VICTORIA – As part of long-term planning to modernize the Royal BC Museum (RBCM) precinct, the RBCM has exercised an option to purchase the IMAX Victoria theatre.
The Royal BC Museum has purchased the IMAX Victoria from Destination Cinema Inc. for approximately $3.8M, funded through a government grant. The Royal BC Museum will continue to show documentary features as well as Hollywood feature films, and the experience will remain unchanged. The current staff will be transitioning to the Museum; becoming their new employer.
“This is an exciting step for the Royal BC Museum modernization,” said Professor Jack Lohman, CEO, “Bringing the IMAX Victoria into the Museum operation opens up more educational opportunities as we work to update the museum.”
By bringing the IMAX Victoria under RBCM control, the potential re-development process won’t be impacted by a private lease agreement down the road. The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and RBCM are developing a redevelopment business case for government’s decision for future museum facilities.
The IMAX Victoria theatre has operated within the Museum since June 1998. Each year approximately 356,000 people enjoy movies in the theatre. Now that the province is in Phase 3 of recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the IMAX Victoria is open with enhanced safety measures including a maximum capacity of 50 visitors.
Learn More:
Modernization project link: https://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/support-us/modernization
IMAX Victoria: https://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/visit/imax
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 histories, 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.
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Media contact:
Erik Lambertson: 778.677.4553
Julie Ovenell: 778.679.1379
news@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
