Happy holidays from the Courtenay and District Museum board and staff.

Be kind, be calm, be safe.

Step into Wilderness Contest

To celebrate the release of our second book, Step into Wilderness, we are running a contest on our Facebook page. The prize is a copy of our book for you plus another copy for a friend!

We want to know your favorite Comox Valley spot or favorite outdoor pursuit, and have you tag the person you enjoy sharing it with. If you're selected BOTH of you will win a copy of our new book.

Winners will have the books personally delivered if they are in the Comox Valley. Deadline is December 11th so don't delay!

Click Here to Enter

Gift Step into Wilderness

Books never seem to go out of style for Christmas gift-giving. Of course, we at the Courtenay and District Museum think that Step into Wilderness would make a wonderful present.

The more than 150 photographs in this coffee-table book are the star of the show. Gorgeous scenic shots are side by side with informal captures of events. From a group of friends in a snowball fight on Forbidden Plateau to a fisher displaying a catch from Comox Bay, the historic photos highlight fun and hard work by those naturally inclined to the great outdoors.

Check out the museum's webpage for more information or call 250-334-0686 ext 2.

Members Christmas Sale

A reminder that the Museum Members Only Christmas Sale is on until 1 pm, Thursday, December 24, 2020. Members receive a 25% discount on most items in the shop. Valid membership cards need to be shown at time of purchase. Please note that the discount does not apply to consignment or already marked down items.

Your Membership and Donations Make A Difference

Purchasing a membership to the Courtenay and District Museum, now in its 59th year, supports heritage preservation in the Comox Valley through special events, lectures, education programmes, research and exhibitions. Your membership benefits these award winning programmes on a year round basis and we appreciate it!

Becoming a member provides you with discounts in the gift shop and on lectures and an opportunity to support one of the most active regional museums in British Columbia. Thank you for your support.

Click Here to Join

Click Here to Make a Donation

Holiday Recipe

Homemade fudge as a Christmas gift sounds divine! This recipe from Mrs. E. Evelyn Hilton of Royston notes that the fudge is “Specially good for Overseas parcels.”

The recipe comes from a local cookbook with a nebulous history as it’s missing the cover and publishing information. What’s for definite is that it was full of much-loved dishes as the pages are worn and covered in splatters from repeated use.

Click Here for the Full Recipe

Photo of the Month

CDM #991.151.8

You can view more photos like this on our website. Click here to visit our holdings.

Gift Shop News

8 Gift Ideas by Local Artisans

With Christmas arriving in just a few weeks, it’s a great time to promote the local artisans whose goods we carry in our shop. Do come in and support them, and us, by buying local.

Click Here for the List

Christmas Closure

The museum will be closed from 1 pm on Thursday, December 24 through Friday, January 1, 2021. Open again Saturday, January 2 from 10 am to 4 pm.

It's All There in Black and White

The December 30, 1970 edition of the Comox District Free Press gave a nod to Mac's Oysters, a longstanding Fanny Bay business run by the McLellan family. Check out the article to find out more about how Mac McLellan's oysters were his bread and butter.

Read More

With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.

Christmas Crafts from the 40s

Are you looking for a way to re-use egg shells and cellophane? Then try your hand at fashioning this Christmas tree from the 1940 Stitchcraft magazine.

Click Here

Watershed Moments

Here is the latest newsletter installment of an image from the museum's award-winning book Watershed Moments – A Pictorial History of Courtenay and District.

Photo credit: The Stewart Block building stands at the southwest corner of Duncan Avenue and 5th Street in Courtenay. At the time this photo was taken in 1932 it housed the Olympic Billiard Parlor and Barber Shop. Left to right: Unknown, Charles Rennicker (?), Cyril Newman. Charles Sillence photograph. Photo: CDM Sillence Collection. Page 146.

Click Here for a Larger Version

Museum Funding

The Courtenay and District Historical Society was registered as a nonprofit society in 1961 to preserve and interpret cultural and natural heritage of the Comox Valley. It has functioned as an independent society since that time. Funds are derived from the generous support of the City of Courtenay, British Columbia Arts Council, Comox Valley Regional District, British Columbia Gaming Branch, and from museum generated revenues and donations.

Proud sponsors of the Courtenay & District Museum: