VICTORIA, BC—‘Tis the season for cold hands, warm hearts and family-friendly fun. Check out February’s offerings at the Royal BC Museum:
Wildlife Photographer of the Year:
- This ever-popular all-ages exhibition returns Feb. 14 for a limited run until March 29, 2020. Experience the wonders of nature through the lenses of 100 award-winning photographers from around the world. Now in its 55th year, the competition showcases a global selection of outstanding nature photography in stunning backlit displays. (The exhibition will also serve as the jumping-off point for the exciting Focus on Nature Spring Break camps in March.) Included with admission or membership.
- On Feb. 24 from 10-11 am, parents and care-providers will have an opportunity to tour the exhibition with a Learning staff member while their littles (ages 2-5) are tended by child-minders. It’s called Hello Exhibition! and it’s a $15 add-on per family.
Night Shift: Vintage Valentines
Celebrate love, lust and everything in between at this vintage-inspired Valentine’s day event. Sip a cocktail while you explore the galleries. Dance to live music by Hank Angel. Chill out with Sarah Osbourne and Elder Sister Plum, and enjoy vintage vinyl soul, funk and disco from DJs db Chessa and Hristo. Strike a pose in the photo booth, create your own vintage valentine at the craft station, and revel in the bawdy burlesque of House of Cheek. This 19+ evening runs 8 pm to midnight on Friday, Feb. 14 and is sure to get your heart racing. $49.95 + taxes; 10% discount for members; ID required.
Family Day
Visit us on Monday, Feb. 17 with your family of birth—or choice—to celebrate familial bonds and explore your provincial museum. Have a family photo taken at our annual photo station—featuring a mystery animal specimen—from 1 to 3 pm.
Stroll through Old Town to reacquaint yourself with the little details you always loved as a child, and visit the Natural History gallery to take a selfie in front of any of our classic dioramas. Head to the First Peoples gallery to learn more about the Indigenous peoples of BC and share your family’s ideas about the future of the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio.
Admission is free on Family Day: we gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.
Museum Happy Hour on the Road: History Ignite
For February, our popular Museum Happy Hour event is hitting the road. Join us at the Sticky Wicket’s Maple Room on Feb. 13 from 5-7:30 pm for History Ignite.
Ignite is a series of five-minute presentations, where each presenter must use 20 slides, which auto-advance every 15 seconds. We’ll be featuring five provocative presentations, perfect for history buffs. Please register to attend.
Wonder Sundays: Animals in Love
Wonder always and question often: that’s the motto of this family-friendly educational series geared towards kids ages 5-11. Every Sunday in February from 1-3 pm, the Learning team will reveal the surprisingly different and delightful ways that animals interact with each other. Come to the Natural History gallery; included with admission or membership.
Live at Lunch: Indigenous Languages
Join us from noon to 1 pm on Feb. 20—International Mother Languages Day—for a talk by Lucy Bell, the Royal BC Museum’s head of Indigenous Collections and Repatriation, on the topic of Indigenous language initiatives across British Columbia. Newcombe Conference Hall; by donation.
Aging in the Wild: Unlocking the Science of Growing Older in the Animal Kingdom
Against a backdrop of some of the world’s most magnificent landscapes, this remarkable five-week film series by producer/director Ari A. Cohen explores the “golden years” in the animal kingdom. Open to all in Newcombe Conference Hall; $5 per film.
- Episode 3: Power and Dominance (Feb. 1, 2 pm)
- Episode 4: Wisdom (Feb. 4, 7 pm)
- Episode 5: Death (Feb. 8, 2 pm)
For up-to-date event information, visit our online calendar and museum blog.
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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.
