Blog & News

From the BC Museum's Association:

"With 68 wildfires currently burning in BC, 7 of which are out of control, it is important to prepare your site and staff for an emergency response. Museums, galleries, and cultural spaces have important roles to play in keeping their staff, volunteers, and communities safe during extreme weather events.

Explore BC HERN resources and learning opportunities here."

A new art gallery will showcase more of Revelstoke Museum and Archives’ extensive collection and celebrate the leadership of Cathy English, long-time museum curator. The Cathy English Gallery will capitalize on a rare opportunity of new space for the museum, created from the building of the museum’s access lift.

“We were left with a completely blank slate to do whatever we wanted with, and we came to the decision that it would be the perfect space for an art gallery,” Laura VanZant, assistant curator said.

Read the full article from the Revelstoke Mountaineer here.

The Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre (VHEC) is proud to announce the launch of Fragments in Focus: A History of the Holocaust, a groundbreaking online exhibition.

This powerful digital exhibition showcases over 160 artefacts and archival records from the VHEC’s collection. Through personal belongings, photographs, documents, and recorded testimonies, Fragments in Focus offers an intimate lens into the individual experiences of Holocaust victims, survivors, and witnesses.

Fragments in Focus was developed with the support of Digital Museums Canada, an investment program managed by the Canadian Museum of History. DMC is the largest national investment program dedicated to supporting digital projects. It helps build digital capacity in museums and heritage, cultural and Indigenous organizations across Canada, offering unique access to diverse stories and experiences.

The exhibition invites educators, students, researchers, and the general public to experience Holocaust history through tangible fragments of memory. Endorsed by the BC Ministry of Education for teaching in BC classrooms, Fragments in Focus: A History of the Holocaust is bilingual teaching resource for audiences across BC, Canada and around the world. 

The exhibition is available at www.fragmentsinfocus.ca.

This new exhibition explores the history of Smithers tourism and recreation through postcards, photographs, souvenirs, and ephemera from the permanent collection of the Bulkley Valley Museum. 

The many amazing sites and places featured in this exhibition that are enjoyed by both locals and tourists alike are located on the traditional territory of the Witsuwit'en people. The BV Museum is located on C'inulh K'it, Cas Yikh (Grizzly House) territory belonging to the Gidimt'en clan of the Witsuwit'en Nation. Other places visited by locals and tourists in regions surrounding Smithers may be located in the traditional territories of the Gitxsan and Nad'uten. 

Explore the exhibit here.

Join the Jewish Museum & Archives of BC for historical walking tours of Vancouver and Victoria this summer! Scan the QR code or visit their website for tickets.

The Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre is excited to announce the 13th annual Nikkei Matsuri, an authentic celebration of Japanese culture. This year is extra special as we celebrate Nikkei Centre's 25th anniversary. Join us for a weekend of festivities at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby) on Saturday, August 30 and Sunday, August 31 from 11am-7pm. Admission is free for those under 18 and over 65, and members. $15 ($12 advance) admission for adults.

For more information, including a list of highlights and performers, visit the event's webpage.

The Transit Museum Society (TMS) has partnered with TransLink to take part in a new transportation-themed exhibition at the Museum of North Vancouver (MONOVA).

The exhibition, titled Are We There Yet?, is now open and will run until March 1, 2026. It offers fascinating insights into the history and future of transportation in Metro Vancouver.

For more information, visit the MONOVA website.

From the BC Museums Association:

"We are pleased to announce that Jules André-Brown will be serving as BCMA’s new Executive Director starting Tuesday, August 5, 2025!

As President, I know that I speak for all that Ryan Hunt’s departure this spring left a huge gap in the organization. Ryan is a forward thinker and connector who dedicated his time to building the BCMA into a well-respected organization across the country – thank you Ryan!

After Ryan Hunt’s departure, Council, with the support of BCMA’s Acting Executive Director Lorenda Calvert, embarked on a search for an Executive Director that is experienced in strategic planning and sustainable funding, highly focused and organized, and will uphold the values of the BCMA: accountability, bravery, equity, innovation, relevance and respect.

