BC Archives Engagement

Important changes are underway at the Royal BC Museum and Archives as we collaboratively envision the museum and provincial archive’s future. The BC Archives will be moving to a new archives, collections, and research building in Colwood, scheduled to open in 2026. The collections and research building is being built on lək̓ʷəŋən Territory, in the area that is known today as Colwood. We are grateful for our partnership with Songhees Nation and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) Nation, as they generously walk with us on this important journey.

We invite you to join the conversation. Your participation, feedback, ideas, and thoughts are crucial to our success.

Take the BC Archives Survey

View Backgrounder

View FAQ's

View Information Session

Past Events

About the Collections and Research Building

In September 2020, the Province of BC announced plans to build a new collections and research building in Colwood, BC. This purpose-built, sustainable facility will be state-of-the-art using mass timber construction, meet CleanBC energy efficiency standards, and be LEED Gold certified. It will house the Royal BC Museum’s archives, collections, and research department. It will improve research activities by providing dedicated research labs and learning spaces, and it will improve public access to the province’s vast collections. Construction started in summer 2023 and is anticipated to be completed in late 2025, with a public opening in 2026. The collections and research building is a temporary name for the project. A permanent name will be assigned to the facility prior to completion.

Learn more about the collection and research building.