What's inSight Winter 2019

Winter 2019

UNDERSTANDING THROUGH ART THE INDIGENOUS SUMMER ARTS STUDIO RHAPSODY’S BOHEMIAN HUNTING FOSSILS 300 MILLION YEARS OF PEACE RIVER PALAEONTOLOGY DYING RIVERS OF ICE THE LOSS OF GLACIERS IN BC

$3.95

WINTER 2019 FEATURE Rhapsody’s Bohemian FEATURE Hunting Fossils FEATURE Dying Rivers of Ice A Hidden Diary Kaajuuhlda: To Transform FEATURE Understanding Through Art Put It in Park GOING DIGITAL The Learning Portal Just Got Better Wildlife Photographer of the Year Talking With Community Leading the Way in Emergency Response Authenticity Matters Maya Is Moving On! Once Well Beloved PROFILE Ode to Lotus Christmas Presence What’s On Calendar PARTNERSHIP PROFILE Vancity MEMBER PROFILE Cedar Payne

E DITOR IN CHIEF Erika Stenson Head of Marketing, Sales & Business Development

4 7

MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Vanderzee Marketing & Sales Manager

9 12 13 14 16 17 18 20 21

MAGAZINE COORDINATOR Cassie Holcomb Membership & Marketing Coordinator

4

2

What’s inSight

Nathan Oickle 2D Graphic Designer Annie Mayse Copy Editor

24 25 26

Shane Lighter Photographer

27 28 29

What’s inSight is a magazine released four times annually, in March, June, September and December, by the Royal BC Museum.

30 30

7

COVER IMAGE Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwaka’wakw carver Joslyn Williams and Nisga’a carver Travis Peal work side by side at the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio. Story, page 14.

Erik Lambertson Corporate Communications Manager

12

In the interest of keeping our administrative costs low—and our carbon footprint small—this magazine is also provided to members in digital format at rbcm.ca/magazine.

To switch your What’s inSight subscription preference from print to digital format, please email membership@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or call 250-387-3287.

Dear friends, In recent months we have reviewed the results of the many surveys and public consultations undertaken to inform our understanding of expectations in modernizing the museum. One thing that has become very clear in this process is that the public has a deep affection for the museum, but a limited understanding of the arc of BC history, which spans deep time to the present, including Indigenous history. Visitors are also confused by the lack of a contemporary narrative within our current displays.

With this in mind, we are working towards helping visitors navigate the complexity of British Columbia’s history with new exhibitions that will serve to deconstruct human history, natural history and geography while making the province’s diversity and complexity comprehensible. This is an immensely challenging and ambitious proposition, but the richness of our collections and archives definitely help.

Our commitment is to not shy away from the complexity of history and to aim for a new inclusiveness that can see everyone’s story included. The guidance of scholars, researchers, elders and advisory committees is paramount in creating these new signature family-friendly exhibitions.

As we go forward we want to hear more about how we can become a museum that resonates with everyone.

Yours,

Professor Jack Lohman, CBE Chief Executive Officer, Royal BC Museum

Members of the Kwakwaka’wakw and Haida communities drum, sing and dance in front of the Kwakwaka’wakw house post replica to prepare the pole for its return to the earth. Story, page 16.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 3 Winter 2019

FEATURE

Rhapsody’s Bohemian

By Gavin Hanke, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology

1

M

y first orca was an entertainer. As a child with British and Bohemian roots, I visited Marineland in Niagara Falls. I bet most people of my generation first met an orca in similar circumstances, watching as it swam captive in a pool.

As a (childish) adult, I am in charge of 23 orca specimens— Southern Residents, Northern Residents, Offshores and Bigg’s ecotypes—from British Columbia, and these are available to researchers from around the world. Some of our orcas have names, like Miracle and Nitinat (T12A).

Some were healthy; others had bone deformities (T171) or cancer (12844).

In the winter of 2014, I heard that an orca had died off Courtenay. This was my introduction to Rhapsody (J32) and her unborn calf. A frenzy of phone calls and emails followed as the museum tried to decide whether we had funding to prepare a whale. The answer was yes. I wasn’t present at Rhapsody’s necropsy, but radio, newspaper and television reporters appeared as if from nowhere when they heard I was receiving the skeletons. I may as well have been a 10 ohm resistor between my electric car and a quick-charge station: 4

What’s inSight

resistance was futile. I became Rhapsody’s Bohemian.

Emotions run high when people see Rhapsody’s skeleton. For 18 years, Rhapsody delighted whale watchers in the Salish Sea. But she was more than a target for telephoto lenses: she was a messenger.

When her body was examined, her tissues were classified as toxic waste and dumped in a landfill.

Rhapsody’s message concerns the state of our oceans, but she also reminds us, her fellow apex predators, of the axiom “you are what you eat”. Contaminants accumulate up the food chain, and the Southern Residents are primarily salmon eaters. Reliance on salmon means each orca accumulates contaminants as it ages. And as long as we pollute the environment, contaminants will accumulate.

Pregnant (human) mothers are told not to eat shark, marlin, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, bigeye tuna or orange roughy, and to avoid sashimi and uncooked fish in sushi. But many food guides say seafood, including tuna and salmon, are fine two or three times a week. The same

goes for the diets of children, as mercury contamination will impact their growing bodies. Salmon are fairly high in the food chain, and studies show they accumulate cadmium, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, flame retardants, and pesticides such as toxaphene, dieldrin, lindane, chlordane, hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, endosulfan, mirex and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT).

The amount they accumulate is entirely dependent on the salmon’s food source and geography. Salmon lingering near large cities have heavier contaminant loads.

These compounds biodegrade slowly, accumulating in fat in animals higher up in the food chain. Increased concentrations increase the risk of reproductive and immune system impairment, as well as disease. None of this takes into account (continued on page 6) 1. Rhapsody on the beach awaiting necropsy, December 2014. Photograph courtesy of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

2. Rhapsody (J32) swimming behind DoubleStuf (J34) off East Point, Saturna Island. Photograph courtesy of Miles Ritter.

The museum has preserved Rhapsody’s skeleton and the skeleton of her fetus.

See both in the Orcas: Our Shared Future exhibition opening May 15, 2020.

For 18 years, Rhapsody delighted whale watchers in the Salish Sea. But she was more than a target for telephoto lenses: she was a messenger.

2

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 5 Winter 2019

the effects of the chemicals designated CECs: chemicals of emerging concern.

Those effects have yet to be studied.

Rhapsody was fed contaminated milk as a calf and ate contaminated salmon for the rest of her 18 years. As a result of the pollution she ingested, she was treated like toxic waste at the landfill. If she’d had a successful birth in 2014, she’d have fed toxic milk to her daughter, and the cycle would have continued. Food for thought.

Unlike Rhapsody, I have deviated from my parents’ dietary habits. Fortunately, humans aren’t culturally fixed to specific foods—we explore new flavours and can lower ourselves in the food chain.

My daughters also are fortunate—they were born at a time when educators feed children ecological messages at every turn, and the value of a plant-based diet, is becoming more widely understood. My children can choose to reduce their impact on nature, help repair the damage we have done and position themselves where they want on the food chain. But an orca’s diet is culturally fixed. They rarely experiment with new prey items, and contaminants like PCBs will be present in their diet for decades to come.

HELP US SHARE THIS IMPORTANT STORY

Your donation will support the creation of the upcoming exhibition Orcas: Our Shared Future. Dive deep below the ocean’s surface and into the complex world of these amazing whales. Donate today at rbcm.ca/donate.

6

What’s inSight

FEATURE

Hunting Fossils 300 Million Years of Peace River Palaeontology

By Victoria Arbour, Curator of Palaeontology

S

ince 2011, palaeontological consultant Ed Davies of Branta Biostratigraphy has ventured into the scenic backcountry of the Peace River district to search for fossils. Working on behalf of BC Hydro and in collaboration with the Royal BC Museum, he’s been documenting fossils in the areas that will eventually be submerged by the upcoming Peace River hydroelectric project reservoir. This work was part of a broader heritage assessment of archaeological, historical and palaeontological resources undertaken by BC Hydro, and it supports recent initiatives in the province to protect and conserve our incredible fossil heritage.

Over the course of the project, Davies and his field assistants collected more than 1,200 fossils from along the Peace River and its tributaries, like the Halfway River and the Moberly River. The fossils span a huge range of geologic time: the oldest specimens are almost 300 million years old, and the youngest, only 10,000 years old. They also represent many branches of the tree of life, including plants, sponges, clams, sea stars, fish, ice age mammals… and maybe even a few dinosaurs or marine reptiles!

All of these specimens made their way to the Royal BC Museum in March 2019. Former palaeontology collections assistant Jaclyn Richmond, former preservation specialist Katie McEvoy and I worked with Davies to pack up the specimens and bring them into their new, permanent home at the museum. A sizeable chunk of the collection

consists of large ammonites (coiled, shelled relatives of squid), still encased in hard rock nodules. Lifting these heavy specimens gave everyone’s arms a good workout during the pack and move.

Back at the museum, each specimen will receive its own unique catalogue number that links the fossil with all of its important contextual data, like where it was found, what rock formation it came from and how geologically old it is. All of this information is crucial for scientific study, since the information gleaned from the rocks surrounding a fossil is as important as the fossil itself. Many of the specimens will need to be removed from their encasing stone matrix using chisels and pneumatic tools, a slow and meticulous process that can take years to complete.

Some fossils are a little bit easier to clean up. A nearly complete 12,500-year-old bison skeleton was discovered in 2016 on a terrace on the north bank of the Peace River. Unlike many of the other fossils, this skeleton was found in loose sand, rather than hard rock. In the summer of 2019, Jaclyn and palaeontology volunteers Lucas Goulet and Melissa Kay began carefully cleaning this specimen using dental picks and toothbrushes. As the sand is removed (continued on next page) Dr. Victoria Arbour, curator of palaeontology, holds one of the more than 1,200 specimens from the Peace district the Royal BC Museum received in 2019: a bony spine from a 110-million-year-old shark.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 7 Winter 2019

from the bones, each bone is drizzled with Paraloid B-72—a special archival plastic resin—dissolved in acetone. As the acetone evaporates, the B-72 remains behind to help strengthen the internal parts of the bone and to keep the surface from flaking away. Many of the vertebrae and ribs have been fully cleaned, as have some of the limb bones.

The skull, one of the most fragile pieces, will be saved for last, so it can receive extra care and attention.

8

What’s inSight

These specimens are a welcome addition to the Royal BC Museum’s collection. Many of the fossils in our palaeontology collection come from Vancouver Island or south-central British Columbia, and we have relatively few fossils from the northern parts of BC. These new fossils give us a snapshot of the inhabitants of British Columbia’s ancient seas and forests, and will be a rich resource for scientific study and public engagement for years to come. The palaeontology team

at the Royal BC Museum is looking forward to sharing what we learn about these fossils as work continues!

Museum staff use dental picks and toothbrushes to clean sand and debris from the bones of a 12,000-year-old bison found along the Peace River.

FEATURE

Dying Rivers of Ice The Loss of Glaciers in BC

By Ken Marr, Curator of Botany

F

or two million years, glaciers—flowing rivers of ice—have periodically shaped the landscape of British Columbia. They remain a part of the landscape to this day, but many will disappear as the climate warms. A December 2018 CBC report states that 80 per cent of the mountain glaciers in BC, Alberta and Yukon will melt completely within 50 years.

Glaciers form in colder climates when snowfall in high mountain basins exceeds the amount of melting each year. Year after year, as the snow accumulates, it is compacted into ice, until enough mass forms that gravity causes the ice to flow to lower terrain, permanently changing the landscape. Deep, U-shaped valleys are carved as the ice scrapes away everything in its path, even cutting into solid rock. This is how fjords form.

Glaciers break apart mountains and transport their remains. On the high peaks, water freezes and expands in bedrock cracks, breaking off blocks of rock that fall upon the glacier and are transported, sometimes over great distances, to lower elevations where melting occurs. Here, and along the margins of the ice, rock debris forms long ridges called moraines. Rocks trapped in the ice grind against each other, breaking into smaller and smaller particles, some the size of silt—the “glacial flour” that clouds glacial streams and gives (continued on next page) Rock glacier in the northern Rockies. Note the obvious ripples, which indicate that it is flowing.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 9 Winter 2019

Glaciers in the northern BC Rockies, 150 km southwest of Fort Nelson.

This long lateral moraine formed when the glacier flowed lower in the valley.

10

What’s inSight

A dying glacier near Eagle Peak, 50 km southwest of Smithers, with almost no snow (white) protecting the ice (grey).

some lakes their stunning shades of blue. Tongues of ice dam rivers, causing lakes to form where finer sediments settle. Today, the soils derived from these former lakebeds are among BC’s richest agricultural soils. Eleven thousand years ago, one such dam melted in the Fraser-Thompson watershed, and a great flood carried sediments down the Fraser valley and across the Salish Sea to deposit them in Saanich Inlet.

Visit the Climate Rules! display in the Natural History gallery to learn more about climate change.

Glacial ice impacted ancient shorelines. In some places, more land was exposed due to the volume of water sequestered as ice on the land. This is why some archaeological sites in the Hecate Strait between Haida Gwaii and the mainland are now covered by the relatively shallow ocean. In other places, sea level rose due to the weight of the ice, which depressed the earth’s crust.

Rock glaciers occur throughout BC. How they form is not entirely understood, but they differ from landslides by having ice cores; they are slowing flowing and they shed boulders at their terminus.

1

Glaciers are melting. As our climate warms, more precipitation falls as rain, rather than snow. Less snow means that more glacial ice is exposed to summer heat, increasing the rate of melting, and less ice forms in the high basins where glaciers form.

Inevitably, the loss of glaciers will have negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems, agricultural and municipal water use, and the generation of hydroelectric power. Think of glaciers as frozen reservoirs. During the summer months, in those watersheds that are fed by glaciers, melting ice slowly releases water into streams, maintaining stable water levels to the end of the summer. This is especially critical in years when there has been less snowfall or rain. Salmon and many other fishes are adapted to cold water and are stressed when the water is warmer. This in turn impacts their success during spawning. Aquatic food webs will be altered because water from melting glaciers carries more nutrients and sediments than does water from rainfall or melting snow. Some steps to mitigate changes in streamflow will have to be put in place to maintain water in reservoirs that store water for agriculture, domestic use and hydroelectric power.

2

1. U-shaped valley 100 km south of Tumbler Ridge.

2. Broad V-shaped valley cut by a river in unglaciated northern Alaska.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 11 Winter 2019

A Hidden Diary Finding Treasures in the BC Archives

By Katy Hughes, Archivist

T

he BC Archives houses a treasure trove of stories—of love, loss and adventure.

And you never know what you’re going to discover. Recently, I was working on a small group of records from Fort Simpson, a Hudson Bay Company fort just north of Prince Rupert, checking the records and updating the descriptions in preparation for digitization.

Captain William Henry McNeill was an HBC employee. Originally the master of various HBC ships, including the Beaver, he became a chief trader and later a chief factor for the company. He was stationed at Fort Simpson from 1851 until he retired to Victoria in 1863.

As I went through Captain McNeill’s letter book from 1851 to 1855, I noticed a twopage diary in the blank pages following the last official entry. The book had been

flipped upside down to start again from the back, and the diary begins with an entry for Saturday, August 21, 1875. It ends just as abruptly on the next page, after the entry for Wednesday, September 1, 1875. The writing is small and cramped and has faded over time, making it difficult to read, but the first entry starts as follows: This afternoon May Elliott and Sarah Todd came to see us. Today is Charles Swanson’s birthday, he is fifteen. Today is the Pioneer pic-nic, Mr. Elwyn gave me two tickets for the tombola, Father is going to the pic-nic…

The diary appears to have been written by Rebecca McNeill, one of Captain McNeill’s daughters. Twenty-five-year-old Rebecca lived with her father, step-mother and sisters at the McNeill family home in Oak Bay. Sisters Harriet, Fanny and Matilda are

often mentioned, along with step-mother Martha. The entries record the weather, trips to town, people coming and going, and other daily events.

There are also unusual events, such as in this entry from August 26: Martha got a letter from Mrs. Hughes with 20 dollars in it in gold dust, five for herself and the rest for her relations up north.

Or this one from August 29: A lovely morning. The San Francisco Bank has broken up. A young man the mate of one of the cargo steamers drowned himself jumped over board yesterday on account of the bank breaking up.

Perhaps the most poignant entries are those about Captain McNeill, which may suggest an explanation for the abrupt end of the diary.

Father did not go to town today as he has not been well he did not sleep last night.

Father did not go to town today, he was taken ill before breakfast.

Father had another of his giddy fits, just before he went to town.

W.H. McNeill died on September 3, 1875, just two days after the last entry. Rebecca went on to marry Thomas Elwyn (the Mr. Elwyn mentioned in her first entry) in 1879, although the tombola tickets he gave her never won any prizes at the picnic.

Rebecca McNeill (back right) and the McNeill family, ca. 1876.

12

What’s inSight

Kaajuuhlda: To Transform Indigenous Engagement Sessions

By Lucy Bell, Sdaahl K’awaas, Head of Indigenous Collections and Repatriation Department

I

n September, the Royal BC Museum held two two-day sessions with Indigenous people from across BC. They came to the museum to learn about the Indigenous collections and programs and to give advice on the modernization of the museum.

Their ideas and words will help inform the museum modernization business case and help the museum update how we connect with and represent Indigenous people.

The participants were welcomed into Wawadit’ła, visited the Indigenous collections and the BC Archives, and walked through the galleries that feature Indigenous collections.

Transformation became the guiding theme of the discussions. Our guests offered immensely important advice and feedback on the existing experience with the museum and what could be transformed.

Some of the recommendations came up over and over. “You can’t modernize our culture,” said Butch Dick, of the Songhees Nation.

Many other participants echoed this concern about using elaborate technology instead of having living, breathing Indigenous peoples tell their stories. They don’t want to see the museum covered in video screens, cameras and gimmicks.

We also heard that we could make a stronger effort to honour the Lekwungen territory that the museum sits on. Visitors to the museum should understand clearly and immediately whose traditional lands they are on. The participants thought this acknowledgement should be woven into the experience: more visible at the entrance, in the objects displayed, in the signage, in the programming and in the staffing.

A common theme expressed was that it’s time for Indigenous people to tell their own stories in their own voices and in their own languages. Many of the participants did not see themselves reflected in the galleries and would love the opportunity to share their own stories, connecting the old pieces to contemporary life, as the new weaving display by Willie White does.

Our guests were pleased that the museum is responding to the calls of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by providing audiovisual materials to Indigenous communities. Some participants were able to receive copies of images of their relatives immediately because of the museum’s current digitization project. As exciting as the digitization project is, we were cautioned about putting everything online—this should only be done in collaboration with communities.

In February 2019, the province of BC announced government’s intention to modernize the Royal BC Museum, in order to protect its historic holdings and provide better access to its collections.

Repatriation was also a strong theme in the sessions. “The Royal BC Museum is a leader in repatriation; you need to stand up and take your place,” said Ron Rice of Cowichan Tribes, the executive director of the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. Participants were pleased to see the repatriation efforts at the museum and would like to see more repatriation outreach and support being offered.

We, the museum staff, were so honoured to have our Indigenous guests take the time to visit us and give their advice. We look forward to strengthening our relationships and following through on the modernization advice we heard. Royal BC Museum Sahlinda Naay Kaajuuhldasaang. The Royal BC Museum saving-house will be transformed.

1

2

1. Wawadit’ła ceremonial house, located in Thunderbird Park at the Royal BC Museum.

2. Charlene Everson of K’ómoks Nation looks at a map in the archives.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 13 Winter 2019

FEATURE

Understanding Through Art The Indigenous Summer Arts Studio

By Hannah Morales, Learning Program Producer

F

or more than 50 years, a carving studio operated in Thunderbird Park, adjacent to the Royal BC Museum. It hosted a mentorship program featuring a series of master and apprentice carvers. Many of those emerging artists would later become renowned master carvers and artists themselves. In 2008, it was discovered that the building was no longer structurally sound, and the studio closed.

Many of the artists who worked in the studio found the experience important, and they never forgot the teachings they had received there. In the spring of 2019, discussions about renewing the program began. The 2019 Indigenous Summer Arts Studio ran in Thunderbird Park this summer. Inspired by the original Carving Studio (1952–2008), this summer studio offered a space for mentoring and an opportunity for emerging Indigenous

artists to learn from one another and interact with the public.

Each week showcased different featured artists and media, ranging from carving and beadwork to textiles and cedar weaving.

Featured artists included Tsawout carver Doug LaFortune, ‘Namgis and Mamalilikulla carver Kevin Cranmer, Métis beadwork artist Lynette La Fontaine and many more.

Each artist’s work had a unique story rooted in their culture and perspective.

A highlight of the summer studio was a drum-making workshop led by artist Virgil Sampson. Not only did he demonstrate how to create a drum, but he shared cultural teachings with those who watched. He allowed the children in the audience to help him assemble the drums, providing them with a unique and memorable experience.

1

14

What’s inSight

This cultural exchange was the core of the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio.

This summer program served as a prototype for a future permanent model. Surveys were conducted on site and online for artists and the public to share their ideas on what this future program could look like. The results will help the Royal BC Museum develop the framework for a permanent studio.

The Indigenous Summer Arts Studio carried on the legacy of the Carving Studio in a new way by expanding its doors to feature all art forms and various different artists.

Most importantly it allowed Indigenous artists to share their processes and culture with the public to help build cultural connections and understanding through shared experiences.

1. Virgil Sampson, Nez Perce and Coast Salish artist, showing children how to create a drum.

2. Joslyn Williams, a Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwaka’wakw carver.

2

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 15 Winter 2019

Put It in Park Pausing for Conservation Work in Thunderbird Park

By Erik Lambertson, Corporate Communications Manager

1

T

them? Or should they be returned to the descendants of Mungo Martin? What would be most appropriate, in the spirit of consultation and repatriation?

he totem, Big House and mortuary poles in Thunderbird Park have stood long enough that generations of visitors think of them as permanent fixtures. But poles cannot stand forever. The moment a tree is felled, its mortal clock stops ticking.

many of the poles needed significant work.

Some of the metal braces holding them up had rusted. Appendages (like totem wings and beaks) were straining old bolts. Some poles, saturated with water, were rotting from the inside out.

In the winter of 2018, a small carved bird fell to the ground. It had come from a replica Gitxsan memorial pole, one of the Thunderbird Park poles carved by Mungo Martin and his apprentices. Better safe than sorry: Royal BC Museum staff from multiple departments decided to close off parts of the park to passersby and commit to a full assessment of each pole.

In fact, a Kwakwaka’wakw house post replica carved in 1954 and a Haida mortuary pole replica carved in 1955— both by Martin, assisted by his son David Martin and Henry Hunt—had reached the end of their lifespans.

After hearing from the communities, staff quickly made plans, inviting community members to lead ceremonies to mark the poles’ return to the earth and arranging the complex logistical work of gently lifting the poles onto a flat-bed truck for transport.

The house post was taken down on May 31 and the mortuary pole the following week.

Indigenous Collections and Repatriation staff immediately began consulting with the Kwakwaka’wakw and Haida communities. How would the nations like to see the poles treated? As replicas, rather than originals, would they wish to receive

Now the next stage of work has begun.

This autumn, work began on replacing the “strong backs”: the steel support beams fused to the back side of many of the poles in the park. Four poles are receiving upgrades or replacement strong backs.

Over the course of the winter and spring, staff ran seismic, engineering and conservation reports. It was soon clear that 16

What’s inSight

GOING DIGITAL

The Learning Portal Just Got Better New Features, Educator Tools and Improved User Experience

By Aidan Moher, Web Specialist

2

Conservation work has also begun on six pole appendages—in almost all cases, the wings or beaks of animal totem figures.

Throughout this process, staff are consulting with structural engineers, conservation experts and most importantly, members of Indigenous communities that have a cultural, familial and historical stake in the care of these treasures. The conservation work continues throughout 2019, with the aim of finishing before winter storms lash the park again.

1. Members of the Kwakwaka’wakw and Haida communities, including Lou-ann Neel, repatriation specialist at the Royal BC Museum, dance to prepare the pole for its return to the earth.

2. Contractors bringing the Haida mortuary pole replica to the ground in preparation for travel.

A

utumn is a time of new adventures for learners all across British Columbia, and we wanted in on the fun. So in September we launched a major update to the Learning Portal.

Improved user experience. From signing up for playlists to digging through your search results, many small (and notso-small) changes and features have been made to make the site feel better to use.

Since its launch in 2015, the Learning Portal has grown into a robust, interactive and fun way to learn about British Columbia’s storied present and past. As an interactive online learning resource for learners of all ages, it features beautiful images, compelling articles and a wide range of audio and video content. The site encourages engagement and curiosity by sharing BC’s stories through the work of the Royal BC Museum and our partners.

Here are a few highlights from among the improvements.

No matter how you use the Learning Portal, we hope you’ll enjoy the experience offered by this update.

Brand new homepage. The moment you load up the Learning Portal, you’ll notice the redesigned homepage. This new design focuses on streamlining your experience, bringing featured content right to you, with an emphasis on the site’s robust search tools.

Follow your curiosity to rbcm.ca/learning.

One thing that never changes? Our commitment to continually adding new content! This fall our new content includes an amazing new pathway about Royal BC Museum palaeontologist Dr. Victoria Arbour and BC’s mountain dinosaur. So come on by (digitally) and discover your new favourite story about British Columbia.

New content for educators. We’ve added new content and tools to help educators leverage the Learning Portal in their classrooms to extend student learning and support learning outcomes.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 17 Winter 2019

18

What’s inSight

Detail © Jérémie Villet

A family favourite, opening February 14, 2020. Don’t miss out on this limited engagement! Get tickets at RBCM.CA/WPY

E

xperience the wonders of nature through the lenses of award-winning photographers from around the world. Now in its 55th year, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition showcases a global selection of outstanding nature photography. Each photo is presented in a huge, backlit display, with a caption exploring the image’s compelling story.

Travelling from London’s Natural History Museum, this new exhibition takes viewers on a visual journey around the world, bringing the talent and vision of each photographer closer to all who visit.

