Maritime Museum
Victoria is home to many of British Columbia's great museums. The Royal BC Museum , Helmcken House and the Maritime Museum of British Columbia are all within walking distance of the city's downtown core. They cut a wide swath through the history of the province, from prehistoric times to the present day.
Outside the city, but still within easy reach, are the Sooke Region Museum and BC Aviation Museum .
There's something to interest everyone in Victoria's engaging museums.
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Journey through themed galleries; encounter explorers, fur traders & pirates; experience the hardship & adventure of whaling & seal hunting; relive an era of graceful travel aboard Canadian Pacific ocean liners & explore British Columbia's rich maritime history.
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Prepare to be amazed. British Columbia’s past, present and future are alive at the Royal BC Museum. Unique galleries showcase the human and natural history of our province and temporary exhibits from other countries and cultures. Authentic artifacts and specimens are displayed in highly realistic settings. From fossilized palm trees to satellite imagery, from Woolly Mammoth to webcam, experience British Columbia as it was and as it is now. Stroll through Old Town's main wood-cobbled street and enjoy its shops, cinema and railway station. Visit a ceremonial Big House, see totem poles from various First Nations and an impressive selection of masks.
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Maritime Museum of British Columbia
The Maritime Museum of British Columbia displays more than 5,000 nautical artifacts on three floors, including the 150-year-old Tilikum, a three-masted, converted dugout canoe.
Galleries include exhibits of early Pacific exploration, shipwrecks, piracy, traditions of the Royal Canadian Navy, coastal passenger ships and whaling.
Helmcken House
The oldest house in BC, Helmcken House still sits on its original site. Built by Dr. Sebastian Helmcken in 1852, it provides a wonderful snapshot of what life was like in the city 150 years ago.
The Sooke Region Museum explores the history of Vancouver Island with particular emphasis on pioneer life in the 19th century. Exhibits showcase Aboriginal peoples, forestry, gold mining and pioneer town life.
Moss Cottage, Sooke's oldest building, is decorated in 1902 style. It offers visitors a glimpse into the everyday life of a local turn-of-the-century family.
BC Aviation Museum
For an in-depth examination of the history of flight in Canada, visit the BC Aviation Museum. There are currently more than 30 aircraft on display, along with engines, pictures, models and artifacts.
The museum is always actively restoring aircraft to static or airworthy status.