Spring 2017
REPATRIATION IN THE SPIRIT OF RECONCILIATION RETURN OF HUU-AY-AHT CULTURAL TREASURES RHAPSODY RESURFACES OUT OF THE WILD AND INTO THE COLLECTION FAMILY: BONDS AND BELONGING CELEBRATING CANADA’S 150 WITH OUR FEATURE EXHIBITION
$3.95
SPRING 2017 FEATURE Reconciliation in Action 4 Repatriation in the Spirit of Reconciliation 6 Indigenous Perspectives on Repatriation 8 Newcombe Conference Hall 9 FEATURE Rhapsody Resurfaces 10 FEATURE Family: Bonds and Belonging 12 Terry Fox’s Family Legacy 14 Community Voices 15 Species at Risk: Travelling Exhibition Highlights 16 The Sights, the Sounds—That Smell 17 CURIOUS Marking Chinese Canadian History in BC 18 GOING DIGITAL Woolly’s World 20 STAFF PROFILE Leah Best 23 VOLUNTEER PROFILE Wilson Tutube 24 DONOR PROFILE Gwendolyn Page 26 Mining the BC Archives 27 What’s On Calendar 28 PARTNERSHIP PROFILE Tourism Victoria 30 Donor Thank You 31
MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Vanderzee Marketing & Sales Manager MAGAZINE COORDINATOR Melissa Hogg Membership & Marketing Coordinator
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EMBERSHIP M EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Erika Stenson Head of Marketing, Sales & Business Development David Alexander Head of New Archives & Digital Preservation Michelle van der Merwe Publisher Erik Lambertson Corporate Communications Manager Nathan Oickle 2D Graphic Designer Annie Mayse Editor Shane Lighter Photographer
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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 also provided to members in digital format at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/magazine
COVER IMAGE Hesquiaht artist Tim Paul (left) speaks in front of the Huu-ay-aht ceremonial screen that he helped restore in the 1970s. The screen was returned to Huu-ay-aht First Nations on November 18, 2016, and received by Tayii Ḥaw̓ ił ƛiišin (Derek Peters, at centre.) 2
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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.
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Dear friends, In January 2017 work began on transforming the ground floor of the museum, modernizing our environment so that it will retain the intimacy of its experience but will now give full scope to the breadth of our collections and learning potential. Until recently the problem of the museum’s lack of space and requirements for the future was an abstract one; today it is real. By starting work we are reaffirming our program to modernize the museum as a single learning complex, providing more space for education and for children’s activities, and putting more of our own collections on display. The museum’s mission is to encourage an ever deeper understanding of British Columbia and affirm the importance of all knowledge systems. But one thing is clear—there is no single story of British Columbia to be told but rather numerous stories, each connected to and reflected in others. The unfolding nature of this complex narrative will be presented in the refreshed First Peoples gallery. Given the complexity of the museum’s many functions, from presenting collections to viewing films, from shops to eating establishments, such a process involves a master plan and a carefully orchestrated and sequenced program. The first areas to be completed will be ready for Canada’s 150th anniversary this year; others will follow over the next two years. I look forward to showing you our new spaces. Thank you for your support for Treasures for Generations, which is making this transformation possible.
Yours,
Professor Jack Lohman, CBE Chief Executive Officer, Royal BC Museum
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Reconciliation in Action A Conversation with Lucy Bell By What’s inSight staff
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n January, Lucy Bell joined the Royal BC Museum as the head of the new First Nations and Repatriation Program Department. We sat down with Lucy to find out about her past experiences working with the Haida Repatriation Committee and Language Preservation initiatives, and what she hopes to achieve in her new role here at the museum and archives. How did you first become involved with repatriation? My repatriation journey began here at the Royal BC Museum more than 20 years ago. After learning that the museum held human remains, I heard the voices of those young spirits in the stairwell of Fannin Tower. I took it as a sign that they wanted to go home. My first repatriation project was to secure the return of seven ancestral remains from the museum to my Haida community. Little did I know that repatriation would become such a big part of my life. My 20-year journey of repatriation has helped bring over 500 Haida ancestral remains home for reburial from museums around the world. It’s amazing that my repatriation journey has brought me back here to the museum to help others on their own journeys. What past experiences have you had with the Royal BC Museum? I was lucky to be an intern in the Aboriginal Cultural Stewardship program at the museum in the mid ‘90s. It was here that my love of museology began. I got a broad understanding of curation, research, conservation and exhibition design, and I also got a good sense of the vast numbers of Aboriginal collections from BC scattered in museums around the world. My relationship with the museum and archives has continued over the years. I’ve enjoyed bringing groups of elders and artists to visit the collection—I’ll always remember the look on naanii Mary Swanson’s face as she 4
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held the treasures made by her grandparents Charles and Isabella Edenshaw that are in the museum’s collection. My involvement with repatriation at the Royal BC Museum helped me to set the tone and high standards with which I approach Aboriginal community engagement. And as I’ve travelled the world studying Haida treasures in other museum collections, my deep appreciation and love for the Royal BC Museum and Archives has grown. Who is someone that inspires you? One of my cultural heroes is Gloria Cranmer Webster, who was on the repatriation frontlines. Her work in creating the U’Mista Cultural Centre and repatriating the Potlatch Collection has inspired me. As part of the stewardship program at the museum, I lived with Gloria while interning at U’Mista. After a great day at the cultural centre, I got to go home to learn from Gloria and from her mother as well. What role has the study of Indigenous language played in your life? I am passionate about learning Xaad Kil, my ancestral Haida language. It’s an endangered language, and it’s not easy to learn. There’s a lot of pressure and emotion. Learning my language is like repatriation: both are challenging but incredibly rewarding. I am learning Xaad Kil today because my mom didn’t have that option when she was a four-year-old at residential school in Edmonton. I have to keep my language alive for all of those young spirits who didn’t get to speak their languages. To me, it’s reconciliation in action. So, when I’m done my day’s work at the museum, I go home to study my language—I’m working on creating a Haida language phrasebook app.
What are you most looking forward to working on at the museum? There are so many exciting projects on the go! I’m enthusiastic about refreshing the First Peoples gallery, and I’m especially looking forward to helping in repatriation efforts. In my experience, repatriation has been a challenge for museums. Giving things back can be difficult. But I’m here to say that it doesn’t have to be—it can be an opportunity both for museums and for Aboriginal communities. I look forward to being a part of an exciting change in the museum world. Repatriation will allow us to grow, to become stronger and more united. With repatriation, a whole new door opens. 1. Lucy Bell in the First Peoples gallery. Under her direction, the gallery will incorporate contemporary Indigenous perspectives. 2. L ucy looks through the Royal BC Museum’s extensive collection of Haida argillite carvings.
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Repatriation in the Spirit of Reconciliation Return of Huu-ay-aht Cultural Treasures By Heather Thomson, Communications Coordinator, Huu-ay-aht First Nations Government Offices
to have them come back and for us to say this is ours, there’s no describing that.” He said Huu-ay-aht can now determine its own future. They can celebrate their ancient spirit as well as their modern minds. Moving forward, he said, culture, language, customs and traditions would all play an important role in everything the nation does.