The images evoke a wide range of emotions but are always visually stunning and thought-provoking.

Snow Landing Jérémie Villet, France With outstretched wings and intense eyes fixed on its prey, a bald eagle lands in fresh snow on a riverbank.

Jérémie spent a week observing the behaviour of these birds from his hide. Spotting this one swooping down to catch salmon from the icy water below, he was well-positioned to capture this portrait.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 19 Winter 2019

Talking With Community Hosting Conversations Can Be Complicated

By Kim Gough, Learning Program Developer

I

love working in museums. I spend my day with a woolly mammoth and I work with passionate and professional colleagues.

I also get to be face to face with visitors and experts, and have the chance to experience the change that happens when people communicate, such as in our It’s Complicated series. The series began as a response to our 2017 feature exhibition Family: Bonds and Belonging as a way to address some of the difficult issues facing families today. In that first year we hosted six conversations on subjects ranging from divorce to intergenerational dialogue.

A particularly memorable event was a discussion of family and belonging in Victoria’s Tent City. Residents of the tent city, which formed near the provincial courthouse in 2017, were invited to share their experiences of community and family.

As the host of that conversation, I had to throw my set format and game plan out the window and allow a space for underrepresented voices to take over.

20

What’s inSight

The following year, I was blown away again by the generous and brave participants we had at a conversation called Dating Can Be Queer, co-hosted by AIDS Vancouver Island. A panel of three LGBTQI2S+ people spoke from the heart, and the resulting discussion among the folks gathered was animated and varied. Many of the participants expressed thanks for having a space to have a conversation where they were heard and felt safe.

This year, we are embarking another six-part series. Building on our last two seasons, we are using a formula that combines robust topics with active listening and a multitude of perspectives. Upcoming topics include changing the world through photography and trans visibility.

As a host, my job is to create a welcoming and safe space for conversation by outlining a few guidelines for participation (oversharing can be a real conversation killer). The basic outline for the format is for each panelist

to speak briefly, followed by a small-group discussion—but it doesn’t always go that way. Flexibility is important for all of us.

This year we’ll be making the event more accessible by offering Parallel Play—an on-site childminding service—so participants with young children can take part.

Open, participatory discussion events like these transform the museum from a place for display into a space for community.

Hosting difficult conversations can be complicated, but it’s worth for it for the growth in understanding and improved relationships.

For a list of our topics and times, please check out our Program Guide. We’d love you to join the conversation.

Participants join in a small group discussion.

Leading the Way in Emergency Response The British Columbia Heritage Emergency Response Network

By Kasey Lee, Senior Conservator

W

ildfires, floods and destructive storms are becoming common events, on top of the known risk of earthquakes in BC. Our best line of defence is emergency preparedness, but for heritage institutions, it’s not as simple as packing a grab ‘n’ go bag. Buildings and furniture can be replaced; museum collections cannot. When disaster strikes, conservators are often called upon to begin the task of salvaging what can be saved.

The job of documenting, packing, moving and stabilizing collections is usually an urgent one, carried out in less-than-ideal conditions, with triage methods similar to those used by medical professionals.

Conservators from the larger BC museums have responded to numerous emergencies over the past few years. But a handful of conservators can’t be everywhere when it counts. The BC Heritage Emergency Response Network (BC HERN) was initiated by conservators from the UBC Museum of Anthropology, Burnaby Village Museum and the Royal BC Museum to develop a model for coordinated response to museum emergencies across the province.

The first priority was to provide training to the broader heritage community in the fundamentals of disaster response and recovery. In 2016 we secured a Canadian Heritage Museums Assistance Program (MAP) grant to enhance the knowledge base of the principal conservators, who (continued on next page)

BC HERN workshop demonstration.

Fire destroys the BC Provincial Museum’s Carving Studio in July 1980.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 21 Winter 2019

Photo courtesy of Umista Cultural Centre.

then instructed more than 30 other conservators and allied professionals through a workshop at the Royal BC Museum. The grant also funded the creation of two mobile collections salvage kits, one available in the Lower Mainland and the other on Vancouver Island.

In 2017 the Museum of Anthropology, Royal BC Museum, Burnaby Village Museum, Vancouver Art Gallery, Museum of Vancouver and Vancouver Archives all signed a statement of cooperation committing to 22

What’s inSight

collaboration through the BC HERN to offer assistance and response to cultural institution emergencies when requested and within reason, and to participate in joint disaster-preparedness initiatives.

Since then, the BC HERN has been working collaboratively with the BC Museums Association (BCMA) to inform the cultural community of this initiative and to ensure that BC HERN meets the needs of British Columbia’s small museums and cultural centres.

Working with the support of a second MAP grant, the BC HERN and the BCMA are now actively broadening the pool of expertise and resources. Workshops and a webinar are planned, and two additional collections salvage kits have been assembled for the north and interior areas of BC. The final phase of this project will focus on formalizing membership in the BC HERN and establishing sustainable funding to propel the model from a grant-funded project to an ongoing program. Soon museums across the province will have

2

1

dependable access to training, collections salvage supplies and a network of local and distant resources through the BC HERN. To learn more about BC HERN visit museumsassn.bc.ca/brain/bchern.

1. Fire-damaged belongings at the Umista Cultural Centre, August 2013.

2. Fire-damaged specimens at the Hornby Island Natural History Centre, August 2018.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 23 Winter 2019

Authenticity Matters

By Christa Cato, Buyer & Special Projects, Royal Museum Shop

I

n the world of retail, the reality is that there are some companies producing items for sale that do not involve, give credit to or financially compensate the actual artists behind the work. Of great concern to the Royal Museum Shop are items that purport to feature Indigenous design, but do not involve an Indigenous artist in any part of the process, or do not pay for the use of an artist’s design.

These items represent instances of cultural appropriation, which the Royal Museum Shop takes very seriously.

In an effort to ensure the authenticity of reproduced cultural artwork, the shop determined almost 30 years ago that all of the items featuring Indigenous artwork available for sale must meet the following criteria: the artwork must be produced by an Indigenous artist, the artist must have given permission for the art to be used in the manner in question and the artist must have been paid a fair market rate for the use of their art. If items featuring Indigenous art do not meet all three criteria, the Royal Museum Shop simply does not carry those items. We were one of the first retailers to demand this of our suppliers all those years ago, and we are happy to have strong, long-term relationships with companies who respect and support Indigenous artists.

To ensure these standards of authentic Indigenous design are met, the Royal Museum Shop engages in a continuous audit of the items featuring Indigenous art to confirm that any new items purchased follow our policy. This constant reviewing of our selection also helps us determine if past and existing products still meet our conditions and expectations. It is very important to us that artists receive credit and compensation for their designs.

