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VICTORIA, BC— Clocks jump ahead one hour on March 10—so how to spend that extra time in the day? Why, learning of course! There’s something for everyone at the Royal BC Museum this month:
Wildlife Photographer of the Year continues until March 24 and features a selection of outstanding nature photography from around the globe in stunning backlit displays. The popular exhibition also informs the Bizarre Beasts Spring Break camps: March 18-22 and March 25-29, 9 am-4 pm. $280 per person; 10 per cent discount for members. Likewise, the family-friendly Wonder Sunday series will take its lead from the exhibition with a focus on wildlife photography: March 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, 1-3 pm; free with admission or membership.
The monthly Live at Lunch talk features Dr. Gavin Hanke, curator of vertebrates, with A Grey Whale Tale about the long and complex journey of the museum’s newest mega-acquisition—a Grey Whale skeleton. March 6, noon-1 pm, Newcombe Conference Hall, by donation.
On March 28, the Museum Happy Hour will animate the walls of the Becoming BC gallery with historical films drawn from the BC Archives and scored by live musicians. Drink, eat, meet and explore at this fun adults-only event from 5:15-7 pm. Tickets are $10; food and beverages available for purchase.
On March 16, amateur genealogists can join the Victoria Genealogy Society on their tour of the BC Archives. This workshop and behind-the-scenes look into the archival collections will offer new tools for researching family history, as well as genealogical gems such as the application forms for the Pioneer Medallions awarded to BC pioneers in 1971. From 9:30 am -12:30 pm; $15 for members / $25 for non-members. Meet in the Newcombe Conference Hall.
Royal BC Museum curator emeritus Bob Turner, author of The Klondike Gold Rush Steamers: A History of Steam Navigation on the Yukon River, will share his deep knowledge of transportation history with a talk on the history of the vessels that helped drive the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s. Researching the Klondike Gold Rush Steamers: Of Archives, Shipwrecks and Legends highlights this fascinating period with stories and photographs from archives and libraries from St. Louis to Seattle, and Victoria to Dawson City. March 17; 2-3:30 pm; $5 or free for Friends of the BC Archives members; tickets at the door of Newcombe Conference Hall.
Deemed “once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences” by Destination Canada, Behind the Scenes tours are limited to just 10 people. Sign-up begins at the information desk one hour before the tour time. On March 13 and 27 from 11:00 to 11:45 am, Mammal Matters will focus on the mammal collection; from 12:00 to 12:45 pm, Butterflies and More will reveal the entomology collection. Included with admission or membership.
In preparation for World Water Day on March 22, the museum will host A Celebration Day for Water on Saturday, March 16. The three-part event/workshop takes place in Newcombe Conference Hall and begins at 11 am with Water and Me, a reflection on water using film, music, performance, and poetry. From 2-3 pm, Vancouver-based Raven Spirit Dance presents Spine of the Mother, an innovative collaboration with Indigenous artists in Canada and Peru exploring connections between the mountain range that spans from Argentina to Alaska. Tickets are $15.75 online. A dance workshop follows from 3:30-4:30 pm and is open to all but registration is required by emailing serapbrown@uvic.ca.
For up-to-date event information, visit our online calendar.
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.