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he sound of a rattle and the soft words of a Huu-ay-aht prayer filled the Alberni Athletic Hall on November 18 as citizens caught the first glimpse of a painted wooden screen that once stood proudly in the village of Nuumaqimis. It was a sombre moment, one the nation has waited decades to witness. The screen, housed at the Royal BC Museum for more than a century, was one of 17 artworks and cultural treasures returning to Huu-ay-aht. About 20 people witnessed the historic return and it was clear from the emotional reaction in the room just how significant the moment was to the Huu-ay-aht First Nation. The day was made possible by the Maanulth First Nations Final Agreement with the governments of British Columbia and Canada, completed in 2011. That document outlined that the Huu-ay-aht would reclaim some of their cultural heritage and art from the museum in a physical and legal transfer. The 17 Huu-ay-aht cultural treasures, one of which has 37 individual components, were
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on display for Huu-ay-aht citizens at the annual People’s Assembly in Port Alberni from November 18 to 20, 2016. Afterwards, the items at last returned home to the nation’s traditional territory for permanent public display at the Huu-ay-aht Government Office in Anacla. The nation celebrated the awakening of the treasures and their journey home with great excitement. “The return of these cultural treasures is a clear sign of reconciliation that will not only help us heal our ancient spirit, but it will also revive it,” explained Chief Councillor Robert J. Dennis Sr. “To have your history come back to you, and the ancient spirit, you feel it. It’s something that you can’t describe.” Standing beside the items for the first time the chief councillor expressed his excitement that this day had finally arrived. “To witness our Ḥaw̓ iiḥ signing the papers and having the [treasures] come back—you’re witnessing stuff that was banned, because of the Potlatch Act—and so
“We are going to be Huu-ay-aht on our own terms. So that in itself is exciting.” It is also an exciting time for the museum. “The Royal BC Museum has held these treasures in trust for their rightful owners, who are now taking them back to their place of origin and deepest meaning, their cultural home,” said Royal BC Museum CEO Prof. Jack Lohman. “We hope that this act of repatriation will inspire other museums to do the same in the spirit of reconciliation.” The Maa-nulth Final Agreement identifies 51 Huu-ay-aht cultural treasures in the Royal BC Museum collections catalogue. The other 34 will remain at the Royal BC Museum until the Huu-ay-aht Nation requests their transfer.
1. Hu’miniki (Irene Peters) and Tayii Ḥaw̓ ił ƛiišin (Derek Peters) uncover a large painted screen once displayed during potlatches and other ceremonies hosted by the Huu-ay-aht. 2. Huu-ay-aht Nation Chief Councillor ʔimčis (Robert J. Dennis Sr.) affixes cedar bark and wax as seals to the Huu-ay-aht Treasures Transfer Agreement.
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INVITATION Indigenous Perspectives on Repatriation: Indigenous Perspectives Moving Forward Together on Repatriation March 29-31, 2017 MovingDelta Forward Together Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort 1310 Water Street, Kelowna, BC
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This important symposium hasFirst beenPeoples’ Cultural epatriation hasThe been an urgent Who Should Royal Britishand Columbia Museum, in partnership with the Council willApply host a symposium enduring priority First Nations Those involved in repatriation related organized ancestral by the Royal BC Museum in on for themany repatriation of cultural belongings, remains and intangible cultural heritage, at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort in Kelowna, March 29 – 31, 2017. activities or who are looking to initiate a in British Columbia and for Indigenous partnership with the First Peoples’ repatriation project in their community, Cultural Council. peoples across the globe.TO Over the WHAT EXPECT heritage experts, Indigenous organizations, past few decadesThe many communities symposium will bring together speakers from across the province and feature international repatriation What to Expect cultural practitioners, scholars and museum experts,tocommunity have made great efforts establish representatives and heritage professionals to discuss past and ongoing initiatives. The symposium will bring together and archives professionals. programand will explore the considerable repatriation efforts that have taken place in British Columbia and relationships withThe institutions speakers from across the province andNations to successfully secure the return of asks what long-term strategies and resources are required for First to repatriate ancestral remains and sacred objects and intangible cultural heritage. For More Information ancestral remains, feature international repatriation experts, repatriation@pacegroup.com cultural objects to their communities. community representatives and heritage WHO SHOULD APPLY 604 646 3572 professionals to discuss past and ongoing On March 29–31,Those 2017, Indigenous involved in repatriation related activities or who are looking to initiate a repatriation project in their initiatives.organizations, cultural practitioners, scholars community, heritage experts, Indigenous museum Marchand 29–31, 2017and archives organizations, cultural practitioners, professionals.
Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort The program will explore the considerable 1310 Water Street, Kelowna, BC SUBSIDY professionals willTRAVEL convene in Kelowna repatriation efforts that have taken place in delegates for a travel subsidy. Organisers will cover the cost of transportation, hotel rooms to review past andIndigenous current efforts and can apply British Columbia and asks what long-term and meals at the event up to a value of $1500. Please visit our symposium website for more information. begin the process of identifying longstrategies and resources are required for term strategies for the successful return First Nations to successfully secure the Register before Wednesday, March 1, 2017 REGISTER NOW of ancestral remains, sacred objects return ancestral remains, to of confirm your spot! sacred objects and intangible cultural heritage. and intangible cultural heritage. scholars, and museum and archives
FOR MORE INFORMATION: repatriation@pacegroup.com | 604 646 3572 O R G A N I Z I N G PA R T N E R S
WITH THE SUPPORT OF
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Newcombe Conference Hall A Refreshed New Lecture Theatre By Pam Lowings, Head of Property Management and Site Development
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n August 2016 we undertook a minor project to refresh the Royal BC Museum’s Newcombe Conference Hall, which is used for meetings, lectures and other events. The room re-opened on our 130th birthday with improved dimmable lighting, better sound,
a new projector, acoustic treatments on three walls, a new carpet and a fresh coat of paint. The refresh may have been minor but the effects are wonderful—what a difference it’s made! We offer our thanks to Facilities and Operations Technician Tanya Duce, who led the project on behalf of the Property Management team.
standard audiovisual equipment, an AV technician (if requested) and small classroom-style tables and chairs.
The Newcombe Conference Hall is available for meetings, receptions and dinners and can accommodate up to one hundred people. Rates are $500 for four hours on weekday mornings or afternoons and $600 for four hours on weekday evenings or weekends. The rental includes
1. Acoustic wooden walls, new chairs, a contemporary lectern and dimmable lighting create a fresh, modern space in Newcombe Conference Hall.
Contact Judith Brunt, facility rental manager, at 250-387-5745 or by email at jbrunt@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca for additional information.
2. T his wall isn’t just a showpiece—it’s a pinnable surface that can be used to display notes.
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Why take a frozen Orca head to Saltspring?
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Rhapsody Resurfaces Out of the Wild and into the Collection By Gavin Hanke, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology, and Josh McInnes, Marine Science Instructor at Bamfield Marine Science Centre
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magine a day trip to Saltspring Island. Now imagine the same trip with the frozen head of a Bigg’s Orca for company. Why take a frozen Orca head to Saltspring? Because Mike deRoos and Michi Main of Cetacea, Inc. live there, and they prepare whale skeletons for exhibit and research. Few museums have the staff and space for whale preparation—we’re fortunate to have Mike and Michi only a short road trip away. Without their skills many of the whales stranded on the BC coast would be lost to science. The skull we were transporting, which belonged to T12A (Nitinat), is now buried and nature is doing the final cleanup. We were also there to pick up Rhapsody, a whale also known—less affectionately—as J32. Her skeleton was cleaned in 2015 and is now ready to be added to the Royal BC Museum’s collection. Rhapsody was found near Comox on December 4, 2014, and had probably died the day before. At 18, in the prime of life, she was pregnant with a full-term calf that had died days earlier, causing a fatal bacterial infection in J32. Rhapsody was towed to shore and guarded while a necropsy team was assembled. Sadly, the night before the necropsy someone cut out six of Rhapsody’s teeth—a final insult to an animal whose very flesh was considered hazardous waste due to pollution in our coastal food chain.
objectionable to kill an Orca. Today, Orcas are known to be intensely social animals and we feel the loss of each whale. Regardless of the emotional loss felt by terrestrial admirers, the loss of breeding females like Rhapsody is a severe blow to J-pod and the entire Southern Resident Orca population. J-pod numbered only 29 animals in December 2015 and the entire Southern Resident Orca population is about 85 per cent of what it was in 1995. Quite apart from reproduction, the loss of any female impacts an Orca pod. Just as grandparents teach grandchildren, matriarchs in a pod of Orcas transmit their cultural practices and language to young whales. Older females act as babysitters and teachers. In the end our trip was bittersweet—it’s exciting to receive a new skeleton for the museum but we can’t forget that the bones came from a well-known personality along our coast. Rhapsody’s calf has yet to be prepared. Ultimately the two animals will be reunited and it is our hope to exhibit them both at the Royal BC Museum someday.
