Royal BC Museum

People walk up stairs to the entrance of the Royal BC Museum. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

Stung by costly rebuild plan, Royal BC Museum going back to the public for feedback

Move comes after B.C. government cancelled a projected $789-million rebuild after public blowback

 

A bison scapula and rib bones were found buried underneath a construction site in Saanich. The bones, which date back at least 12,000 years, were discovered on Oct. 19 and recovered Wednesday (Nov. 2). (Courtesy Broadmead Care)

Bison bones thousands of years old unearthed at Greater Victoria construction site

Bones estimated to be between 12,000 to 14,000 years old

 

People walk up stairs to the entrance of the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, B.C. Premier John Horgan announced June 22 they are stopping their $789-million plan to rebuild the ageing building, and sending things back to public consultation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Province cancels controversial $789M Royal BC Museum rebuild

Premier says public engagement will now determine the future of the ‘seismically unsafe’ building

 

Plans for the future of the Royal B.C. Museum continue to receive backlash as a new poll finds almost 70 per cent of British Columbians oppose the $789-million project. (RBCM/Facebook)

New Royal B.C. Museum opposed by nearly 70% of British Columbians: poll

One in five support the almost $800-million overhaul announced by the province

Plans for the future of the Royal B.C. Museum continue to receive backlash as a new poll finds almost 70 per cent of British Columbians oppose the $789-million project. (RBCM/Facebook)
A rainbow is seen above the former Kamloops Indian Residential School after a day-long ceremony to mark the one-year anniversary of the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc announcement that 215 suspected unmarked graves had been detected at the former residential school, in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, May 23, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Order of nuns that staffed B.C.’s residential schools to pass records to museum

Sisters of Saint Ann will transfer archives to Royal B.C. Museum

A rainbow is seen above the former Kamloops Indian Residential School after a day-long ceremony to mark the one-year anniversary of the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc announcement that 215 suspected unmarked graves had been detected at the former residential school, in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, May 23, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
People walk up stairs to the entrance of the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday, December 21, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Construction on controversial $789M Royal BC Museum replacement set to start in September

Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon said if elected premier he would halt plans to build a new Royal BC Museum

People walk up stairs to the entrance of the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday, December 21, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
People walk up stairs to the entrance of the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Government to present business case for Royal B.C. Museum upgrade next week

The government says it will reveal the case on Tuesday, May 24

People walk up stairs to the entrance of the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
The Royal B.C. Museum will close in September in preparation for a rebuild. BC Archives will remain until 2025 with Imax Victoria staying open through early 2023. (Black Press Media file photo)

Royal B.C. Museum gets $789-million overhaul

Museum to close in September for rebuild, expected opening in 2030

The Royal B.C. Museum will close in September in preparation for a rebuild. BC Archives will remain until 2025 with Imax Victoria staying open through early 2023. (Black Press Media file photo)
The Royal B.C. Museum’s third floor will fully close on Jan. 2 as it works to decolonize some of its original galleries. (File photo courtesy Royal B.C. Museum)

Royal B.C. Museum phasing out galleries that push colonial narrative

Third floor to be fully closed by Jan. 2 in Victoria

The Royal B.C. Museum’s third floor will fully close on Jan. 2 as it works to decolonize some of its original galleries. (File photo courtesy Royal B.C. Museum)
Captain James Cook statue splashes into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, after being removed from its upper causeway pedestal on July 1. (@CJusticeVic/Twitter)

Cast in bronze, then into Victoria’s Inner Harbour: So who was James Cook?

Likeness of British maritime explorer commissioned in 1976, forcibly removed on July 1

Captain James Cook statue splashes into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, after being removed from its upper causeway pedestal on July 1. (@CJusticeVic/Twitter)
The findings of a nearly year-long investigation into allegations of racism and toxic workplace culture at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria, released in a report Tuesday, were followed by an admission of wrongdoing and promises to do better. (Twitter/RBCM)

Royal B.C. Museum releases results of racism report, apologizes for mistreatment

Indigenous employees at Victoria institution have faced racism and discrimination: report

The findings of a nearly year-long investigation into allegations of racism and toxic workplace culture at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria, released in a report Tuesday, were followed by an admission of wrongdoing and promises to do better. (Twitter/RBCM)
The Royal B.C. Museum entered into a new agreement with the Sisters of St. Ann Wednesday to release archival records related to residential schools. (Photo courtesy the Royal BC Museum)

Sisters of St. Ann agree to provide better access to residential school records

Records will be transferred to B.C. Archives to be accessed by Indigenous communities

The Royal B.C. Museum entered into a new agreement with the Sisters of St. Ann Wednesday to release archival records related to residential schools. (Photo courtesy the Royal BC Museum)
Russ Ball (left) and another team member work to extract an ancient turtle fossil from along the Puntledge River in January 2021. (Credit: Derek Larson)

84-million-year-old turtle fossil being studied at Royal B.C. Museum

Discovery made by fossil hunter in Courtenay in January

Russ Ball (left) and another team member work to extract an ancient turtle fossil from along the Puntledge River in January 2021. (Credit: Derek Larson)
Russ Ball (left) and some of the team show off the specimen after they were able to remove it Friday. Photo supplied

80-million-year-old turtle find on B.C. river exciting fossil hunters

Remains of two-foot creature of undetermined species will now make its home at the Royal BC Museum

Russ Ball (left) and some of the team show off the specimen after they were able to remove it Friday. Photo supplied
The curator of the Indigenous collection at the Royal B.C. Museum is using his last few days at the museum to draw attention to the racism and gaslighting he says he has experienced. (Courtesy of RBCM)

Indigenous collections curator calls Royal B.C. Museum ‘wicked place’

Troy Sebastian alleges racism and gaslighting by museum

The curator of the Indigenous collection at the Royal B.C. Museum is using his last few days at the museum to draw attention to the racism and gaslighting he says he has experienced. (Courtesy of RBCM)
Royal BC Museum CEO Jack Lohman is stepping down effective Feb. 12. (Don Denton/News Staff)

CEO steps down following allegations of systemic racism at Royal BC Museum

Conversation around racism sparked by resignation of Indigenous collections head in summer 2020

Royal BC Museum CEO Jack Lohman is stepping down effective Feb. 12. (Don Denton/News Staff)
Royal B.C. Museum conservator Megan Doxsey-Whitfield kneels next to a carved stone pillar believed to have significance as a First Nations cultural marker by local Indigenous people. The pillar was discovered on the beach at Dallas Road last summer. Museum curatorial staff have been working with Songhees and Esquimalt Nation representatives to gain a clearer picture of its use. (Photo courtesy Royal BC Museum)

Stone carving found on Victoria beach confirmed Indigenous ritual pillar

Discussion underway with the Esquimalt and Songhees about suitable final home for the artifact

Royal B.C. Museum conservator Megan Doxsey-Whitfield kneels next to a carved stone pillar believed to have significance as a First Nations cultural marker by local Indigenous people. The pillar was discovered on the beach at Dallas Road last summer. Museum curatorial staff have been working with Songhees and Esquimalt Nation representatives to gain a clearer picture of its use. (Photo courtesy Royal BC Museum)
An independent review is underway at the Royal BC Museum after employees called out systemic, individual racism at the institution. (Twitter/RBCM)

Royal BC Museum faces allegations of systemic racism, toxic work environment

Formal investigation, survey and training launched at museum

An independent review is underway at the Royal BC Museum after employees called out systemic, individual racism at the institution. (Twitter/RBCM)
The Murakami Family in Greenwood in BC’s Interior: (MURAKAMI, KIMIKO, RICHARD, MARY, ROSE, VIOLET AND ALICE) (This archival photo is featured in the “Broken Promises” exhibit opening at the NNMCC on Sept. 26, 2020) 2004-005-038. Image courtesy of Salt Spring Island Archives.

PHOTOS: Gallery explores ‘broken promises’ during Japanese Canadian internment in 1940s

‘Broken Promises’ to acknowledge the thousands of Japanese Canadians who faced dispossession

The Murakami Family in Greenwood in BC’s Interior: (MURAKAMI, KIMIKO, RICHARD, MARY, ROSE, VIOLET AND ALICE) (This archival photo is featured in the “Broken Promises” exhibit opening at the NNMCC on Sept. 26, 2020) 2004-005-038. Image courtesy of Salt Spring Island Archives.
A deer pokes through the gardens at Beacon Hill Park. The Royal BC Museum is asking residents for submissions about their observations of nature and wildlife during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

Royal B.C. Museum wants B.C.’s COVID-19 nature observations

COVID-19 Collecting For Our Time: ongoing project cataloguing province’s pandemic experience

A deer pokes through the gardens at Beacon Hill Park. The Royal BC Museum is asking residents for submissions about their observations of nature and wildlife during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
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