Join us for a tour of protest through music.

From advocating for 2SLGBTQI+ rights and environmental justice to challenging racism and sexism in the music industry, music has long been a powerful tool for resistance and change. This 30-minute guided tour of Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change takes you on a journey across genres and movements, exploring how music amplifies voices and inspires action. There's something for everyone on this tour through sound and solidarity.

Join us on a journey celebrating the women who have raised their voices in the social and political movements that shape our world.

Music is a powerful force - bringing people together, inspiring action and transforming communities. This 30-minute guided tour of our feature exhibition Beyond the Beat: The Music of Resistance and Change highlights the impact of women in music across genres and causes. Learn how  women have used music to challenge injustice, express identity and lead change.

Maker Saturdays at the Museum
Calling all makers! Join us one Saturday a month this summer for hands-on activities inspired by our feature exhibitions. These drop-in sessions are open to all ages — come get creative, explore, and play.

Join artist Jaimie Robson  and build a botanically inspired paper sculpture in this hands-on workshop inspired by her temporary installation Uprooted, on view in the Climate Change Gallery starting on June 27^th. The session begins with a visit to the installation, followed by a creative workshop where participants will craft their own forest-themed paper artworks.

From gold rushes to temperate rainforests, British Columbia’s past and present is vast and diverse. Join one of our knowledgeable educators for a highlights-only tour through the museum’s immersive Human and Natural History galleries.

Join one of our educators for a guided walking tour of our Native Plant Garden! Learn about the plant neighbours we share here on the BC coast, including some of their Indigenous uses. Approximately eight different plants will be highlighted.

Join University of Victoria pre-service teachers as they share information, challenges and ideas about Climate Justice in animation stations throughout the core galleries.

Join us at the Royal BC Museum for the launch of Celebrating Potlatches, a new children’s book by Samantha Beynon that honours Indigenous stories and traditions.

Enjoy a short presentation, book signing, and a booth from Strong Nations featuring children’s resources.

Eat. Drink. Explore.

Celebrate love, identity, and self-expression at After Hours: Pride—a joyful, inclusive night honoring 2SLGBTQIA+ history, culture, and community. Dance to an all-night DJ set by Efrévescent, enjoy a live performance by Marina Avros, and catch a dynamic drag show by Asian drag king Noah Lott. Take part in a communal art project and connect with local advocates while exploring valuable community resources.

This event is organized with the LGBTQIA+ community and warmly welcomes allies to join in and celebrate together.

Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change showcases music as a powerful catalyst for social and political change with historical and contemporary examples.  Jodi Giesbrecht  and Lorne Hammond will share about the development of and challenges of creating the exhibit and some of their favorite stories behind the artifacts. 

About the Speaker

Visit our Pride Button Station in the museum and create a button that celebrates love, identity, and inclusion! Choose from colorful designs or craft your own unique message. All supplies are provided, so you can wear your creation with pride or share it with someone special. Fun for all ages!

Join us for an engaging presentation and celebration of the book The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog, whose pelt lay forgotten in a Smithsonian drawer for 150 years. According to Indigenous oral histories of the Pacific Northwest, this small dog was bred for thousands of years for its woolly fibres, which were woven into traditional blankets, robes and regalia. Authors Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, Kerrie Charnley, Andrea Fritz, Violet Elliott and Ty Elliot will read excerpts from The Teachings of Mutton, alongside a discussion.

The Royal BC Museum is out in the Community

Join the Learning and Engagement team at the 11th annual World Ocean Day Celebrations at Fisherman's Wharf! Visit our booth for a hands-on experience with real museum specimens from natural history collection. Explore the incredible diversity of life along the coast, take part in engaging, ocean-themed activities, and learn more about the vital role the ocean plays in all our lives. Come connect with the ocean, ask questions, and discover how we can all play a part in protecting our the marine ecosystems around us.

A screening and panel discussion presented by Canadian EH Society

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of Mount Logan’s first ascent in 1925, the Canadian EH Society brings to light stories of resilience on Canada’s highest peaks. The historic climb, as captured in the diaries of naturalist Hamilton Mack Laing and vividly retold in Trevor Marc Hughes’ book Capturing the Summit, offers a rare and compelling account of what it took to reach the summit.

This event is for the queer community. We welcome anyone who identifies under the 2SLGBTQIA+ umbrella.

For Ocean Week Victoria, we're hosting a special documentary screening of Lost Orca: The Legend of Luna. In 2001, a baby orca lost contact with his family in a fjord on the coast of Vancouver Island. Orcas are highly social beings, and he started trying to make friends with people. What happened then is the stuff of legend. 

For all ages

Explore the world of The Adventures of Kelp Creature in this special online event! Join  author and musician Alex Chen and illustrator Lis Xu as they share the inspiration and process behind their new picture book and musical audiobook - a captivating blend of storytelling, ocean stewardship, vibrant artwork, and mesmerizing sounds. 

Join us for a special Ocean Week Victoria experience in partnership with the Greater Victoria Public Library. Visit pop-up reading corners in the Natural History gallery and museum lobby, where you can enjoy a collection of ocean-themed books, for all ages.

Surrounded by fascinating ocean specimens, these will be perfect spaces to relax and read about sea creatures, underwater adventures, and the mysteries of the deep. Come explore the wonders of the ocean through stories that will inspire and delight. 

For Ocean Week Victoria, we're bringing a special documentary screening of Send Kelp to BC's largest screen! The film follows the journey of Frances Ward, a "Seaweed Nerd" and adventurer, as she sets out to build a kelp farm off the coast of Vancouver Island. 

Combining breathtaking underwater cinematography, Send Kelp explores many remarkable surprises about this game-changing organism and how it, along with the efforts of entrepreneurs like Frances, just might help change the world. 

The ocean is full of mysteries - and so is the Royal BC Museum's  collection. For Ocean Week Victoria, we're bringing rarely seen specimens and objects out of the collections and into the spotlight. From deep-sea creatures to coastal marvels, every area of our natural history department (and a few of the human history departments) will be showcasing ocean-related specimens and objects that are usually stored behind the scenes.