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1. Josh McInnes holding Rhapsody’s
cleaned skull, October 19, 2016. M. Main photograph. 2. R hapsody’s vertebrae, cleaned, degreased and ready for the research collection. G. Hanke photograph. 3. Researchers measure Rhapsody’s body
before the necropsy, December 6, 2014.
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The mutilation of Rhapsody’s mouth flies against modern respect and affection for these apex predators. In the early ‘60s, though, it was neither illegal nor royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 11
Family: Bonds and Belonging Celebrating Canada’s 150 with our Feature Exhibition
CRATE STO
By Dr. Kathryn Bridge, Curator of History and Art Typical RBCM wall system 9 ft. high Memory Quilt
choice. As we grow we develop friendships and associations that place us in new family-like relationships. Our families are also defined by where we live. These shared bonds are the underpinnings of our upcoming exhibition, which features an amazing array of over three hundred different objects, artifacts and records from our archives and our history and ethnology collections.
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Highchair
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Chinese poems on wall segment
Chuppah (scrim with projections above)
Aaron DevorDual Ketubot various itemsinvitation etc.
Baby carriage
G5.5
24 x 18 x --
Torkko family photos
Ju Ro pa
mm7.2 For the last 130 years, families have been Interview Area 7 donating to our collections. media It unitis through G7.1a GROWTH AND CHA Focusable text, to donations like these that we are "A sister goes away..." Audio document and present their stories, and in recording booth so doing, offer a glimpse of families past Image and present.Area 6 mm7.1 projection Crib
COMMUNITY VOICES
above
Light fabric "tent" enclosure
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Learning activity modules TBD
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Interview media unit Image projection above (RBCM produced)
Area 5 GATHERINGS
Image/Text T.B.D.
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Theme titles above on 15" curved band (typical)
FAMILY REUNION Outdoor Leisure mm5.1 Card game, puzzle
G5.1- And so we gather
Image projection above
Guitar, Accordian, iPod
AS TABLES TURN SPECIAL OCCASIONS
G7.4, 7.5 Separations
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Steiff bear
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Gill trunk
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Baptism certificate, Christening cup and note
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Historical and contemporary families gather, grow and change, connecting across generations. Being part of a family—with all its ups and downs, its quirky characters, G7.3 its longstanding traditions and ever-evolving New Branch composition—entitles each of us to an G7.2 opinion about Growing up the nature of family, and we hope that our visitors will see themselves reflected in our exhibition.
24 x
How have our ideas about family changed over time? What tensions and prejudices have had direct impact upon our families—or perhaps even changed the way we understand family today? All of us belong to biological families from birth, although we may grow up in families established by
Letters/ Albums/ Inkwell
Wedding cake figurines, Wedding cake sketch, Wedding ring
36 x
he curatorial team is having fun with this exhibition! Family is such a universal concept and it has so many strong emotional overtones, both positive and negative. It‘s a challenge to find the right approach—to be inclusive, thoughtful and comprehensive; to recognize that visitors will bring their own ideas about family with them. We want this exhibition to appeal to a wide audience, including those who may not be close with their own families.
A shimmering wall of portraiture greets the visitor: massive 19th-century oil paintings in gilt frames are hung salon-style alongside historical photographs, interspersed with video screens showing hundreds of images of BC families past and present. Other galleries display iconic objects like wedding dresses and baby buggies alongside less obvious items, inviting us to consider how we build families of choice—how our own activities involve us in different families. An extraordinary grouping of wooden canoe paddles draws us into a tale of shared endeavour. Embroidered canopies used in Chinatown parades connect us to a time when immigration laws forced families apart, and new associations formed to fill their roles. A tabletop sewing machine expresses how teaching and learning skills ties generations together. Carefully annotated photo albums show how families preserve their own histories, while a gallery dressed up like a 1970s rumpus room screens vintage home movies and slide shows. But the large, colourful centrepiece is the showstopper: G5.6 LEISURE dozens of mannequins in historical dress gather in conversations across time and place, demonstrating diverse cultural influences and suggesting some of the historical moments that have G5.2 challenged and HOME LIFE G5.3 changed our ideas about family. FAMILY HARMONY
Shirley Florence Wood wedding gown
Ktunaxa carrier, Christening gown,
Fisher-Price doll House
Area 5 GATHERINGS
Canoe Journeys video monitor approx 42"
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Black mourning dress Pemberton Painting- Penumbra FN Bentwood box
Jet Jewellery Hair etc.
G7.6 Death
1. Building the Card House, a portrait of six-year-old Therese Allard from the archives of the Sisters of St. Ann. Sister Marie Osithe (LaBoissiere) painting, oil. 2011-084-3.
Emergency Exit
2. Exhibition floor plan. 3. Henry and Sarah Crease with their daughter mm8.1 Susan in thea-c garden of their house on Fort Street, Roll-up style home movie screens December 1902. X3 Screen size F-08823.i. approx 9ft.w x 7ft.h
udge Alexander oche Robertson ainting and photos
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Wood panelling 4. Lee Mong Kow and his family in Victoria, before 1905. D-05833.
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5. Women of the Charlie family making sweaters, Cowichan Valley, 1946. I-27571.
TERRY FOX EXHIBITION Opening April 12, 2017
Livingroom rugs from various ethnicities arranged on floor End tables w/ lamps
Custom upholstered sofas
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Area 8 HOME MOVIES THEATRE
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F. Davidson Button Blanket, R. Davidson print, Spruce-root hats (x2), Cowichan knit sweater, Sewing machine, Medical chest, Birch bark baskets (x2)
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G8.1- Home Movie theatre blurb TBD
Open Display in wall niches
Ottomans/Poufs
Area 9 GENERATIONS
G9.3- Letter writing sidebar
Image
Ma-Quin-Na 26 x
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G9.6- Louis patriarch
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Family Treasures
album album 1 703x 25 x 12 album 2
Reader
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Area 2 MEET MY FAMILY / BELONGING 48" high fasciau/s @ 9'-0" a.f.f. G2.6 PLACE
G2.5 ASSOCIATION
Exit
mm9.3
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Concentric string curtains overhead Learning activity modules TBD
G9.4- DNA
G9.9Conclusion message
PDP WALL
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25 x 25 x 12
Continuation of Conclusion message visuals
"Visitor voice" stylized tree
rails
Bill Reid screen on raised deck
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Dunsmuir
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CCTV
G9.1- The wealth of family knowledge
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rea 3 NG POINTS by 4 themes
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Learning and Shared Knowledge
Lolo
Home movie cameras film reels etc.
G2.4 CHOICE
G2.3 BLOOD
G2.7a-dPDP wall interp. Tim Paul sculpture
G1.4- What is a family, anyway?
