Step inside and experience British Columbia. Since 1886 the Royal BC Museum has preserved and shared the human and natural histories of this province.
Discover the Royal BC Museum and its famous First Peoples, Natural History and Modern History Galleries. Three-dimensional displays offer a feast of sights, sounds and smells of British Columbia and showcase some of the 7 million artifacts and specimens in the museum’s collections. Walk through a rainforest, sit among carved poles and stroll down a wood-cobbled street to window-shop in Old Town.
The cultural precinct of the Royal BC Museum includes the BC Archives, Helmcken House, St. Ann’s Schoolhouse, the Netherlands Centennial Carillon, Thunderbird Park and Mungo Martin House/Wawadit’la. Also on site, the Museum Café serves up sandwiches, baked goods and specialty coffees; immerse yourself in the latest film at the National Geographic IMAX Theatre; and shop for books published by the Royal BC Museum and finely crafted items in the Royal Museum Shop.
Beginning on June 25, 2010 the Royal BC Museum turns inside out to reveal a groundbreaking exhibition and year-long schedule of activities. Children will flip for the AmusEum - a sustainability-themed activity zone just for kids! And be sure to visit Aliens Among Us, an exhibition within an exhibition that’s all about the non-indigenous plants and animals that have decided to call BC home. From Backstage Pass tours to Biodiversity Cafes—there’s something for everyone at Behind the Scenes.
In celebration of the UNESCO International Year of Biodiversity the Royal BC Museum: Behind the Scenes exhibition introduces you to natural history curators and collection managers. Get to know the researchers who dig, dredge, dive and document their way to new scientific discoveries. See new and ancient specimens on public display for the very first time.
Open daily 10am - 5:00pm. Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Also open Friday and Saturday evenings until 10 pm from Friday June 4 to Friday September 24, 2010.
Check the museum’s “What’s On” online calendar for activities and events, and the “Plan a Visit” page to download the Royal BC Museum Welcome Guide in several languages.