24

What’s inSight

How can you tell if artwork on an item is an approved Indigenous design? Look for an artist’s signature where possible, an information card or packaging with an artist’s biographical information. Ask questions about the item and the design—a responsible retailer should be able to give you information on the artists represented.

To learn more, visit us in the Royal Museum Shop!

Tableware featuring Salish Sunset, a design by Simone Diamond, Coast Salish artist. Reproduction Haida Pole, Council of the Haida Nation. Plant Technology of First Peoples in British Columbia by Nancy Turner.

Royal Museum Shop Your purchases support the Royal BC Museum Shop in person or online at rbcm.ca/shop Royal BC Museum members and IMAX season pass holders receive 10% off all purchases with membership card or online coupon code: member Shop hours 10:00 am–5:00 pm daily 250-356-0505

Maya Is Moving On! Don’t Miss the Final Weeks of the Acclaimed Feature Exhibition

By Julie Ovenell, Communications Specialist

T

rue or false: The Maya claimed the world would end on December 21, 2012.

Answer: False! That date only marked the end of one of the Maya calendar’s great cycles.

But here’s an undeniable truth: on December 31, 2019, Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises will absolutely come to an end. (Next stop: the Cincinnati Museum Center.) So if you haven’t yet experienced the majesty and drama of this extraordinary feature exhibition, be sure to gift yourself (or your friends and family!) a visit this holiday season.

With hundreds of rarely seen relics, touchable displays, interactive games and lively videos, the exhibition appeals across the generations. You’ll discover unique treasure from lost temples—ancient artifacts that tell a modern tale—and marvel at the legacy and resilience of this powerful and enduring civilization.

The exhibition, a joint venture between the Royal BC Museum and Europe’s MuseumsPartner, has earned rave reviews since its world premiere last May, especially from families: Brilliant design to incorporate a child’s (and adult’s) desire to touch the artifacts!

—KS, Victoria, BC My teens enjoyed seeing their AP History class come to life!

—HL, Boise, Idaho How often do you see ‘please touch’ in a museum!… There was so much amazing pottery and stonework, and clear descriptions…to help make sense of the pieces beyond just their aesthetic virtues.

—JP, Seattle, WA It is so easy to learn about the Maya culture here…this is all authentic—not a false replica! It is very, very special! Thank you… it makes us feel so proud of our country!

—RG, Guatemala City, Guatemala

Keep an eye out for one the most popular interactives: an “animation station” hosted by museum staff and volunteers that features cacao, important to both ancient and contemporary Maya. Visitors can handle real cacao pods and learn more about the ethical and economic realities of chocolate production. (Holiday gift-buying tip: the exhibition gift shop sells a range of artisanal and fair-trade bars produced locally by Sirene chocolate. Just look for the yellow wrappers!)

Don’t miss your opportunity to discover a powerful culture that rose in the tropical rainforests of Guatemala thousands of years ago. Maya closes December 31, 2019.

Skip the line! Get tickets at rbcm/maya and share your visit via social media using #RBCMMaya.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 25 Winter 2019

Once Well Beloved

Remembering a British Columbia Great War Sacrifice The First World War had a profound impact on the lives of British Columbians and on the history of the province. In Once Well Beloved: Remembering a BC Great War Sacrifice, a new book from Royal BC Museum Publishing, historian Michael Sasges recounts the war stories of 12 men from the Nicola Valley who died soldiering in fields and trenches of France and Belgium. Through them, we meet the men, women and children of the Nicola Valley, the dead and their survivors: the people who built and were built by a Canadian community that was also distinctly British Columbian.

Read on for an excerpt.

“Died This A.M. 5 O’Clock”

April 1918, he was sent to hospital in Rouen, the ancient duchy’s principal city. There he was diagnosed with “myalgia” and sent to a convalescent camp. Muscle pain, even debilitating muscle pain, would have been an occupational hazard for the corps’s loggers, sawyers, road-builders and teamsters. But it can also be a symptom of influenza.

Vancouver’s “Tobin’s Tigers.” (Forestry corps companies had been training for battle since April.) King’s stay at the front was brief: he was in hospital in France from October 17, and in England from January 10, 1919, until his death on March 7. “4.3.19 Period of great respiratory distress early evening . . . . 7.3.19 . . . gradually becoming weaker. Died this a.m. 5 o’clock.”

On release from convalescent camp at the end of May 1918, King was in Étaples for a week before re-joining his forestry company.

He took two weeks’ leave in England in July and August. On October 5 he was transferred to the 29th Canadian Infantry Battalion,

1. “Tommy” Charters was in a training camp in England in 1916 when he sent the postcard, below, to his mother’s sister.

2. Members of the Fort Garry Horse, troopers and mounts, pass through a French village in December 1917.

3. Nicola Valley soldier H.H. Matthews at the then-new Vernon military camp in the spring of 1914.

The Spanish influenza pandemic contributed to the deaths of perhaps 50,000 Canadians in 1918 and ’19. That number, added to the 60,000 Canadians who died fighting, means at least 110,000 Canadians died prematurely between 1915 and 1919. The consequences of the pandemic were profound. …

A teamster from Aspen Grove, Fred King was in France from January 1917 until January 1919, mostly with the Canadian Forestry Corps and mostly in Normandy. In

2

1

26

What’s inSight 3

NEW from Publishing

PROFILE

Ode to Lotus The Life of Jon Pack Chung Joe

By Dr. Tzu-I Chung, Curator of History

“F

lowers in the water and on the land, many are lovely…I admire only lotus, for it comes out of mire in earth without being defiled, and cleanses with pure water without being coquettish….”

Zhou Dunyi, the Chinese Song dynasty scholar (1017–1073), wrote this “Ode to Lotus,” in which he compares the lotus to a gentleman, promoting its pureness, character and qualities upheld in Chinese scholarly traditions.

Once Well Beloved Remembering a British Culumbia Great War Sacrifice

by Michael Sasges

In the town of Merritt, in British Columbia’s Nicola Valley, stands a granite cenotaph erected in memory of 44 men who died soldiering in the First World War. Twelve of those soldiers are the subject of these pages—and through them, we meet the men, women and children of the Nicola Valley, the dead and their survivors: the people who built and were built by a Canadian community that was also distinctly British Columbian.

978-0-7726-7255-1 (paperback)

$17.95 (paperback) $7.99 (ebook)

Purchase at rbcm.ca/books or at your favourite bookstore

This ode has been recited by children in China for generations, and I grew up loving it. It was therefore a real delight when Mr. Jon Pack Chung Joe quoted it as he shared the story of his clan at our first meeting in 2011. I have learned since that the overseas Chinese from the Zhou clan named their clan organization the Lotus Loving Association because of their connection with this aspiration to good character and the love of lotus, characteristics embodied by Mr. Joe. At that first meeting, Mr. Joe helped my colleagues and me understand a collection from the Jack and Bessie Tang estate, acquired with the assistance of Thomas Stark and Joyce Piercy from the Out of the Mist Gallery. The Tangs were instrumental in many communities, including in Victoria’s Chinatown, and active in cultural and arts activities. Among the variety of items to be sorted was a large, battered old lantern. Mr. Joe, as one of the four honourable elders of the Chinese Freemasons in Canada and an esteemed elder in Chinatown, helped us identify this special running-horse lantern

(RBCM 2010.170.82.1), originally from the Chinese Freemasons Headquarters in Victoria. He was one of the few long-term residents who witnessed it in its full glory in the 1940s.

I met Mr. Joe when he was in his nineties, and I listened and learned about his rich life experiences with wonder. When the lantern underwent live conservation treatment as the centerpiece of the Royal BC Museum’s 2013 Tradition in Felicities exhibition, his video interview, conducted by his daughter Charlayne Thornton-Joe, helped visitors contextualize the world that the lantern came from—the world of a close-knit community in Canada’s oldest Chinatown.

Mr. Joe was a friend to the museum and will be missed. He is dearly remembered by his extraordinary circle of family and friends. When I think of “Ode to Lotus,” it will be warm with fond memories of him.

Mr. Jon Joe with his wife, Verna, and daughter Charlayne in front of a Chinatown mural.

Photograph courtesy of Charlayne Thornton-Joe.

27 Winter 2019

Christmas Presence Father Christmas Returns

By Julie Ovenell, Communications Specialist

B

y the time you read this, Father Christmas will have dusted off his formal wear—a magnificent burgundy-and-gold cloak—and made his long white beard photo-ready: his moment in the seasonal spotlight is upon us. Starting December 6, he’ll settle into his velvet seat in Old Town to once again hear the holiday hopes of Royal BC Museum visitors from ages 2 to 102.

But today, in the quiet of a warm summer afternoon, Father Christmas is flying under the radar disguised as a museum volunteer named Stu Berry. In his rumpled civvies, tattoos and gold chain visible, the retired college administrator’s alter ego is well hidden. The beard he has been growing since January 1 is perhaps a little overlong

and shaggy—the only clue to his more famous identity.

for themselves; they tell me what they want for their mother or sister or brother.”

As Father Christmas, Stu has been the drawing card for one of the museum’s most popular by-donation events for almost a decade. Over the course of nine days each December, more than 1,500 people (mostly little ones) line up to have their photo taken with the photogenic holiday icon. They bring cards and letters and little hand-made gifts, and they often return year after year.

Married 53 years and father of three, Stu embodies that same generous Christmas spirit through a lifetime of what he calls “extreme volunteerism.” Over the years, he has worked with the United Way, March of Dimes and the Prince George Spruce Kings Junior A hockey team, among many others.

“I don’t do the jolly ho-ho-ho thing,” Stu says. “I’m more interested in talking with the kids, so I keep a calm demeanor. They bring a whole different perspective to Christmas. They very seldom ask anything

“I’ve always believed in giving something back to the community you live in. It makes us bigger and better. Without volunteers, this museum itself wouldn’t happen.”

Stu Berry as Father Christmas in Old Town.

VISIT FATHER CHRISTMAS IN OLD TOWN: • December 6–8 11:00 am–3:00 pm • December 13–15 11:00 am–3:00 pm • December 20–22 11:00 am–3:00 pm Included with admission or membership; photos by donation.

28

What’s inSight

For a full listing of what’s on at the Royal BC Museum, visit rbcm.ca/programguide MUSEUM HOURS: 10:00 am–5:00 pm daily Closed December 25 and January 1.

What’s on FAMILY Wonder Sunday Bring the whole family and join us every Sunday for exploration, excitement and family fun.

Included with admission or membership

Chill Out We don’t get much snow here in Victoria, but we can learn to relax and embrace the cold.

December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | 1:00–3:00 pm

A Sleepy World Don’t wake up the bear! Hibernation is important, and we’ll learn all about it.

January 5, 12, 19, 26 | 1:00–3:00 pm

Animals in Love Find out about all of the surprisingly different ways that animals interact with each other.

February 2, 9, 16, 23 | 1:00–3:00 pm

MEMBERS ONLY Hello Exhibition!

Parents and care-providers: while you take a tour led by a learning staff member, themed childminding will be provided for your kids. You get time up in the galleries to learn, kids are given a chance to play, and you all have lots to talk about on the way home. $15 per family Childminding designed for kids 3–10

Museum Happy Hour Join us on the second Thursday of the month for themed events and activities for adults. Drinks and light fare are available for purchase. Events are limited to designated galleries and are not museum-wide. $10 per person | 19+ Two pieces of ID required for entry Parallel Play childminding available for most dates

A Festive Non-Holiday Party Get together with friends without a Christmas tree in sight.

December 12 | 5:30–7:00 pm Natural History gallery

Mindfulness Re-centre yourself in preparation for the New Year.

January 9 | 5:30–7:00 pm Natural History gallery History Ignite Teachers, educators and history buffs will enjoy short and provocative Ignite presentations.

February 13 | 5:30–7:00 pm Off-site

ALL AGES 13th Annual Carol-Along With the Carillon Gather under the Netherlands Centennial Carillon with your fellow singers, family, friends and pooches for a one-of-a-kind carolling party.

December 1 | 4:30–5:15 pm Free Christmas in Old Town Take in the sights and sounds of Christmas long ago. Visit the wood-cobbled streets lined with festive garlands and see the shops decked in seasonal finery.

November 15–January 9 10:00 am–5:00 pm Included with admission or membership Early Shift: Reign in the New Year On the last day of 2019, join us in the rainforest of the Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises exhibition for a jungle party for the ages.

December 31 | 6:00–8:30 pm $24 per adult, $16 per youth, kids five and under are free

Becoming BC gallery January 15 | 10:00–11:00 am ADULT Museum Crash Course: Cultural Connections Immerse yourself in Indigenous ways of knowing with Indigenous cultural liaison Leslie McGarry as your guide. Get exclusive access to collections and objects designed to give you hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of the diversity of cultures in BC. Dig into pre- and post contact history and look at where Indigenous people are today.

March 14, 21, 28 | 9:00 am–12:00 pm $180 per person for the three-part series Information correct at time of printing. Subject to change.

Please visit rbcm.ca/calendar for most up-to-date information.