Jules represents all of these. Through his 15-year career of community-based work Jules has a proven track record of leading with sound financial stewardship and is highly experienced in community-based cultural work and strategic planning. He has dedicated his career to empowering community and nonprofits through governance and program development. Indeed, many of you may have met Jules in the past as he has championed and participated in several BCMA programs, including those related to professional development and leadership.

Jules demonstrated to the hiring committee his expertise when working and leading in a variety of cultural and nongovernmental organizations such as ArtStarts, Arts BC, BC Family Caregivers Association and Spectrum Society for Community Living.

Added to this is a wide range of educational qualifications in Leadership, Business and Community work that highlights his passion to support inclusive and productive communities throughout British Columbia.

Jules cares deeply about the cultural sector, dedicating his career to empowering communities and participating, not just professionally, but also in his day-to-day life.

After asking Jules to share some personal information, he noted that his children wanted the membership to know that Jules loves salty liquorice, used to build Trinidadian steel pans AND has a black belt in ninjutsu!

Welcome Jules, we look forward to working with you.

-Lynn Saffery, BCMA President"

Join the Alberni Valley Museum on Thursday, July 31st from 10am-2pm for the opening of Cecil Dawson: Worlds Colliding.

The exhibition Worlds Colliding presents the evocative and multilayered works of Cecil Dawson, a renowned Kwakwaka’wakw artist and Hereditary Chief of the Dzawada’enuxw First Nation. Rooted in ancestral knowledge, cultural reclamation, and artistic innovation, the exhibition invites viewers into a world where Raven, ancient beings, and sea creatures coexist beneath coastal waters.

Dawson’s art is not only a reflection of his heritage but also a catalyst for dialogue. The exhibition foregrounds his collaborative efforts with non-Indigenous artists to explore the complexities of cultural exchange, Indigenous protocol, and the impacts of colonial contact. This cross-cultural engagement challenges and enriches the conversation around shared artistic practices, boundaries, and responsibilities.

The formal opening will honour Indigenous traditions through ceremony, songs, and dances, recognizing the artist and the cultural significance of the exhibition.

The exhibition runs from August 1 – November 1, 2025

"PORT HARDY, KWAKIUTL TERRITORY – The Port Hardy Museum and Visitor Centre is excited to announce the opening of The Carrot Campaign exhibit 'Do you Carrot All?’ at our Visitor Centre location (2520 Market Street). 

In honour of this year's Filomi Days theme, 'The Year of the Carrot', we have curated a quirky exhibition about the Carrot Campaign of 1976. This campaign advocated for a highway connecting Northern Vancouver Island to the rest of Vancouver Island. Promises of this road date back to the establishment of the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1840s. 

Before the creation of the highway, North Island residents could only travel by ferry to the South end of the Island and Vancouver. In the 1960s, treacherous logging roads opened for public use; this was not a solution. North Island residents came together to pressure the government to stop dangling the carrot (the highway) for votes, and to finally follow through and build it. As noted at the time by Campaign organizer, Roland Shanks, “That battered, half chewed, over-mature carrot that you clutch so tenaciously in your hand is mine! I want it now!” 

Assistant Curator Brie Watson notes that "The Carrot Campaign is a strong example of how the determination and resilience of small communities can create positive political change, and can be a source of community pride." 

“The exhibit parallels the spectacle and humour of the original Carrot Campaign, and we wanted to capture that spirit,” shares Curator Robin Folvik. “Roland Shanks generously donated most of what is featured in the exhibit. His collection made it possible for us to include many of the original Carrot Campaign materials.” 

The Carrot Campaign exhibit ‘Do you Carrot All?’ was a collaborative effort of our staff. With guidance from Curator/Director Robin Folvik, contributors included Brie Watson (Assistant Curator), Miriam Xia (Curatorial Assistant), Ashley Cadwallader (Assistant Manager, Visitor Services), and Danya Gorodetsky (Volunteer). Tyler Nelson, Hyson Johnson, and Suzana Gogich provided additional support. 

The Port Hardy Museum and Visitor Centre is operated by the Port Hardy Heritage Society, a non-profit organization. For more information about latest activities, exhibits or how to support the organization, visit https://www.facebook.com/PortHardyMuseum/ 

The exhibit will be on display for the rest of the summer, and we welcome visitors and community members to view it."