G1.3- Welcome message from the Lkwungen People
Terry Fox Exit
Area 1 INTRODUCTION
- Who and were do you come from? - It's about connection
G1.1, G1.2- Thank you message to sponsors and supporters
Enter
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Make your own family activity/interactive
Light fabric "tent enclosure"
Title Signage above
Terry Fox’s Family Legacy By Darrell Fox, Board Member and Senior Advisor, Terry Fox Research Institute
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n April 12, 1980, Terry Fox began the Marathon of Hope, a run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He would cover 5,300 kilometres over 143 days before the cancer returned, forcing him to stop running on September 1, 1980. Terry died on June 28, 1981. The Fox family lost their son and brother too soon—and very publicly.
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Terry knew before he passed away that there would be an annual run in his name, and he helped to establish the values and vision that the Terry Fox Foundation adheres to and proudly shares today. Betty Fox, with Rolly Fox by her side, stepped up to speak for Terry when he could no longer speak for himself and accepted a role in the development of the Terry Fox Run, which would later evolve into the Terry Fox Foundation.
1. The Fox family (left to right): Terry, Judith, Rolly, Betty, Darrell and Fred Fox in 1967 or 1968. 2. Left to right: Darrell, Judith, Fred, Betty and Rolly Fox. 3. Terry Fox on his Marathon of Hope. Gail Harvey/ United Press Canada photograph.
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Betty was involved in all aspects of the Terry Fox Foundation, including commercialization issues that related to the use of Terry’s name and image for fundraising purposes. The founding directors and members of the foundation also believed it was important to tell the Terry Fox story: how one average Canadian made a difference through hard work and a never-give-up attitude.
It is estimated that Betty spoke to at least 400,000 schoolchildren during her more than 25 years of touring the country, leaving every child with the inspirational story of the Marathon of Hope. It was always Betty’s wish to see Terry’s siblings, nieces and nephews involved in the movement that bears Terry’s name, not only because they share a lineage, but also because they believe in and are committed to the values Terry championed. The direct descendants of Betty and Rolly Fox are now charged with taking the lead on the initiatives intended to honour Terry’s legacy and communicate his powerful and moving story. Reflecting on Terry’s words, “I am only one member of the Marathon of Hope; I am equal with all of you,” the Fox family acknowledges that we are part of an even larger family, extended and ever-growing. Terry’s legacy is vibrant today because there are “Terry Foxers” from coast to coast, south to north, responsible for continuing the Marathon of Hope. Our collective promise to Terry is this: we will not rest until his dream, which has become our own, is realized. Darrell Fox, Terry’s brother, speaks on behalf of the Fox family.
Community Voices Echoing Diverse Perspectives By Janet MacDonald, Head of Learning
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uring the summer and fall of 2016 the Royal BC Museum conducted seven consultations to gather feedback from the Punjabi community. This was done in partnership with the Centre for Indo Canadian Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley and through collaboration with regional museums and local institutions across the province. From northern BC, the Okanagan and the Kootenays to the Fraser Valley, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, communities responded to our invitations, providing invaluable advice and direction on how best to preserve Punjabi history for future generations. By the end of the journey we had realized that, while each perspective was unique, many experiences were shared. The results of the Punjabi community consultations are available on our Punjabi Intercultural History Project webpage. All the feedback gathered will play a role in how the Royal BC Museum approaches its research, collections, learning programs
and exhibitions. The results will also inform how we work with other local cultural institutions on this legacy project, and key recommendations will inform a document of support that will help us realize our goals.
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I hope you enjoy this little travel pictorial—a small sampling of our experiences—and appreciate the overwhelming community commitment to and enthusiasm for preserving this legacy that we encountered. Want to learn more? Visit royalbcmuseum. bc.ca/intercultural-history-projects
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1. Participants reflect on how their family histories can provide a legacy for future generations during a consultation at the Newton Seniors Centre in Surrey, on September 18, 2016. 2. Consultation attendees share significant experiences and perspectives at the Golden Museum and Archives in Golden, BC, on October 15, 2016. 3. Participants celebrate a good day’s work at Newton Seniors Centre in Surrey, on September 18, 2016.
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Species at Risk
Travelling Exhibition Highlights By Kim Gough, Learning Program Developer
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pecies at Risk is a small travelling exhibition with a twist. Instead of a bunch of objects and panels in crates, this exhibition comes to you in the form of a small teardrop trailer that unfolds to reveal provocative and informative content that advocates environmental stewardship and inspires public dialogue. Why this topic for an exhibition? Because over 50,000 species of plants and animals live in BC, more than live anywhere else in Canada, but more than 1,500 of these are at risk of extinction. The exhibit speaks to this problem and offers guidance on how we can all help turn the tide. In the summer of 2016, Species at Risk travelled to the Kootenays. Two students—Kate from the Royal BC Museum and Archives and Shelby from our partner the Robert Bateman Centre—were hired to facilitate the exhibition’s presence in 22 communities, engaging close to 6,000 people along the way. Before hitting the road they refined their presentation skills by taking the trailer on outings to Canada Day and Car Free Day events in Victoria—they even drove up-island and presented to an entire school in Campbell River. Once they were fully prepared, the road trip began with a few
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stops on the Lower Mainland and a brief stay in the Okanagan before heading on to Radium Hot Springs, Cranbrook, Nelson and Rossland. Species at Risk was hosted by art galleries, museums and parks, as well as by the Ktunaxa Nation Council in Cranbrook. The nation’s terrestrial biologist Cathy Conroy created a poster display about the cultural significance of the species diversity to the Ktunaxa people and the management work they are doing to help preserve vulnerable species in their territory. This fantastic content is currently featured in a Facebook Live video presented by Cathy and our own Gavin Hanke, curator of vertebrate zoology, who joined the travelling exhibition for a few days. We are currently planning to take Species at Risk to the Peace River region in 2017. What species and habitats at risk are of most concern in the Peace? We‘ll be exploring this question with our community partners in the area before we begin building the four new Mini-Museums that will accompany the exhibition. Work is being done to plan the itinerary and route for the trek. It promises to be another grand adventure for our special travelling exhibition.
This innovative and informative travelling exhibition was made possible through funding from the Government of Canada, the John and Joan Walton Innovators Fund, Telus and Quality Foods. There is a thirst for knowledge in our province and your support enables us to continue to learn and teach through remarkable programs such as this. Help us share our knowledge and engage our communities. To make a contribution today, contact us at 250-387-7222 or donate@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
The Species at Risk trailer at Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area Interpretive Centre in Creston, BC, July 2016.
The Sights, the Sounds —That Smell The Royal BC Museum Beetle Colony By Gavin Hanke, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology
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ave you ever been on a behind-the-scenes tour of the natural history collections? In the entomology collection you’ll have seen tray upon tray of meticulously pinned insects. But did you know we also have a colony of live insects here at the Royal BC Museum? The Dermesterium may sound like a steampunk invention, but in fact, it’s our colony of dermestid beetles. We use these beetles—their larvae, actually—to clean skeletal material for programming, exhibits and preservation in our mammal and bird research collection. (Occasionally, we also use them to prep reptile skeletons.) The beetle colony is distributed between two escapeproof tanks in a well-ventilated room near the museum’s carpentry shop. There are so many of them crawling about in there that you can hear them rustling, if the room is quiet. Darren Copley, the vertebrate preparator, keeps the colony well fed on specimens. Once
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Darren has skinned and eviscerated a bird or mammal, he’s left with a skeleton, complete with its muscles and connective tissues. Left to dry, the carcasses start to look like beef jerky gone wrong—very appetizing, to a dermestid beetle larva. Bit by bit, the larvae gnaw away at the dried flesh until they’ve cleaned everything off the bones, and in a few weeks (or sometimes longer), we open up the tank and recover the perfectly
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cleaned skeletons. The larvae are so gentle that even very delicate animals, like bats or hummingbirds, can be entrusted to them. The cleaned bones are frozen for a week to kill any live beetles or larvae. Volunteers then brush off any frass (beetle poop), and remove dead insects and their shed skins. The result is a set of clean bones, ready to be catalogued and taken to their final resting place in the museum’s Fannin Tower. Now, who wants to visit the colony? It’s humid and warm, and the smell … well. That’s an experience unto itself! You can see the colony in action from a distance using our beetle cam, which mercifully predates any attempts at scratch-and-sniff Internet technology. Check it out! Visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/imts-bug-cam/ 1. T he skeleton of a Yellow-bellied Marmot
(Marmota flaviventris) surrounded by the shed skins of countless dermestid larvae. 2. The colony’s workhorses are the fuzzy larvae
of Dermestes maculatus, which can grow to about 1.5 cm in length. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 17
CURIOUS
Marking Chinese Canadian History in BC By Kenneth Tung, Curious contributor
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urious is an online publication and app which collects essays, research, archival items and photography from Royal BC Museum curators, archivists and other experts. Each issue of Curious engages with a particular theme that is important to British Columbia residents and visitors. In this issue, join community experts and Royal BC Museum staff as they examine the Chinese Legacy Initiatives
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and the task of preserving and making accessible the history of Chinese Canadians in BC—including the persecution of these brave newcomers whose enduring tenacity exemplifies the definitions of immigrant, of Canadian and of pioneer. A member of the Legacy Initiatives Advisory Council (LIAC) for the Chinese Legacy Initiatives, Kenneth Tung is a local community leader, a proud Canadian and
an immigrant from Hong Kong. This is an excerpt from his article: On my desk sits a large white binder with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of BC sites identified as related to the history of Chinese Canadians. The adventures of sorting through this binder profoundly affected my understanding and appreciation of the extent of the contributions and activity of early Chinese settlers. I also experienced first-
2. hand the crucial role that local, multicultural and First Nations communities represent in preserving history. I would like to highlight one of the trips that I went on with the LIAC members, along the Fraser River from Lillooet to a place called Browning’s Diggins in central BC. As part of a three-day rafting trip through Lytton and ending in Yale, we tented overnight on the Fraser River bank close to a remote mining site. Few if any records exist of this particular Chinese gold mining site and, being so remote, it’s unlikely it would have ever been stumbled upon. Like many sites its story would have been all but forgotten if not for the foresight and traditions of local First Nations and community elders who preserved the history of the region. This site serves as one example among many of the fact that without the knowledge and aid of local communities and the enduring wisdom and forethought of their elders, a piece of history would have been lost to the detriment of us all. Although this site is small and isolated it is one of many, its history represents the building of a nation and the contributions of diversity to the society we live in today. A saying I am reminded of is: “前車之覆，後車之鑒” / “前车之覆，后车之鉴”. In English, “the overturning of the cart in front will serve as a warning to the carts following behind.” This Chinese idiom can be interpreted to mean an error made in the past that will serve as advice or wisdom for the future; to learn from the mistakes of one’s predecessor. Delve deeper into the inspirational history of British Columbia’s Chinese Canadian community and other Curious articles online at curious.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca. 1. Kenneth Tung (left) at Browning’s Diggins in central BC.
SPRING BREAK CAMPS Aspiring shutterbugs can develop their skills in this photography-inspired camp. Campers will learn about photo composition and storytelling, venture to Beacon Hill Park to capture dynamic nature shots and explore the Royal BC Museum’s Natural History collection.
March 27–31, 2017 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm $224 per person Ages 7–11
Register at ROYALBCMUSEUM.BC.CA/CAMPS
2. Browning’s Diggins in central BC was once a flourishing gold mine where Chinese labourers lived and worked.
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GOING DIGITAL
Woolly’s World Venturing into the Past with Augmented Reality By Liz Crocker, Learning Program Developer
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ave you ever seen a Woolly mammoth float upside down through the air?
I have—in my nightmares, while we were developing Woolly’s World, our new augmented reality app. I’m a Learning program developer, and my role on the project team was to ensure that the app fit our intended audience of early learners. I know: what five-year-old wouldn’t love to see a floating mammoth at the museum? But that wasn’t the point. We were supposed to be animating a realistic baby mammoth,
MAMMOTH FUN FACT Mammoths were plant eaters and ate up to 260 KILOGRAMS of plants every day. That would be like you eating
2,400 BURGERS!
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playfully rolling on its back. Could we pull it off? During early development, I wasn’t sure. Especially when the baby mammoth looked more like it was keeling over in agony rather than playing, or hovering supernaturally above the ground rather than tromping solidly on its own four feet. But that was all part of the process and thankfully these issues were resolved during the months before the app’s launch in early November 2016. Because our target audience for the app was kids ages 3–7, we listened carefully to feedback the museum has received from young children over the years. The most important thing we heard was that many young kids feel that Woolly is lonely. Even though an adult male mammoth (which our1.iconic friend is meant to represent)
would have been semi-solitary, coming into contact with family groups and with females only occasionally, knowing how our target audience felt provided us with an opportunity to create something that could really resonate with them. In this case it gave us direction for our animation. We decided we would give Woolly a family—and some neighbours.
“Knowing how our target audience felt provided us with an opportunity to create something that could really resonate with them.”
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BC’s new school curriculum values learning through play, especially for early learners. All baby mammals play while they learn and mammoths would have been no exception. We wanted our app to be playful and, because its focus was mammoths, we decided to highlight learning through play by animating a baby mammoth. We also wanted to keep the text light, using images instead where possible. Some parts of the app give users the opportunity to explore fun facts; others invite them to engage with the real gallery space they’re standing 1. Visitors try out Woolly’s World, our new augmented reality app. 2. A screenshot from Woolly’s World, the Royal BC Museum’s augmented reality app, which invites visitors to explore the Ice Age.
in. For example, we ask visitors if they can see the ptarmigans—not just the ones flying across the screen but also the ones carefully camouflaged in the exhibit. Future evaluation and consideration of visitor responses to Woolly’s World will tell us how successful we’ve been in trying to create a digital experience that is both fun and educational for early learners and their adults. Like many programs designed for children, Woolly’s World might appeal to you, too. Come to the museum and try it—then let us know what you think. Download the app for your next visit, at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/apps
The creation of this augmented reality smart phone app was made possible through the John and Joan Walton Innovators Fund and the in-kind support of NGX Interactive. Please consider contributing to this fund and helping to create future innovative learning opportunities for British Columbians and visitors from all around the world. Help us share our history and inspire our shared future. To make a contribution today, contact us at 250-387-7222 or donate@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 21
NEW from the Royal British Columbia Museum THE SUSTAINABILITY DILEMMA Essays on British Columbia Forest and Environmental History The Sustainability Dilemma opens a window into a time of changing social attitudes often at odds with government agendas and looks at two of the more controversial issues British Columbians have faced over the past 60 years, revealing both the innovations and frustrations of BC’s Forest Service during this period. Available online, at the Royal Museum Shop and at your local bookstore.
$34.95 978-0-7726-6974-2 For more information on Royal BC Museum publications, visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/publications
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STAFF PROFILE
Leah Best Head of Knowledge By What’s inSight staff
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he Royal BC Museum and Archives is pleased to welcome Leah Best as the new head of our Knowledge department. Leah comes to Victoria from Nelson, BC, where she was executive director of Touchstones Nelson: Museum of Art and History, a hybrid organization that serves as Nelson’s museum, public art gallery and community archives. Nelson is a small town known for its arts and heritage scene; Leah’s natural focus is on working in and serving small communities, particularly in her past role as president of the BC Museums Association.
Treaty among regional audiences along the Columbia River. The project, which focused on public values and resource extractions now and in the 1950s, was recognized by the Canadian Museums Association and awarded the 2015 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions.
degree from the University of Victoria. “I have an art history background,” she said. “And as head of both human and natural history, I am excited to learn about the operations of a natural history museum.”
Previously, Leah worked as an assistant curator at the Vancouver Art Gallery. She has a master’s degree in art history from the University of Toronto and an undergraduate
Leah and her team are responsible for providing the strategic development of the Royal BC Museum’s human history and natural history collections, producing both interdisciplinary and scholarly research that advances understanding of the collections, and generating creative ideas and rich content for audience-focused programs, exhibitions and websites. “The PEACE Project, the Punjabi Legacy Project and Landscapes of Injustice reflect the museum’s interest in diversifying the stories we tell and in new ways of telling them—through a consultative, collaborative process,” said Leah, who recognizes her wonderful departmental team and appreciates working with such talented people. “The Knowledge team draws on interdisciplinary practice, which is key to the future of museums,” she said. And this is something Leah knows about from experience. Recently she had the opportunity to manage an interdisciplinary project—Roll On Columbia—to raise awareness of the upcoming renegotiation of the Columbia River royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 23
VOLUNTEER PROFILE
Wilson Tutube Art Inspired by the Collections By Melissa Hogg, Membership and Marketing Coordinator
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eet Wilson Tutube, 20, a talented emerging artist and a volunteer at the Royal BC Museum and Archives. Wilson started volunteering at the museum during the teachers’ strike in 2014 and, shortly after first working with the collections, he began drawing specimens out of curiosity. His Nuu-chah-nulth style is a unique blend of science, art and storytelling—much like the work of the museum itself. As a volunteer working with the invertebrate and archaeology collections, Wilson sometimes encounters animal forms that are not indigenous to BC and 24
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are not traditionally represented in First Nations art. The Mediterranean Mantis, for example, inspired a favourite piece among the museum staff. “I like it because of the eyespots,” says Wilson. “I would like to eventually draw a Ground Mantis in BC to talk about the evolution process. Bugs in particular aren’t often used in First Nations art, so I’m in uncharted territory.” Wilson is completely self-taught. Most of his drawings start out as a silhouette using the anatomical pointers on a specimen; he then works in motifs or designs inspired by books and other artwork. He credits the
ethnology department for providing access to artwork and artifacts for him to study. But the inspiration for his artwork can be found in any area of the museum. For example, during a museum Live @ Lunch lecture on building the Site C Dam, Wilson began drawing an ant to explore ideas of practicality and self-sacrifice for a goal. First Nations art often explains landscapes and how the world came to be. Wilson decided to flip that—to talk about the world as it is now, telling stories that combine the sciences and humanities to explore human nature. He is currently working on a piece about the ocean dead zones and what we are doing to cause them. “I want people to be aware of what’s happening in the ocean,” he says, “And I want to use the art as a way to make an emotional connection to the subject.”
Project, which helps an underfunded elementary school receive books and supplies, and go on field trips. Wilson was inspired by the museum’s work and now his work inspires others. What inspires you at the museum? To learn more about volunteering at the Royal BC Museum, visit royalbcmuseum. bc.ca/volunteer
1. Wilson Tutube uses a Dungeness Crab (Metacarcinus magister) specimen from the invertebrates collection as a reference and inspiration for his artwork. 2. A specimen of inspiration: the Mediterranean Mantis (Iris oratoria), a non-native species represented in our entomology collection, inspired one of Wilson Tutube’s works. 3. Mantis, one of Wilson Tutube’s pieces, was inspired by the museum’s Mediterranean Mantis specimen (below left). Printed here courtesy of Metropol Printshop.
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Mostly, Wilson is drawing for fun, but there is another goal to his art: proceeds from the sale of Wilson’s work go to the Craigflower
2. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 25
Discounts Around the World DONOR PROFILE
Member
Gwendolyn Page
Flash your membership card at any of these locations to receive your special Royal BC Museum member rate:
And Why Giving is Good for You
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Lisa King,Museum Annual Giving Manager By Barkerville Beaty Biodiversity Museum Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art wendolyn Page fell in love with museums Britannia Mine Museum when she was four years old. It was then Canadian Museum of Nature that her father took her to her first museum, Crocker Art Museum and a lifelong passion began. Inspired by the stories Dr SunandYat-Sen Classical the exhibits she saw on that first Garden trip,Chinese she has since travelled the world visiting museums Fernie Museum and archives, obtaining a degree in art Gallery2 Grand history along theForks way. Glenbow Museum BC Museum is an abundant “The GulfRoyal of Georgia Cannery National repository of history,” says Page. “It is a Historic Site great place for people to gather, share and Haida Gwaii Museum learn. Unfortunately the physical constraint Hope Visitor Centre and of the available space means large parts of Museum Complex the collection and archives are in storage. We HRneed MacMillan Centre to updateSpace and expand the facility
G
Royal Saskatchewan Museum Huble Homestead / San Francisco Maritime National Giscome Portage Heritage Society Historical Park Kelowna Museums Science World Kilby Historic Site to showcase and honour the stories, the “We are so grateful for Gwendolyn’s Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre Mackie Lake House traditions and the cultural and scientific unfailing willingness to step up and help Sooke Region Museum & Visitor Manitoba Museum artifacts that tell BC’s rich history, paving the museum,” says Prof. Jack Lohman, SS Sicamous Museum of Caribou Chilcotin – the way for generations to come.” our current CEO. “Her generosity and The Maritime Museum of BC Williams Lake commitment makes a real difference to the Page has served theofmuseum in many Vancouver Aquarium Museum Vancouver museum and its future.” ways:asNuyumbalees a member and donor; on the Vancouver Art Gallery Cultural Centre Campaign Advisory Committee; and in Page’s commitment to theButterfly museum Gardens Victoria O’Keefe Historic Ranch her present roleEllice on theHouse board of the is moving: “Although to a lot WellsI donate Museum Point Royal BC Museum Foundation. She first she says, Yale Historic Site Quesnel & District Museum and of different organizations,” became involved when a mutual friend “knowing that the cost of admission or Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centr Archives Society invited her to lunch with former museum government funding isn’t enough to cover Quesnel Museum CEO Pauline Rafferty. It was during this expenses andFor knowing manyofartifacts a fullhow listing your member ben Revelstoke Museum & Archives lunch that Pauline invited Gwendolyn to are still in storage means I will continue and discount details visit Robert Bateman Centre sit on the foundation board, and the rest to support theroyalbcmuseum.bc.ca/join museum in any way I can to Roedde House Museum is history. ensure this immense collection is protected and displayed.”
Royal Museum Shop Intriguing and Unique Royal BC Museum members and IMAX season Royal BC Museum members & IMAX season pass holders receive 10% off all purchases. Use coupon code: memberreceive 10% off all purchases. pass holders royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/shop Use coupon
code: member
Your purchases support the Royal BC Museum. No Admission Required. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/shop Shop hours 10:00 Your am – 5:00 pm daily purchases Tel 250-356-0505
support the Royal BC Museum. No Admission Required. Shop hours 10 – 5 daily Tel 250 356 0505
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“I am really excited for the future of the museum,” she continues. “The staff does an amazing job of caring for all the objects.… It would be wonderful to be able to share more of the collection with the public. Expanding the gallery spaces to showcase the extensive collection of works by Emily Carr, one of Canada’s most well-known artists; hosting additional educational programs; displaying more of the remarkable pieces the museum holds—this will be a big undertaking, but it’s one I know the people of BC will support.” If you would like to join Gwendolyn in supporting our work, please contact us at donate@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or by phone at 250-387-7222.
