Lecture: The Best Loved Boat: The Princess Maquinna
Tuesday, March 12th @ 7:00 pm
Event type: In-person
Time and Date: 7:00 pm, Tuesday, March 12th, 2024
Location: Rotary Gallery of the Courtenay and District Museum
Speaker: Ian Kennedy
Tickets: $5 for Historical Society members; $6 for the general public. Advance tickets recommended. Tickets can be purchased over the phone by calling 250-334-0686 ext 2.
Built in 1913, the Canadian Pacific Railway's ship Princess Maquinna steamed up and down the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island in summer and winter, calm weather and storms, for nearly forty years, and has become one of the most beloved boats in BC’s maritime history.
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Spring Fling and Easter Things
Saturday, March 23rd @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
We hope you can join us at the Courtenay and District Museum on Saturday, March 23rd for our annual “Spring Fling and Easter Things”. The event runs from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm.
Admission is by donation. There will be a $5 cash fee for face painting.
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We’re Hiring Summer Students!
Is someone you know looking for work experience this summer? Thanks to Canada Summer Jobs 2024, the museum has three positions available for summer students: Community Museum Technician, Corporate Assistant, and Earth Sciences Assistant Curator.
If you or someone you know is interested, please send your resume to info@courtenaymuseum.ca or drop off a hard copy at the front desk.
Click Here for Position Details
Last Chance - Our Living Languages: First Peoples’ Voices in British Columbia
On exhibit until April 6th, 2024
The popular travelling exhibition, Our Living Languages: First Peoples’ Voices in British Columbia, will be moving on from the museum to its next stop on April 6th. Until then, come by to expand your vocabulary, and appreciation for the state of Indigenous languages spoken in BC.
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Easter in the Gift Shop
Spruce up your spring festivities with these fabulous items in the museum gift shop. We have adorably soft rabbit and chick stuffies, as well as seasonal cards available while supplies last.
Come check out our Spring Fling event, then hit the checkout with these perfect springtime gifts in hand!
Courtenay Streets
This month’s newsletter highlights Douglas Place, named after William (Bill) Douglas.
The article was penned by local historian Dorothy Isabelle Stubbs (1905-2003) who wrote several different columns for newspapers over the years including “Spotlight on Courtenay Streets” for the Comox District Free Press in 1970. This article appeared in the February 25th edition.
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Click Here for Bonus Photograph
Photo of the Month
CDM #p80-357b Site of Comox Post Office, 1918
You can view more photos like this on our website. Click here to visit our holdings.
Your Membership and Donations Make A Difference
Purchasing a membership to the Courtenay and District Museum, now in its 63rd 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.
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Check out our Instagram!
The museum is scheduling lectures and events throughout the year, so follow us on Instagram and stay up to date on all events and news.
Also, if you have experienced one of our weekly events or our fossil tours feel free to post a pic and tag us with #CourtenayandDistrictMuseum, we would love to see your posts!
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#CourtenayandDistrictMuseum
#ComoxValley
#DowntownCourtenay
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New Exhibit at the Comox Air Force Museum
The Comox Air Force Museum is celebrating 100 years of RCAF history on the west coast of Canada with its new centennial exhibit, RCAF 1924 - 2024: Celebrating 100 Years of the RCAF on the West Coast of Canada, now open for public viewing.
Journey through time and explore the evolution of Canada’s air force; first starting as a handful of bush pilots, then forged in combat over the battlefields of Europe and Asia, and growing into the modern air force of today. This exhibit us currently open to the public and closes early 2025.
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Family Day Wrap-Up at the B.C. Legislature
The museum would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who attended the B.C. legislature’s Family Day event in Victoria last month.
Courtenay Museum staff had a chance to meet some of the 1700+ visitors throughout the day, sharing the excitement of our new provincial fossil designation and local history. We also wish to send out another big thank you to the legislature staff and security for their help, and we hope to see you again next year!
Upcoming Exhibit: Models & Miniatures
Why do we find so much joy in models and miniatures? Although we are stuck at our scale and the lens it gives us to see the world, for thousands of years our species has been drawn to crafting our culture in sizes that offer new perspectives.
This theme is explored in a new exhibit opening in late April, which will feature items almost entirely from the museum’s own collection. Until then, stay tuned for more information about the exhibit on our website and social media.
We Want Your Feedback
If you’ve been to the museum recently, we’re interested in your feedback. Fill out our short survey to explore what people enjoy and where they’re visiting from.
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Museum Funding
In 1961, founders of the Courtenay and District Historical Society began with a regional mandate to create the Courtenay and District Museum (CDM) to collect, preserve and interpret natural and cultural heritage of the Comox Valley. Core values encompass integrity, inclusiveness, community service, rigorous research, objective interpretation and public outreach.
Proud sponsors of the Courtenay & District Museum: