Old Town, New Approach

It’s a new take on an old town with this dynamic, reopened space. Old Town, New Approach, part of the former Becoming BC permanent modern history gallery, reopened to the public in July 2023 with new contextual panels designed to inform and inspire visitors and reflect the museum’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

See what’s on screen at the Majestic Theatre, peek into a rowdy saloon and smell the apple pie in the Grand Hotel kitchen to see what life was like for people at the turn of the 20^th century.

Co-creation and community partnerships are at the heart of this work, and the space will continually evolve as we work with communities to share their experiences and cultures.

Make sure to check out the Port Moody train station to learn more about BC’s sleeping car porters, developed in partnership with the BC Black History Awareness Society. Also see Old Town, New Approach’s newest addition, the Hayashi Photography Studio. Developed alongside the Cumberland Museum and Archives, the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, and Landscapes of Injustice: Past Wrongs, Future Choices, the Hayashi Photography Studio captures both the important role of photography in historical record keeping and the impact of Japanese Canadians to British Columbia.