interpretation at Algonquin College in Ottawa. I joined the Royal BC Museum as a Program Developer in 1998, after 11 years of wide-ranging experience in collections, exhibition and program work at McGill’s Redpath Museum. As Head of Learning here at the Royal BC Museum, I oversee an exceptional team who work passionately to develop and produce all public and school programming activities as they relate to formal and informal learning. My core work revolves around making connections and forging long-standing relationships with museum and archives staff, cooperating societies, outside agencies and organizations, and other government departments. With my eye on the horizon, I seek to explore and ensure a balance between existing popular programs and innovative initiatives designed to address new educational transformations, community engagement and diverse populations.
Race Rocks:
Ecological Reserve Tour Set sail from Victoria with Eagle Wing Tours to Race Rocks Marine Protected area for a visit few people ever get to make. Join our experts Dr Melissa Frey, Curator of Invertebrates, and Heidi Gartner, Invertebrates Collection Manager, for this spectacular trip. Come face to face with sea lions, birds and invertebrates then enjoy a visit to Lester B. Pearson United World College for a campus visit and lunch.
October 4 I 10 am – 1:30 pm 10% discount for members Get your tickets at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/racerocks
It is an exciting and ever-changing mileu, as is the future of the Royal BC Museum. When I describe what I do to people who ask, I am invariably met with their admiration for public service mixed with a keen interest in the Royal BC Museum and its importance in the community. What better endorsement and affirmation of a career well chosen? royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Heidi Gartner
Dr Melissa Frey
Conservators are not (all) Tree Huggers
Conservation work being done on a Chinese Freemasons’ lantern
By Kasey Lee, Conservation Manager
C
onservators are commonly referred to as conservationists. This is not quite correct. While many conservators share a concern for the environment, they are actually trained to preserve museum and archives collections. They carry out preservation-related activities, such as condition assessments and treatments of artifacts, advising on the movement, storage and exhibition of objects within a specialty such as paintings, textiles or furniture. Conservation at the Royal BC Museum is carried out by a team of six expert conservators and a preservation specialist. The conservators work in three separate laboratories, two in the museum collections tower, and one in the archives building. These are the kinds of behind-the-scenes spaces that the public rarely gets to see, since they are filled with chemicals, analytical equipment and, yes, artifacts and specimens from the collections. Space is tight; considering the labs were built fifty years ago for a much smaller collection and less advanced analytical equipment. A single microscope and typewriter once sufficed where now we regularly use several high power microscopes, ultraviolet and other specialized light sources, digital photography equipment, an x-ray fluorescence spectrometer, computers at every desk and so on. We look forward to new laboratory and studio spaces 18
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
in a state-of-the-art brand new collections building, which will allow us to decompress the equipment, the collections and the staff. But conservation is about much more than fancy equipment and chemistry labs. Although conservators are trained in such feats as consolidating flaking paint on a piano, identifying individual threads and dyes in textiles, inpainting watercolour works of art and retouching photographs, they spend most of their time preventing deterioration of the collections. This is accomplished through preventive conservation programs. One example of this is the integrated insect pest management program at the RBCM. This institution has led the way internationally in preventing the kind of beetle and moth infestations that have destroyed museum collections of the past. Through a rigorous program of inspections, quarantine, deep freezing of individual objects, scrupulous housekeeping and regular monitoring and recording of insects in collections storage and exhibit areas, the pests are kept at bay. Conservation is also tasked with monitoring and controlling the temperature, relative humidity and pollutants in the museum environment, providing guidance in the selection of materials used for exhibit fabrication, devising emergency salvage plans and maintaining equipment and supplies
for these events, and so on. In the end, we recognize that preventing damage to the collections is always more cost effective and successful than trying to reverse it. Conservators are not often seen hugging trees, but they have been known to gently caress the surface of a fine piece of historic furniture. But of course they would be wearing gloves at the time! Learn more about conservation at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/conservation
Help us to Conserve Items in our Collection T
he Royal BC Museum Needs Your Help.
