Results 1 - 6 are shown.
March 20, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Museums
Find more information about Victoria, Museums
View a larger image on flickr.com
St. Ann's Academy is one of the places in Victoria that a lot of who live here drive by, but never go in. At least that's my impression. This all changed the other day when I organized a tour there for some other mom-friends of mine along with our babies. Our tour guide was full of really interesting facts about the history of the Academy and the Sisters of St. Ann who lived and worked there. The building and grounds are beautiful, as is the chapel contained within. Well worth a visit if you come into town; admission is by donation.
August 10, 2007 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Museums
Find more information about Victoria, Museums
View a larger image on flickr.com
My family took a short break to Victoria recently. The main draw was to see the Titanic exhibit at the RBCM. My 7 year old daughter was quite intrigued with the idea, so we did some reading ahead of time – there is a great kids series called the Magic Treehouse in which characters go back in time. Once we read "A Night on the Titanic", she really wanted to go see the exhibit.
We were advised to go early – which was smart – we were there right at opening and found parking in the back lot just behind the museum. There were no lineups as we arrived, and we had the luxury of reading and looking at all the materials on display.
The boarding passes provided to each person with profiles of different passengers was very engaging. At the end you look at the memorial wall which lists all the survivors and missing – both my daughter and I lived, but alas my husband’s character did not – proving the maxim “women and children first” really was followed. It was very exciting for my daughter to see the IMAX film which featured commentary by a survivor named Eva Hart. My daughter saw her name, and said “hey, that’s me!” It was fascinating for her to identify with a 7 year old on the ship and then to see her as an elderly woman telling her stories.
The docents were very well informed, although my daughter got a bit bored by the teletype fellow who had such enthusiasm for his topic that he went on a bit long for his particular audience. Apparently they have child docents too, but they were not there during our visit.
The room with the iceberg was very eery as you heard sounds as they might have been - it was dark and everyone’s conversation took on hushed tones.
The folks at the museum advise seeing the IMAX film first then viewing the exhibit, however the first film is at 10 am and runs 45 minutes. By this time there were lineups to get into the exhibit. We did it the reverse, and went into the exhibit first – which opens at 9am, then caught the noon IMAX. I don’t think we missed much by doing it this way, and we really avoided crowds. The film is definitely worth adding on as it shows the submarine that went down to discover the ship – you actually see things 2 miles under water that are then on exhibit.
All in all, very worthwhile.
A few tips if traveling with kids (or even not)
-you cannot re-enter the exhibit once you leave, so make a trip to the washroom first
-get there early if you can (park behind the museum), see the exhibit then have an early lunch before the noon IMAX
-don’t forget your ticket also gets you into the RBCM displays – with in and out privileges – all day – during the summer there are days they are actually open evenings also. The woolly mammoth is a big hit with kids, as are parts of the ‘old town’.
May 2, 2007 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Museums
Find more information about Victoria, Museums
View a larger image on flickr.com
This is a great experience. There are not only the artifacts recoevered from the bottom of the ocean but actors in costume -- you can talk to them and ask them questions. I had more photos from my previous blog entry that I wanted to post so here is one.
April 24, 2007 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Museums
Find more information about Victoria, Museums
View a larger image on flickr.com
I was at the Royal BC Museum on April 14, opening day for the Titanic exhibit. It was really a worthwhile experience – interesting and moving. There were many other people there and some even dressed in costume for the occasion! The lines moved quickly, and while I was waiting to get into the exhibit, I was handed a boarding pass in the name of an actual passenger. Everyone received a different one. Mine told me about Helen Walton, who was 19 and was returning to Michigan from a European honeymoon with her husband. She was travelling first class with a small dog and she was pregnant.
I was really interested in the stories of the people on board, why they were on the Titanic, and how they lived while they were on the ship. I started off in the departure area, there was a little theatre to the side but I walked the gangplank to the ship instead.
I saw the first class cabin, with rooms that would not be out of place at a grand hotel. The third class cabin was much more basic, with four bunks, but looked quite comfortable. There were sample menus for the first, second, and third class passengers and table settings. I was surprised at how nice the third class menus and china were. I spoke to a female steward (there were a few actors playing the parts of people on the ship) who was very knowledgeable and explained what life was like on board for the staff, what her lodgings were like (much nicer than other ships), and answered numerous questions.
I tried on a life jacket (quite heavy), tried out the wireless machine to tap out SOS, and touched the iceberg. Each room had artifacts that were recovered from the bottom of the ocean and some had items from the Royal BC Museum’s own collection to show what life was like in that era.
For me, the most moving room was the one with the ship’s hull and the actual D Deck door. It was eerie and I could see people walking by that door. Seeing it by itself, covered in rust, really made me think of the dreams that went down with the ship.
There was a room that told the BC stories of people whose lives were changed because of the Titanic. This was a nice touch.
At the end of the exhibit, there was a memorial wall that contained the names of all 2,200 passengers and their fate. It was a sobering experience, comparing the name on my board pass to the names on the wall. Helen Walton was one of the survivors.
I came away from the exhibit feeling as though I had learned a bit more about history and got to know, just a little, some of the people on Titanic.
February 21, 2007 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Museums
Find more information about Victoria, Museums
I had the pleasure last May of taking the ferry over to Victoria, BC, from Seattle for a daytrip, and I happened upon the finest museum I've ever visited. The Royal British Columbia Museum was filled with stunning and atmospheric exhibits on everything from the wildlife of the province to the story of its native peoples, through the exciting time of the prospectors and the development of urban life in BC. And not only were the exhibits a feast for all the senses, but the dining facilities and gift shop were top-notch, too.
December 1, 2005 | Tips from Us > Victoria, Museums
Find more information about Victoria, Museums
It is finally here! The long awaited showing of Linda McCartney’s exhibit, “Sixties, Portrait of an Era” opened today at the
Royal British Columbia Museum. The 51-photograph exhibit of 1960s musical icons includes Jimmy Hendrix, The Beatles, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, etc… I can’t think of a better way to escape some of the Christmas shopping mayhem and slip back in time to the days I remember so well. Since seeing the exhibit this morning, I find myself humming my old favourite tunes.
The exhibit runs from now until January 31, 2006.