Prices do not include applicable taxes.

royalbcmuseum.bc.ca 29 Winter 2019

PARTNERSHIP PROFILE

Vancity Since 2014, Vancity has been honoured to support the Royal BC Museum’s Our Living Languages: First Peoples’ Voices in BC exhibition. It provides an innovative reconciliation learning experience, both for the local community and for visitors to the territories of the Lekwungenspeaking people and traditional lands of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

In 2019 we are excited to support the new travelling version of Our Living Languages

in recognition of UNESCO’S International Year of Indigenous Languages. This new format will make learning about Indigenous language revitalization even more accessible to communities across the province, and we look forward to sharing the opportunity with Vancity members throughout the Lower Mainland and BC. Our partnerships with Indigenous communities have taught us that language provides an important connection to culture and history. We are proud to partner with

the Royal BC Museum, and we congratulate the museum on the role it is playing in preserving and celebrating Indigenous voices and stories.

MEMBER PROFILE

Cedar Payne

By Cassie Holcomb, Membership and Marketing Coordinator

Members are a vital part of the Royal BC Museum. Our more than 19,000 members provide much-needed financial support for our collections, exhibitions and research. And in return, membership is the key to worldclass exhibitions, enlightening programs and enticing discounts! We spoke with member Cedar Payne, a busy mom of two and a member since 2018. To find out what her family loves best about being Royal BC Museum members.

What’s inSight: Why did you become a museum member?

Cedar Payne: I became a member because when I took my kids to see the Egypt exhibition, I wasn’t able to see it all in one outing. I upgraded my day pass to a 30

What’s inSight

membership so that I could come back later to catch the rest. I like that now we have the flexibility to make a quick trip to the museum whenever we want.

WiS: What do you like best about your membership?

CP: I like the flexibility and cost savings of it. Younger kids don’t have the energy or attention span to spend all day at the museum. It also allows us to visit different exhibits each time we go.

WiS: What is your favourite part of the museum?

CP: Our favourite parts of the museum are the First Peoples gallery and the Our Living Languages exhibition.

WiS: Do you feel a museum membership has good value?

CP: The membership is great value! I like that it gives us a discount at other places too.

WiS: What would you tell someone who is considering purchasing a membership?

CP: Do it! There are so many great programs and exhibits that there is always something new to explore. I will definitely be renewing my membership!

MEMBERS GET ALL THE PERKS!

Join today at rbcm.ca/join to discover all the benefits.

You can help us share history Did you know that only about 50 per cent of the Royal BC Museum’s budget comes from the province? The rest must be raised through ticket sales, memberships and donations.

The museum has so much going on, from research and learning programs to events and exhibitions. By making a donation to the museum you are supporting our important work. And you can specify which program or exhibition you would like your donation to go towards: • Expanding our children’s programs like Kid’s Camps, Digital Field Trips and family events like Wonder Sunday so that we can inspire more curiosity.

• Bringing Museum Mystery Suitcases to local seniors’ homes and supporting on-site seniors’ programming.

• Protecting archival photographs and conserving rare audiovisual tapes, in danger of disintegrating, for future generations to use and learn from.

• Developing unique exhibitions like the upcoming Orcas: Our Shared Future, so that we can tell the story of our Southern Resident orcas. This exhibition will give visitors a chance to dive deep below the ocean’s surface and into the complex world of these amazing whales. Replicas of three orcas will give visitors a sense of the size and scale of the enormous creatures, and objects and interactives will look at the health of our oceans and the plight of the orcas. Visitors will leave knowing what they can do to help protect our oceans, and you will know that it was your donation that provided them the opportunity.

PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Your gift will help care for and share the collections you love. Thank you for your donation.

YES!

I would like to make a tax-deductible gift to the Royal BC Museum in the amount of: $35

$50

Gift type

$500

$1,000

Other $

Monthly

Your gift supports all of the Royal BC Museum’s endeavours, including education, research, conservation, caring for the collections and exhibits.

YOUR INFORMATION

Name (as you would like to see it for donor recognition purposes) Membership number (if applicable) Address Province

City

Postal Code

Telephone Email I would like to learn more about leaving a gift in my will for the Royal BC Museum. Please contact me to confirm that my wishes can be honoured.

I have named the Royal BC Museum in my will.

PAYMENT DETAILS Credit card

Please donate today!

$100

One time

Visa

MasterCard

American Express

Card number

Expiry date

Making a donation is easy:

BY MAIL complete the attached form PHONE 250-387-7222 ONLINE rbcm.ca/donate

Name on card

How can we thank you?

Please return to our box office along with your donation, or mail to: Royal BC Museum 675 Belleville Street Victoria BC, V8W 9W2

You will receive a tax receipt for your donation and, if you wish, your name will be listed as one of our treasured donors in the June issue of What’s inSight.

/

Signature Cheque (please make payable to the Royal BC Museum)

Thank you for your support.

For more information Phone: 250-387-7222 Email: donate@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca rbcm.ca/support The personal information collected on this form is collected under the authority of Section 4 of the Museum Act (SBC 2003, c.12) and will only be used to maintain our donor list, issue tax receipts, publicly recognize your donation and provide you with information on current events/exhibitions. If you have any questions about your privacy, please contact the manager of Information and Privacy, 675 Belleville St., Victoria, BC, V8W 9W2; privacy@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or 250-356-0698.

RBCM Corporation Business No. #88032 1807 RC0001

Membership is your key to 363 days of unlimited fun!

Members receive unlimited admission to core galleries and feature exhibitions and members-only discounts on special events.

My To Do List…

Let’s bring Grandma

Hello Exhibition!

Fieldtrippers

Christmas in Old Town Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises exhibition

(closes December 31!)

Live at Lunch

Can’t miss this.

First Wednesday of every month!

Father Christmas in Old Town

I’ve been super good this year

Wonder Sundays

Archaeology in the Rainforest gallery tours

I didn’t know they did this!

Gold Rush Snapshot tour Behind the Scenes: Mammoth Matters

So Fun…

Member Exclusive!

It’s Complicated…

Aging in the Wild film series

Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition (February 14–March 29)

Yay! It’s coming back!

Historical Thinking Winter Institute

Night Shift: Vintage Valentine’s Museum Crash Course: Cultural Connections Spring Break camps

Must remember to sign up the kids Orcas: Our Shared Future exhibition Can’t wait!

Museum Happy Hours every month!

Helmcken House Old Fashioned Christmas

Summer camps Adult Summer Sleepover

Early Shift: Reign in the New Year family event

Family Night at the Museum Night Shift: Pride

Mark the calendar,

it’s a night out for us parents Carol-Along at the Carillon Free hot chocolate!

Let’s bring all the cousins!

Letter Writing Week I wonder if I can find Uncle Bert’s address…

Members really do get the Royal treatment.

Night Shift: Halloween Become a Royal BC Museum member today!

Join today at rbcm.ca/join to discover all the benefits.