To share BC’s history, we first need to preserve the items from our past. Preserving history means finding, conserving, and caring for objects from BC’s past. Many of these objects are one of a kind. And many are in poor condition. Repairing objects in our collection is painstaking work that requires patience and incredible expertise. Often our Conservation Services Department is trying to save and restore items that have been decaying for years. Sometimes for generations. Your donation to the Royal BC Museum will help us to fund this important conservation work. Please give us your support today. For more information please Phone: 250-387-7222 Email: donate@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Web: royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/support
Cellulose nitrate. Modern plastics present new challenges to conservators as materials such as this cellulose nitrate comb can deteriorate rapidly under normal conditions. Sometimes plastics must be frozen to preserve them.
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
19
Feature Partner
Canadian Geographic C
anadian Geographic magazine is a proud partner of the Royal BC Museum. One of Canada’s most award-winning magazines, Canadian Geographic is unapologetic about celebrating Canada. We’re dedicated to uncovering and communicating the stories about Canadian people, places, frontiers and issues (past and present) that Canadian magazine readers want. Published by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Canadian Geographic magazine is more than a geography publication; each issue of Canadian Geographic is a voyage of discovery and exploration that features the latest science,
environment, travel, human and cultural stories from across Canada. Canadian Geographic connects with more than 3.8 million readers per issue, in Canada and abroad, who share our fascination for Canada. Filled with stunning colour photography, fascinating articles and specially commissioned maps, each issue of Canadian Geographic magazine lets you travel the country without leaving home. You’ll discover Canada’s people and cities, our wildlife and wilderness, our history and the beauty of our land. Subscriptions include six regular
Vikings ParTEA with Silk Road Devour delectable treats while Daniela Cubelic, Founder of Silk Road Tea and Tea Master, and Shawn Soole, Proprietor of Little Jumbo & acclaimed Mixologist, demonstrate the art of creating tea infused cocktails.
september 25 | 7 – 10 PM Get tickets at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/events $55 per person 10% member discount 19+ only, ID required
issues of Canadian Geographic plus four issues of Canadian Geographic Travel per year. For a special subscription offer exclusive to RBCM members, please go to canadiangeographic.ca/rbcm
Cowichan Estuary: A Collaboration By Kate Kerr, Exhibit Fabrication Specialist
W
hen Goetz Shuerholz, a visitor to the Royal BC Museum, saw our exhibition about the Fraser River Delta estuary he saw possibilities. Goetz is the chair of The Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Association (CERCA). As an organization they’ve been trying to come up with ways to raise the level of environmental awareness and appreciation for the importance of estuaries and develop practical solutions for the threatened ecological integrity of the Cowichan Estuary. Goetz asked the exhibits department of the Royal BC Museum if we could develop a smaller, mobile version of the exhibition that had Cowichan estuary information but was also generic enough that it could be used by other estuary organizations in their communities.
We jumped at the chance for collaboration. Community organizations like CERCA have an abundance of knowledge and enthusiasm and the ability to take valuable messages into their communities. And we have the skills to create great exhibits.
such as the Duncan Mall and the Vancouver Island Public Library, as display spaces. The symposium was held at the same time as the opening of the exhibition. Attendees were able to see the exhibition and consider how to use the display in their communities.
We combined information from CERCA and the material in our exhibition to develop eight large graphic panels. Many of the beautiful images we used were from a CERCA member, photographer Barry Hetchko. The exhibits crew then developed a structure on which to hang the panels that can be easily assembled and moved.
This project with CERCA was a pilot project for the Royal BC Museum in its renewed focus on outreach in keeping with the mission to promote an understanding of the living landscapes and cultures of British Columbia and engage people in a dialogue about their future. We hope to be involved in many more such successful projects that will help us bring the Royal BC Museum into the communities of the province.
CERCA planned a symposium about estuaries and the effects of climate change and arranged venues,
Margaret Riess and Geoff Strong, Board members of CERCA
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 21
Save Our Species!
Below: Found only in Canada, the Vancouver Island marmot is one of the most rare and endangered animals in the world Opposite: Western Meadowlark. Its BC (Georgia Depression population) status is extirpated
By Jana Stefan, Exhibit Fabrication Specialist
K
eep your eyes peeled next summer as you travel around your hometown or elsewhere in the province, you might just encounter an unusual new exhibition currently being developed by the Royal BC Museum! We’re flexing our creative muscles to transform a tiny, bugshaped trailer into an exciting new pop-up exhibition that’s hitting the road to spread the word about a very important topic: British Columbia’s species at risk. It may surprise you to learn that even though our province has the highest diversity of wildlife species in Canada—more than 50,000 distinct plants and animals call our province home—an increasing number of those species are considered endangered or even at risk of extinction. The Conservation Data Centre considers more than 1,500 of our species to be threatened to one degree or another, and of those, more than 750 are red-listed, which means they are particularly vulnerable. Just which of BC’s species are in danger, you might ask, and how did they get to be in such a precarious position? Our new exhibition will answer both of those questions and then some! Our little trailer will feature specimens, artwork and hands-on interactives to introduce you to some of the more fascinating species at risk, and will shed light on the natural and human
22
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
factors negatively affecting their populations. Visitors might learn, for example, about the Dromedary Jumping-Slug, unique to Vancouver Island, which flips and jumps to escape its predators. This slug’s agile moves can’t always stop invasive species from eating it, though, and certainly hasn’t prevented humans from destroying its native habitat, so it is now considered threatened. Or they might learn about an initiative underway in Pacific Rim National Park to restore the habitat of Pink Sand Verbena. This native plant is found on only one beach on our coastline, and is now considered “critically imperiled” in BC. Viewers will also learn about the critical role the Royal BC Museum plays in cataloguing, researching and advocating for our endangered species, and how the Royal BC Museum works closely with other groups in the province to protect our fragile wildlife. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the exhibition will also help viewers understand how they too can help in the efforts to protect vulnerable species and habitats. Just as our tiny trailer is travelling through a big province to shed light on a huge problem, people will be amazed to learn how their simple and sometimes seemingly small choices and actions can make a big impact on the chances that some of these species have for survival.
Want to learn more, or better yet, see the trailer in action? While the travel plans for this exhibition have yet to be finalized, people interested in a sneak preview should keep their eyes open when they visit the Royal BC Museum later this fall; we’ll have it set up in Clifford Carl Hall for several months before it logs its first kilometers next May.
Help us spread the word about endangered species. To donate to this project call 250-387-7222 or visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/donate
Don’t know the difference between threatened and endangered? How about extirpated and extinct? To help you understand how scientists categorize species at risk, here’s a brief glossary of key terms.
Extinct
No longer in existence; having no living members
Extirpated
Eliminated in a specific location (for example, a species could be gone in BC, but have a healthy population in Washington State, making it extirpated here.)
Endangered
At imminent risk of extinction
Threatened
Likely to become endangered if preventive action not taken
Special Concern
Particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events but not yet endangered or threatened
23
1
2
3
A Closer Look
Our Closest Invertebrate Relatives By Heidi Gartner, Invertebrate Collection Manager
T
Invertebrates are animals without backbones. Though this does not necessarily mean they lack a skeleton (think of crabs with their hard outer shells). When you walk along a BC coastal beach most of the animals you are seeing – the crabs, barnacles, bivalves – are all invertebrates.
The pharynx basically acts as a large sieve. As water passes across the pharynx the miniscule food particles are filtered out from the water. From there, the food particles pass through a digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, and intestine). Waste products and gametes are transported by the water as it exits the tunicate body through the atrial/ excurrent siphon. Having a better understanding of their lifestyle, doesn’t the common name ‘sea squirt’ seem fitting?
Tunicates are a group of animals within the invertebrates. These animals are basically filter-feeding ‘sacks’. Their whole body is encased in a protective covering, called the tunic, which has two siphons – one for drawing water into the body and one for expelling it from the body. Water, carrying food and oxygen, is drawn into the body through the oral/incurrent siphon into a large feeding structure called the pharynx.
Along with this filter-feeding lifestyle, tunicates are primarily sessile (not moving) and benthic (living along a substrate). They can be found at all ocean depths worldwide attached to any substrate. So how are tunicates able to spread and move throughout an area or along a coast? This movement is primarily accomplished through reproduction. As part of their reproductive process, tunicates have swimming tadpole larvae that
unicates, or sea squirts, are some of my favourite invertebrates. I find beauty in their many varieties of shapes, sizes and arrangements.
24
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
can swim through the water column, and be carried by currents, to new habitats. When they reach a suitable substrate these swimming larvae settle and metamorphose into the adult tunicate form. The larvae of tunicates are fascinating, not only for their ability to aid in the dispersal of the animals, but also because they represent a unique connection to the human world. Invertebrates are animals without backbones and we, as humans, are ‘chordate’ animals with backbones. Well, tunicates belong to a unique subphylum of invertebrates called the Urochordata where they have chordate traits but only in their larval form! In the larval stage tunicates possess distinctive chordate traits: a notochord, a dorsal tubular nerve cord, a post anal tail, and pharyngeal clefts or pouches. These chordate traits are not all retained in the adult
4 1 I ndividuals of the social Sea Grape Tunicate, Perophora annectens, connected by thin stolons of tunic 2 Two bright orange lines along the pharynx easily distinguish this tunicate species as the Lightbulb Tunicate, Clavelina huntsmani 3 Tiny individuals, called zooids, are imbedded in a common tunic in this Red Colonial Tunicate – Aplidium solidum 4 This tunicate species, Ciona savignyi, earns its common name, Sea Vase Tunicate, from it translucent tunic and elongated cylindrical body
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
25
Below: The introduced Violet Tunicate (not always violet coloured), Botrylloides violaceus, overgrowing other tunicates species and mussels.
stage. However, by possessing these chordate traits at one stage in their development, tunicates are the invertebrates most closely related to humans!
as seachest. As such tunicates can be transported to new areas outside their native range by the human transport of aquaculture and vessel activities.
Along with movement by reproduction, tunicates may spread throughout an area, or be transported to a completely new one, by human activities. Some tunicate species are becoming infamous for their role as introduced species. Introduced, or alien, species are animals that are transport from their native ranges to new areas by human mediated activities.
With modern globalization, species introductions have been increasing worldwide. When introduced species reach a new area they often lack natural predators, compete with and prey upon local species and alter local habitats all causing complicated ecological and often economic problems. As example, on the east coast of Canada there are five introduced tunicate species that are causing complicated ecological and economic consequences. The shellfish aquaculture industry has suffered significant economic loss though increased operational and production costs (gear and product must be thoroughly cleaned of
Tunicates can grow on any hard substrate which includes docks, aquaculture gear and boat hulls. Tunicates can often remain attached during transport if the vessel is moving slowly enough or if they are attached in a protected area such
26
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
tunicates) and direct loss of stock (tunicates will even grow on the hard shells of bivalves, which will eventually smother the animal). Many of the same introduced tunicate species have been found on the BC coast but have not yet had the same degree of ecological and economic complications. There is continued on-going research and monitoring of these species occurring along our coast. Tunicates are amazing little animals that have some amazing human connections. Keep your eyes open for these filter-feeding ‘sacks’ the next time you look at floating docks, pilings, and boat hulls! To learn more and try your hand at identifying tunicates visit: taxonomy.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/ Taxonomy/viewer/BC_Tunicates. aspx
Partner Profile
Satisfy Your Curiosity with Continuing Studies I
f you are naturally curious about things—all kinds of things—then you’ll find yourself in good company at Continuing Studies. Royal BC Museum members share a passion for exploration and discovery with thousands of people who enjoy continuing education courses at the University of Victoria each year. Satisfy your curiosity about many aspects of life and the world around you with some of the fascinating and often surprising courses we offer this fall. You may find that one interest leads to another and opens up possibilities you hadn’t considered before. Continuing Studies is a place to connect with ideas and people in a way that is accessible, challenging and fun! The Fall 2014 Continuing Studies Calendar is filled with dozens of courses that will further enrich your understanding of local history, contemporary issues, the arts, science and nature, languages, heritage and culture, and a whole lot more. Continuing Studies is not just at UVic—there are field trips and courses held at various locations around the city and elsewhere on Vancouver Island. There are things to enjoy in the daytime, evenings and on the weekend.
