The BC Archives is the oldest archival institution west of the Great Lakes. Learn more about the history, collections and role of this important institution. 

Speaker: Stuart Hill, Archivist

Live at Lunch is a monthly series where you can hear directly from curators, archivists, staff and researchers at the Royal BC Museum as well as fascinating community members and guests. 

Join us for a 30-minute guided tour Natural History gallery, where British Columbia’s rich and diverse natural heritage comes to life. This tour will take you on a journey through time and across the varied landscapes of the province.

Step back into the Ice Age and meet our iconic Woolly Mammoth. See the largest elk in North America in the forest diorama and listen to the sounds of the crashing waves of the coastline in the seashore diorama.

Designed for ages 9-12 years

Journey into the world of ancient mysteries in this art class. Young artists will embark on an adventure by first visiting the feature exhibition Stonehenge to learn all about the incredible history and secrets of this ancient place.

Back in the classroom, our experienced instructor will guide students step-by-step in creating their very own Stonehenge landscape, followed by a miniature stone megalith. This hands-on activity will inspire creativity and offer a unique way to explore one of history’s most fascinating structures.

Colourful Business proves that business does not have to be boring. The third annual Colourful Business Expo displays the innovation and vitality of Victoria's Indigenous, Black, and immigrant entrepreneurs. Browse displays and listen to live music throughout the afternoon. 

Colourful Business is a project of the Kulea Culture Society, Royal BC Museum, Indigenous Prosperity Centre, BC Black History Awareness Society, REP Here in Canada, Victoria Foundation, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, the City of Victoria, and the Government of Canada.

The Victoria Children’s Choir is considered to be one of the top choral and music organizations in the city, and is highly respected for its consistent professional level of performing music throughout the Concert Season.

Join provincial carillonneur Rosemary Laing for a live recital of carillon music in honour of Remembrance Day. Note the timing is not precise as the concert will begin when the ceremonies at the Legislature Building come to an end. 

 The Netherlands Centennial Carillon can be heard throughout the inner harbour, but the best place to enjoy the recital is from a bench in the Native Plant Garden or another area of the precinct around the Royal BC Museum.

Designed for all ages

Meet Paul Ferguson, History Collections Manager at the Royal BC Museum, for an intriguing exploration of historical photographs and the stories they tell. Discover how to analyze and draw inferences from these visual records, gaining insights into the past through the lens of primary sources.

Bring your curiosity and sharpen your observational skills as we delve into the art of reading photographs as evidence of history.

Designed for ages 9 to 13

Join us Live Online with our friends at Streamable Learning!

Meet Paul Ferguson, History Collections Manager, for an intriguing exploration of historical photographs and the stories they tell. Discover how to analyze and draw inferences from these visual records, gaining insights into the past through the lens of primary sources.

Bring your curiosity and sharpen your observational skills as we delve into the art of reading photographs as evidence of history.

Designed for all ages

Some arthropods are equipped with wings and antennae, and the number and arrangement of these body parts can help you identify whether an animal is an insect, spider, millipede, or centipede. But did you know there are also reptiles that can glide through the air—without wings? How many reptiles from British Columbia can you name?

Join Dr. Gavin Hanke, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology, and Dr. Joel Gibson, Curator of Entomology, as they guide you through an engaging exploration of creatures that creep, crawl, and slither.

Designed for ages 4 to 8

Join us Live Online with our friends at Streamable Learning!

Some arthropods are equipped with wings and antennae, and the number and arrangement of these body parts can help you identify whether an animal is an insect, spider, millipede, or centipede. But did you know there are also reptiles that can glide through the air—without wings? How many reptiles from British Columbia can you name?

Freshly back From the Field, Join Dr. Victoria Arbour, curator of paleontology at the Royal BC Museum, for a look at what she and her team discovered this past summer in northern BC! This expedition was funded by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s Trebek Initiative Grants, supporting incredible Canadian storytelling coast to coast!

In celebration of its 5th Anniversary, the box office hit Fantastic Fungi, directed by Louie Schwartzberg, is returning to theaters with an enhanced experience in Fantastic Fungi Remastered, which offers audiences an unparalleled viewing experience with enhanced visuals and sound, allowing viewers to immerse themselves fully in the breathtaking beauty and awe-inspiring wonder of the fungal kingdom.

Much of life on Earth is connected by a vast, hidden network that we are only just beginning to understand. Out of sight, between the world of plants and animals, another world exists - the kingdom of fungi.

Runtime: 41 minutes

Rating: G

The South Vancouver Island Mycological Society Annual Mushroom Show.

A display of hundreds of identified macrofungi for your learning and viewing pleasure. Experts will be on site to answer all your questions. Bring your fungi and have the experts identify them for you!

Free presentations in the Conference Hall from local Mycologists and Biologists will occur throughout the day.

Did you know that there are more than 3,000 different mushroom species in British Columbia? That’s more fungus diversity than anywhere else in Canada! Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist and the Royal BC Museum to hunt for mushrooms.  Mushroom expert and co-author of Royal BC Museum’s best-selling handbook, Mushrooms of British Columbia, Kem Luther, will lead us. This is not a harvesting expedition, but a fun, informal exploration of fungi from the trail. 

This event has been cancelled!

Eat. Drink. Explore

Have you ever wanted to create your own costume? Now’s your chance to stretch your imagination with the guidance from experts. Join talented staff members from The Makehouse Co-op and the Royal BC Museum and craft the costume of your dreams. Bring old garments, fabrics, and embellishments to this adult-only upcycling event, where creativity and sustainability come together.

Following the film, please join us for a talk and Q&A with Dr. Shannon Berch. Dr. Berch has a PhD from Université Laval in fungal taxonomy and ecology. She retired in 2019 from the BC Ministry of Environment and is an Associate Member of the UBC Department of Biology and Faculty of Land and Resource Science. Dr. Berch is a founding member of the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society and the Truffle Association of BC.

Mosses, lichens, and fungi play important roles in the stegnon, the layer of organic life just above and below the soil. This talk reviews some of the environmental services provided by several groups of organisms that inhabit the forest floor.

Speaker: Kem Luther, of the Southern Vancouver Island Mycological Society

Live at Lunch is a monthly series where you can hear directly from curators, archivists, staff and researchers at the Royal BC Museum as well as fascinating community members and guests.

Sensory-sensitive screening of Animal Kingdom intended for guests who find the immersive IMAX® experience prohibitive. In addition to low lighting and low volume throughout, doors will be left open and movement and discussion during the film will not be restricted. This film is in 2D, no special glasses required. Theatre capacity will be reduced to 80 seats.

Join the Greater Victoria Public Library for a StoryWalk®, where children of all ages follow a guided path outside the Royal BC Museum, experiencing a storybook page by page from beginning to end.

No registration required. Everyone is welcome to this drop-in event. Children must be accompanied by an adult. StoryWalks proceed rain or shine, so dress appropriately.