Mining the BC Archives An Introduction to Our Permissions and Licensing Program By Kelly-Ann Turkington, Permissions and Licensing Officer
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s the permissions and licensing officer for the Royal BC Museum and Archives, my job is to license or grant permission for the use of images and material from the collections when this is requested by members of the public. Our clients use the materials for everything from advertisements to interior design, for displays and presentations, for research and publication and much more. The most commonly requested materials include photographs, film, video, sound recordings, maps and textual records.
The Licensing program has been in existence since 1995 and in 2003, following the integration of the BC Archives into the museum, a position for a permissions officer was established. The program was also expanded to include use of images, records and information from the museum collections. The permissions officer handles the clearances of the materials, ensures the files are appropriate for the requested use and negotiates fees, usually on a case-by-case basis.
projects, among them an exhibit video for the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, an IMAX film titled Rocky Mountain Express and television shows like History Television’s Ancestors in the Attic and CBC’s Canada: A People’s History. We’re always working to make access easier for our clients. In an effort to simplify the order process we recently created an online request form. The feedback that we’ve received from clients since establishing this new process has been overwhelmingly positive and we’re looking at what else we can do to make things easier for everyone.
our users. As the Royal BC Museum and Archives, we have a responsibility to collect records of significance to British Columbia and preserve them in perpetuity. This revenue, along with permissions and use fees, is applied to the expenses incurred in operating the archives and ensuring the long-term preservation of our collections. Please contact Kelly-Ann Turkington at 250-387-3845 if you have any questions regarding the Royal British Columbia Museum and Archives’ Licensing program. Audio tape copying set-up from the Aural History Programme at the Provincial Archives of BC, circa 1975. I-67663.
The fees that we charge offset the costs of providing the services requested by
Skip forward to today and there has been an increase in requests, not only for custom digital formats but also for use of material in new media formats such as streaming video and podcasts. The work is anything but routine and each request presents its own challenges and opportunities. Our photographs and films have been used around the world for diverse and exciting royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 27
What’s on FAMILY PROGRAMS Wonder Sunday Our Wonder Sunday family series takes place every Sunday from March to May. Included with admission or membership. Animal Families Learn about various animal parenting skills and engage in some taxonomy. March 5, 12, 19, 26 I 1:00–3:00 pm April Fool’s Discover various camouflage techniques and learn about how animals fool other creatures in order to stay safe. April 2 I 1:00–3:00 pm Terry Fox Engage in discussion and activities relating to Terry Fox’s life and the Marathon of Hope. April 9, 16, 23, 30 I 1:00–3:00 pm
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 until 10:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays from May 19 to October 7 HELMCKEN HOUSE: June 1 to September 5 Open Daily 12:00 to 4:00 pm | Included with admission or donation Filmmaking Join other talented filmmakers and take your turn in the director’s chair to create a short film. July 17–21 I 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Ages 9–14 | $280 per child Claymation Young filmmakers will work in small crews to create clay characters and design sets. July 31–August 4 I 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Ages 9–14 | $280 per child Lego Animation Young filmmakers will use their Lego characters to create backgrounds, sets and a storyline. July 24–28 and August 14– 18 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Ages 6–10 | $280 per child ADULT PROGRAMS
Family Science Learn about our genetic codes and hereditary traits, and share your family stories. May 7, 14, 21, 28 I 1:00–3:00 pm
Museum Happy Hour Join us Thursdays after work for themed events in our permanent galleries. Select Thursdays in March and July 19+ only | $10 per person Drinks and food available for purchase
Night at the Museum Come spend the night with us as we camp, tell stories, watch home movies, play board games and more. June 17 I 6:00 pm – 9:30 am $80 per person | 10% member discount
Teacher’s Lounge Get a preview of our new Learning Centre. You don’t need to be a teacher to come! March 9 I 5:15–7:00 pm Becoming BC (history) gallery, third floor
CAMPS Spring Break Camps Focus on Nature Aspiring shutterbugs can develop their skills by participating in this photography-inspired camp. March 20–24 and March 27–31 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Ages 7–11 | $224 per person Summer Camps Story Camp What makes a good story? This summer, campers will explore this and more. July 10–14, 17–21, 24–28 July 31–August 4 August 14–18 and 21–25 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Ages 7–11 | $280 per person Mini Mornings Story Camp Our littlest campers will discover the basics of storytelling in this play-based morning camp. July 10–14 and August 21–25 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Ages 5–6 | $120 per child The Director’s Cut Camps Under the guidance of expert filmmakers, you will use the latest in digital equipment to create your very short film or stop motion animation movie.
Mindfulness Learn to be more present and connected to the space and people around you through yoga, meditation and more. March 16 I 5:15–7:00 pm Natural History gallery, second floor Awakening Memory Explore the dynamic relationship between historical Indigenous art objects and contemporary Indigenous art practices with our friends from Open Space. March 23 I 5:15–7:00 pm First Peoples gallery, third floor ALL AGES Stories at Helmcken House Come enjoy folktales, myths, legends and stories from around the world at Helmcken House on the 3rd Saturday of every month. March 18, April 15, May 20 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm and 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Included with admission or membership Why We Are Here! Choral Event The Belfry Theatre presents Nightswimming’s Why We Are Here!, created by Brian Quirt and Martin Julien. March 13 I 7:00–10:00 pm $10 per person
National Canadian Film Day 150 Celebrate Canadian cinema by attending the screening of films from the BC Archives—part of a massive one-day coast-to-coast-to-coast film festival. April 19 I 1:00–3:00 pm Included with admission or membership Fieldtrippers Join us for themed outdoor field trips led by museum staff and community collaborators. All tours are by donation. Cowichan Estuary Hike Participants will learn about the traditional lifestyles of Cowichan First Nations people. April 22 I 11:00 am – 1:30 pm Insects at the Summit Join Entomology Curator Joel Gibson as he leads a tour around the summit of Mount Douglas. May 13 I Saturday 10:30 am – 12:00 pm In Seine Join researchers from the Royal BC Museum as they conduct a beach seine at Willows Beach. June 25 I Sunday 9:30 – 11:30 am Earth Day Celebrate Earth Day and your community at the 6th Annual Creatively United for the Planet Sustainability Showcase. April 22 I 10:00–5:00 pm Included with admission or membership. Some lectures and workshops are ticketed. Astronomy Day The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (Victoria Centre) will host International Astronomy Day celebrations at the Royal BC Museum. April 29 I 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Included with admission or membership Science Odyssey Every Living Thing: Experiencing a Bioblitz This documentary will take you on an amazing exploration of the Grand Lake Protected Natural Area in New Brunswick. May 12 I 5:00 pm By donation Insects at the Summit Join Dr. Joel Gibson, curator of entomology, as he leads a tour around the summit of Pkols (Mount Douglas). May 13 I 10:30 am – 12:00 pm By donation Meet at summit parking lot, Mount Douglas Park Surprising Science Explore the science of both natural history and human history with museum staff and community members stationed around the museum galleries. May 16 I 1:00–3:00 pm Included with admission or membership
Information correct at time of printing. Subject to change. Please visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/calendar for the most up-to-date information. Prices do not include applicable taxes.
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Behind-the-Scenes Tours Mammal Matters Take a tour of the vertebrate collection from the small to the mighty. May 17 | 11:00 am Included with admission or membership Butterflies and More Journey into our entomology collection and visit the wonderful world of insects. May 17 I 12:00 pm Included with admission or membership That’s Debatable: a Curatorial Showdown on World Oceans Day Our natural history curators engage in a knockdown, drag-out debate about the importance of ocean species. The audience will decide the winner. June 8 I 12:00–1:00 pm Included with admission or membership Have We Got a Story to Tell: Family Feud Our popular Moth Radio Hour—inspired storytelling event series continues with true and dramatic tales of family fiascos. June 9 I 7:00–9:00 pm $12 per person SPECIAL EVENTS Food Truck Festival Until April 30: Mon–Sat | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm May 1 – May 31: Daily | 11:00 am – 6:00 pm June 1 – Sep 4: Sun–Thu | 11:00 am – 6:00 pm Fri–Sat | 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friends of the BC Archives Red Lights on Fraser Street: Nanaimo, 1890–1940 Aimee Greenaway, interpretation curator at the Nanaimo Museum, will use archival records to illuminate the sex trade in Nanaimo. March 19 I 2:00–3:30 pm The Sustainability Dilemma Robert Griffin, retired Royal BC Museum curator, and Richard Rajala, UVic historian, will discuss the research behind their new book on BC forest and environmental history. April 23 I 2:00–3:30 pm Family: Bonds and Belonging: Finding Family at the BC Archives Emma Wright, archives manager at the Royal BC Museum, will talk about the upcoming exhibition Family: Bonds and Belonging. May 21 I 2:00–3:30 pm Distinguished Lecture: Dr. Vivienne Poy Heroes and Gamblers: Tales of Survival and Good Fortune of the Poy Family Celebrate Asian Heritage month with the Honourable Dr. Vivienne Poy as she talks about her family’s history in the 19th and 20th centuries in Australia and North America. This lecture connects stories of horrors and heroisms, struggles and fortunes across different societies and continents. May 28 I 2:00 – 3:30 pm By donation
THE ROBERT BATEMAN CENTRE Jr Nature Sketch Club Spring Session Starts April 2017 For more information or to register, please visit batemancentre.org The Urban Sanctuary Project More information and events can be found at sanctuaryproject.ca
DID YOU KNOW? Royal BC Museum members enjoy up to 20% off admission at more than 25 partner attractions. Just flash your membership card to receive your discount! View the full list of partners at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/reciprocalpartners
Aboriginal Cultural Festival Join us for this three-day celebration of Aboriginal peoples, art and culture with performances, food and an artisan fair in the Royal BC Museum cultural precinct. June 16, 17, 18 | Free Presented in partnership with
LECTURES Live @ Lunch The Rapid Spread of the European Wall Lizard Dr. Gavin Hanke, curator of vertebrate zoology March 1 I 12:00–1:00 pm The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Intertidal Plants and Marine Invertebrates of Estuaries on the Mid-Coast of British Columbia Dr. Henry Choong, Invertebrate Curator Dr. Erica Wheeler, Botany Collection Manager with special guests April 5 I 12:00–1:00 pm Finding Family in the BC Archives Genevieve Weber, Archivist May 3 I 12:00–1:00 pm Families Through the Generations: The Guichons and Louies Dr. Tzu-I Chung, Curator of History June 7 I 12:00–1:00 pm
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PARTNERSHIP PROFILE
Tourism Victoria By Jim Zeeben, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Tourism Victoria for leading the way among our peers. In 2016, Tourism Victoria achieved a major milestone when it reached a historic agreement with the City of Victoria, local hoteliers and the province of BC. Under the terms of the Municipal and Regional District Tax program, Tourism Victoria has been granted Eligible Entity status. The deal will help Tourism Victoria improve its long-term planning and provide a boost to business at the Victoria Conference Centre.
W
hen the world hears about Victoria, BC, chances are we’ve had a hand in telling that story. Our mission is to inspire the world to experience our remarkable region. Working in partnership with almost one thousand members, Tourism Victoria (Greater Victoria Visitors and Convention Bureau) is the official not-for-profit destination marketing organization for southern Vancouver Island and serves all 13 municipalities in Greater Victoria as well as the Cowichan Valley and the Gulf Islands.
We deliver progressive, responsible leadership by advocating sustainable development of our destination for the social, cultural, environmental and economic enrichment of our members and community. Greater Victoria has a long history as a tourist destination, though the modern roots of Tourism Victoria can be traced to 1974. Over the years we’ve worked on better collaboration with local businesses and all levels of government, and today we are a professional organization with a reputation
At Tourism Victoria, we work hard every day to ensure that we remain internationally recognized as a leader in sustainable tourism development and that our region maintains its place as one of the top year-round destinations in the world.
100 Club Creating a Culture of Corporate Giving By Suzan Meyers, Marketing Assistant
T
he Royal BC Museum’s 100 Club is a new access program built on a foundation of inclusion and community outreach in the belief that everyone should be able to enjoy and learn from the Royal BC Museum.
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What’s inSight
Spring 2017
The 100 Club offers a simple way for companies, individuals or foundations to purchase museum admissions for distribution to charities that focus on providing opportunities for groups such as low-income families, students and unemployed people.
To receive a 100 Club information package, please contact: Shawn Embree Sales Coordinator SEmbree@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 778-679-0380
Thank You
For Supporting the Revitalization of this Part of the Museum Thanks to you, our generous donors, the revitalized Newcombe Conference Hall is a more welcoming and exciting space. The conference hall is a busy community hub where learners of all ages gather to be inspired, guests meet for events, and curators, researchers and staff eagerly share their knowledge, innovations and creativity. Your generosity has helped us refresh the space with new paint and carpeting, acoustic wall panels, a pinnable wool wall surface, dimmable LED lighting, a projector, new speakers and wireless microphones. Once again the Newcombe Conference Hall befits the world-class museum that hosts it. This renovation is just the starting point for the museum. With your support, we will continue to renew our spaces in an ongoing effort to help the community connect with our extensive collections, archives and expertise. Together, we can make our museum a modern gathering place for learning, dialogue and debate. Thank you for your support!
Donation Form YES, I want to inspire more learners and help the museum share BC’s rich history with more people! I am pleased to make an annual gift of $50 $100 $250 $500
$ __________________
Method of payment:
Cheque enclosed (made payable to Royal BC Museum Foundation) Credit card gift VISA Mastercard AMEX CREDIT CARD #
EXPIRY DATE
CARDHOLDERS NAME
SIGNATURE
I prefer to make a long term commitment with a monthly gift charged to my credit card on the 1st or 15th of the month in the amount of
$10 $25 $50 $75 $ _____________________ You can make changes to your gift amount or cancel at any time by calling 250-387-7222.
DONOR RECOGNITION NAME
Anonymous Gift in honour of __________________________ NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
CITY PROVINCE/STATE
POSTAL/ZIP CODE
PHONE NUMBER
You may also donate online at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/support or by calling 250-387-7222. Royal BC Museum Development Department 675 Belleville Street, Victoria BC V8W 9W2
Guests attend a lecture at Newcombe Conference Hall.
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 and 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 email at privacy@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or by telephone at 250-356-0698. Charitable Registration #: 118933241RR0001
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Story Camp What makes a good story? What stories are important to tell? This summer, in parallel with our upcoming exhibition Family: Bonds and Belonging, campers will explore these questions and more, uncovering stories within the museum’s collections and from family histories. Fun field trips, engaging guest speakers, hands-on projects and behind-the-scenes access will inspire campers to craft and share their own stories in creative ways. July 10–14, 17–21, 24–28, July 31 – August 4, August 14–18, 21–25 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Ages 7–11 Register today at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/camps