Scandinavian Treasures Tour Experience Northern Europe, historic home of the Vikings, with a Royal BC Museum Guide
V
iking legend and history come together, as you join a Royal BC Museum expert to visit some of the most famous sights and stunning locations in Scandinavia. We begin our journey in Stockholm, Sweden, where we visit the Royal Palace, the island of Djurgården and the Historiska Museet (Swedish History Museum). Then, get the full Viking experience as we spend the day on the island of Björkö, a UNESCO World Heritage site founded in 750 CE. We continue on to Copenhagen, Denmark, where we take in more Viking culture at Helsingor Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the famous setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Viking Ship Museum and the National Museum. Our magnificent tour continues on a luxurious cruise to Oslo, Norway, where we marvel at the world-famous Viking ships and the amazing Vigeland Sculpture Park, capped off by a visit to Bygdøy peninsula. Join us, Spring 2015, for this one-of-a-kind 12-day adventure, packed with Viking lore, learning and legend. An experience of a lifetime. For more information contact our tour expert Tamra Bartilucci at Flight Centre at 1-866-420-4410 tamra.bartilucci@flightcentre.ca
We hope you’ll get to know us and try a course, perhaps something completely new or renewing an interest you’ve always wanted to explore more deeply. Curious? Join us at continuingstudies.uvic.ca/2014/royalbcmuseum
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
27
What’s on
For a full listing of what’s happening at the Royal BC Museum pick up our 2014/2015 Program Guide at the Box Office or view our calendar online: royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Museum HOURS: 10 am – 5 pm daily. Summer hours (May 23 – September 27) 10 am – 10 pm, Friday & Saturday only
ADULT LECTURES & EVENTS
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
PARTNER EVENTS continued
Whim Rules the Child: Archaeological evidence for childhood in the Viking Age September 23 | 7 – 8:30 pm Tickets: $16 per person 10% Member Discount Clifford Carl Hall
Vikings: Lives Beyond the Legends May 16 – November 21, 2014
BC Museum Association Conference 2014 October 22 – 25 Penticton, BC
Vikings ParTEA September 25 | 7 – 10 pm Tickets: $55 per person 10% Member Discount Clifford Carl Hall Devour delectable treats while founder of Silk Road TEA and Tea Master Daniela Cubelic and Little Jumbo proprietor and and mixologist Shawn Soole demonstrate the art of creating tea infused cocktails. In Collaboration with Silk Road Tea Feature Partners: Spinnakers | Victoria Spirits | Tugwell Creek Honey Farm and Meadery | Little Jumbo BC Archives Boot Camp September 27 | 10 am – 4 pm Tickets: $45 per person 10% Member Discount Clifford Carl Hall Live@Lunch October 1 | 12 pm Free Newcomb Auditorium Speaker: Dr John K.B. Ford Author of Marine Mammals of British Columbia
Our Living Languages On now until 2017 British Columbia Remembers: The Great War On now until 2019 Gold Rush! El Dorado in British Columbia Opens May 13, 2015
What’s inSight
Fall 2014
Want to see what is planned? Visit museumsassn.bc.ca/conferences
Species at Risk Summer 2015
The Robert Bateman Centre Open daily 10 am – 5 pm, Fri & Sat until 9 pm (September) 470 Belleville St. Victoria, BC
PARTNER EVENTS
Saturday Sketch Every Saturday at 1 pm
Victoria International Chalk Art Festival September 13 & 14 Free Royal BC Museum Precinct Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup Sept 27 | 10 am Join the Maritime Museum for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup along Dallas Road in Victoria. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is an initiative led by the Vancouver Aquarium and the World Wildlife Federation with tens of thousands of Canadians participating every year. Participants will meet on the beach at the base of the breakwater and will work from Ogden Point back to Menzies Street. Don’t forget gloves! Learn more and register online at shorelinecleanup.ca
Programs and events subject to change. See website for the latest calendar. 28
Discover The Third Space and how to re-imagine concepts of creativity and connection, learning and community involvement in engaging social spaces.
Monthly Curator’s Talk Visit batemancentre.org for details IMAX FEATURES Now Playing Jerusalem Grand Canyon Adventure Island of Lemurs: Madagascar Rocky Mountain Express Now Playing Journey to the South Pacific Hollywood Features play in the evening hours For more information and show times please visit imaxvictoria.com or phone 250-953-4629
One of the Best Help us to Ways to Donate Conserve to Our Cause
Items in our Collection A By Jonathan Dallison, Major Gifts Manager
t the Royal BC Museum, we touch lives with worldclass exhibitions, innovative learning programs and leading-edge research. We house one of the largest he Royal BCmuseum Museumcollections Needs Your To Conserve and most unique in Help Canada, along Items In Our Collection. with over seven miles of archival records. We bridge the gap between the heritage, the present and the future To share BC’s history, we need to first preserve of all of British Columbia. We play a vital role in asking the items from our past. Preserving history means “Who are we?,” “Where have we come from?” and finding, conserving, and caring for objects from BC’s “Who will we become?” If we have touched your life, or past. Many of these objects are one of a kind. And the life of a friend or family member, then you know the many are in poor condition. Repairing objects in our transformative power the Royal BC Museum can have, collection is painstaking work that requires patience and you may want to consider financially supporting and incredible expertise. Often our Conservation our work in order to help us impact more lives. Services Department is trying to save and restore items that have decaying for years.and Sometimes Certainly, your helpbeen is needed. Admissions for generations. memberships cover only 21% of our annual cost of
T
operation. The Province contributes 60%. For the Your donation to the Royal BC Museum will help us to remainder, we are reliant on the generosity of people like fund this important conservation work. Please give us you so we can continue all of our important work. your support today. One of the best ways for you to contribute to this cause while realizing maximum tax benefit for yourself and avoiding impact to your cash flow is to donate publicly traded securities: The Canada Revenue Agency does not tax capital gains generated from the sale of publicly listed securities (provided those stocks are donated to a registered charity prior to sale). If you are holding appreciated stock, this adds up to a great and costeffective opportunity for you to make a difference for everyone who loves the Royal BC Museum. With the end of the year approaching, now is the time to consider donating appreciated shares to the Royal BC Museum Foundation in order to receive tax benefit for this tax year. After you consult with your broker, simply advise us and we will supply your broker with the transfer form, including all relevant information. Cellulose nitrate. Modern plastics present new challenges to conservators as materials such as this cellulose nitrate comb can
rapidly under normalto conditions. Sometimes plastics must To deteriorate discuss donating stocks the be frozen to preserve please them. contact Royal BC Museum, Jonathan Dallison, Major Gifts Manager, today at 250-387-3283 or jdallison@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Your support is needed Admission fees and membership cover only 21% of the cost of caring for and sharing our collection. Please consider making a donation today to help us continue our important work. Yes, I would like to help support the important work of the
Royal BC Museum Single Gift $50 $100 $250 $500
$ _________ Other
Cheque (made payable to Royal BC Museum Foundation, charitable registration number #118933241RR0001
Please charge my Visa MasterCard American Express Monthly Gift On the: 1st or
15th of each month, I would like to give:
$50 $100 $250 $500
Please charge my
$ _________ Other
Visa MasterCard American Express
CREDIT CARD #
EXPIRY DATE
CARDHOLDER’S NAME
SIGNATURE
All gifts are eligible for a tax receipt. Please send my charitable tax receipt to: (Please print) NAME ADDRESS CITY
POSTAL CODE
TELEPHONE
NAME FOR DONOR RECOGNITION PURPOSES
THIS GIFT IS MADE IN HONOUR OF
Other Ways to Give I would like to learn more about leaving a gift in my will for the Royal BC Museum Foundation. Please contact me to confirm that my wishes can be honoured. Thank you for supporting the Royal BC Museum. Please return this form, along with your donation to: The Royal BC Museum Foundation 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC V8W 9W2 For more information please Phone: 250-387-7222 Email: donate@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Web: royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/support Royal BC Museum Foundation Privacy Policy
The personal information collected on this form is collected under the legal authority of the Societies Act (RSBC 1996, C. 433) and is subject to the personal Information Protection Act (SBC 2003, C. 63). The personal information collected will be used to update/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.
EXHIBITION OpENs DEcEmBEr 12 Showcasing award-winning images which tell the astonishing stories of our natural world while pushing the boundaries of technical skill. Included with Royal BC Museum membership or purchase tickets at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca