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Cool events for hot August days at the Royal BC Museum
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VICTORIA, BC—When temperatures spike, jump into a refreshing—and air-conditioned!—lake of learning at the Royal BC Museum. Here’s what’s on in August:
On August 1, Museum Happy Hour celebrates BC Day and the 125th anniversary of the BC Archives with a cheeky prohibition-era garden party outdoors near Helmcken House from 5:15 to 7 pm. $10 includes music and activities; light refreshments available for purchase. This is a 19+ event; valid photo ID required for entry.
Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises continues to wow visitors of all ages. The multi-sensory feature exhibition spotlights the mystery, legacy and resilience of one of the world’s greatest civilizations—the Maya of Central America—and has earned rave reviews for its rarely seen artifacts and family-friendly interactives. Come for the exhibition and stay for the gift shop, featuring beautiful sustainably sourced, fairly traded handcrafts from Guatemala. Included with admission or membership; until Dec. 31, 2019.
There are just a few spaces remaining in our summer camps for kids and adults:
Wannabe archaeologists will enjoy the Maya camps for kids, which include a one-day camp for ages 7-11 on Saturday, August 24 from 9 am to 4 pm ($60, 10% member discount); a week-long Maya Camp for ages 10-14 from August 12-16 and 19-23 ($280; 10% discount for members); and the half-day Mini-Maya camp for ages 4-6, August 19-23, 9 am to noon ($140 per person, 10% discount for members). Register online at rbcm.ca/camps.
For budding naturalists ages 10-14 there’s NatureSketch, a week-long outdoor art and science camp presented in cooperation with the Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature from August 12-16, 9 am to 4 pm, $280 per person; register online at rbcm.ca/camps.
For grown-ups who still remember the joy of summer camp, there are several unique offerings. First is a day-long deep dive into the BC Archives on August 17. Learn the basics of archival practice, including how to craft queries, use archival databases, and do genealogical research. On August 23, the focus will be on the feature exhibition, Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises. 10 am to 3 pm. Learn Maya gardening tricks; chat with fair trade cacao experts; taste delicious drinking chocolate, and craft your own Maya cacao cup. Both camps are $50 per person, 10% discount for members. Register online.
And for adults who recall the secret pleasure of reading-by-flashlight, there’s the Maya sleepover camp for grown-ups on August 31 from 6:30 pm until 9 am the next day. ($120 per person; 10% member discount.
The Royal BC Museum’s Indigenous Summer Arts Studio Program continues outdoors in the big white tent near Wawadiťła (Mungo Martin House). The program showcases the work of emerging Indigenous artists and their mentors and encourages rich learning conversations between visitors and the artists-in-residence. Until September 13, Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm. Free.
The much-loved Old Town gallery comes alive every Tuesday and Sunday in August between 2 and 2:30 pm with Salooning and Crooning, a lively musical performance highlighting the fascinating and sometimes scandalous history of alcohol in British Columbia. Included with admission or membership.
In the Helijet-sponsored Pocket Gallery (off Clifford Carl Hall) until August 30, In SafeHands highlights the work of the international charity SafeHands for Mothers. Featuring the photographic work of founder Nancy Durrell McKenna, the exhibition provides viewers with a broad understanding of the complex and devastating challenges facing women in the developing world. Free.
About the Royal BC Museum: The Royal BC Museum explores the province’s human history and natural history, advances new knowledge and understanding of BC, and provides a dynamic forum for discussion and a place for reflection. The museum and archives celebrate culture and history, telling the stories of BC in ways that enlighten, stimulate and inspire. Located in Victoria on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen (Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations), we are a hub of community connections in BC–onsite, offsite and online–taking pride in our collective histories.
