Upscale!

Have you met the new guy in town? He's tall, green and handsome.

If you haven't seen him in person yet you soon will as he's often out partying at community events.

How'd he come to be here? Well, he sprang from the fertile imagination and nimble fingers of volunteer Coral Dunn. A job well done, Coral. The museum and marine reptile fans everywhere thank you.

Click Here for the Big Reveal!

Annual General Meeting - 53 Years and Counting

The Courtenay and District Historical Society will host its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 10th beginning at 6:30 pm in the museum's Rotary Gallery.

Fifty three years ago, in 1961, founders of the Courtenay and District Historical Society began the organization with a regional mandate to create the Courtenay and District Museum (CDM) in order to collect, preserve and interpret cultural and natural heritage of the Comox Valley. Core values of the museum encompass integrity, inclusiveness, community service, rigorous research, objective interpretation and public outreach.

Up to 1987, a diverse group of volunteers managed the governance and everyday operation of the museum. Archaeologist Katherine Capes was a founder, along with Ben Hughes, Editor of the Comox Argus, and First Nations leaders Chief Andy Frank and Robert Clifton, and many others from the community. The Board has always included an elected member of the K'ómoks First Nation.

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Your Membership Makes A Difference

Purchasing a membership to the Courtenay and District Museum, now in its 53rd 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

Photo of the Month

CDM #985.89.12
Oyster River boating, 1918

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

Fall School Programmes

Keeping it Current - and Historic!

With the help of Aleta Salmon, Summer Programme Coordinator, the museum is rolling out a whole new line-up of programming for students for the 2014-2015 school year.

Currently, the museum is strong on presenting programmes in the earth sciences. Added to this, museum staff are working on revamping and creating new programming in settlement history, First Nations and general natural history to match education curriculum for varied grade levels.

We're looking forward to a busy fall and winter season! More information will be available on this programming by the end of August and we'll be sending out a special email with full descriptions.

Would Our Mothers Have Called Them Heritage Crafts?

There's a new spin on knitting, crocheting, weaving and many other domestic crafts. In some circles, they're now called heritage crafts. Works for us. Because heritage is the business we love. That's why we're going to be presenting knitting, fiber days and general craft days throughout the fall. Stay tuned to our September newsletter for more information on these activities.

A sampling from our new line of Elite Tins & Treats

Gift Shop News With a Roar

If you've visited the Courtenay and District Museum gift shop recently you'll know what we're talking about when we say -"It looks great!"

With the help of Visitor Services Manager, Gillian Miller, we've sourced more one-of-a-kind items that are making the gift shop a unique place to shop in the valley.

From maps, to great history and children's books, to hand-made stuffies of elasmosaurs and ammonites, to children's bear and wolf hats for the fall, sales have increased. Grrrrr! And it all helps support museum programming. Bonus if you buy a membership because it's 15% off for most items.

Try it, you'll like it!

It's All There in Black and White

Amazing deal being offered by Central Builders' Supply - basically an entire house for just over $4000! But wait, wait...the sale ended 56 years ago. Darn. It still makes for fun reading though so check out this ad from the August 20, 1958 edition of the Comox District Free Press.

Read this newspaper article from our archives

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

Museum Sponsors

Dogwood
Comox Valley Community Foundation
Judy Hagen
The Robert Hunt Family
Bruce McPhee
Microsoft
Vancouver Island Exploration Group
Daryl and Evelyn Wright - Francis Jewellers Ltd.

Arbutus
The Bickle Family
Comox Valley Echo
Comox Valley Monarch Lions Club
Ed LaFleur
Marjorie Thorpe
John Wilson and Family

Fir
Elizabeth Braithwaite
Des Kennedy

Seedling

Christine Dickinson Coral Dunn Dove and Mike Hendren Peggy Hildebrandt Ted Lovegrove Ruth Masters

D. Mobley Jim Peacock April Shopland Jean & Ian Sibbald Roberts & Adela Smith Comox Valley Family History Research Group

If you're considering donating to a charity, please consider the Courtenay and District Museum. Your support goes towards education programmes, lectures and collection management. We provide a tax receipt to donors.

Please click here to donate

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: