Latest News
Culture Doesn’t Stop
Working together, Comox Valley Arts, Courtenay & District Museum, The Sid Williams Theatre and Comox Valley Art Gallery are making a plan in concert with the City of Courtenay to keep cultural activities going. Read the Statement Here
May 2020 Gift Shop News
Culture doesn't stop and neither does our gift shop. We're going to be featuring select items on our Facebook page for your perusal. You can then email us at info@courtenaymuseum.ca or give us a call at 250-334-0686 ext. 1 to purchase. Calls will be accepted Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. Payment can be made with either Visa or MasterCard. Then, you can make an appointment time for pick up or we can have the items mailed or couriered to you (a shipping fee will apply).
May 2020 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: Charles and Henrietta Simms relaxing in their picturesque garden, August 1931. Charles Sillence photograph. Photo: CDM Sillence Collection. Page 161.
Just For Fun
CDM 997.525.22 An example of a late Victorian trade card from our collection. Trade cards were an early form of collectible advertising. This one is likely from around the 1880s and is promoting the Toronto, Ontario Steele Brothers who were seed growers and importers. The two fellows pictured in the ad seem awfully annoyed with that perfectly legitimate beetparrot.
It’s All There in Black and White: Comox Valley and V-E Day
A time to join together and give thanks for victory in Europe played out in halls and churches of the Comox Valley 75 years ago this month. Find out more in this article from the Comox District Free Press of May 10, 1945. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
Father’s Day Gift Ideas
Father's Day is coming up on Sunday, June 21st and we have many reasonably priced gifts in the $5 to $35 range. Here's a top 10 list of suggestions for that special Dad. 1. Watershed Moments - A Pictorial History of Courtenay and District book 2. Dinosaur socks 3. Elasmosaur coffee 4. Bear/octopus/Vancouver Island t-shirt by West Coast Karma 5. Ammonite or fern design ceramic mug 6. Gift certificate for a Fossil Tour 7. Backroad Map books or waterproof map of Vancouver Island 8. Water bottle 9. Bear bells 10. Elasmosaur chocolate bar (milk or dark)
Thank you Wayward Distillery!
Courtenay’s Wayward Distillery has donated 2000 litres of its hand sanitizer to the Comox Valley Community Foundation for distribution to not-for-profits and emergency services in the Comox Valley and Campbell River. The Courtenay and District Museum is very pleased and grateful to receive three 20 litre pails to promote good hand hygiene for all visitors and staff. Dave Brimacombe, CEO of Wayward Distillery, reached out to both the Campbell River and Comox Valley Community Foundations as he is well aware of the broad reach of these foundations. “The team at Wayward loves to play and work right here, in this spectacular part of the [...]
From Our Library: Park’s Floral Guide
CDM 977.13.2 Park's Floral Guide for 1905 is a wonderful example of a nursery catalogue from the period. The lack of colour images may feel odd to our 21st century eyes but the booklet is illustrated with original detailed engravings. Note that George W. Park is the business owner. A seedsman and florist named "Park" - destiny fulfilled.
April 2020 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: A hand-coloured postcard featuring Moat Lake on Forbidden Plateau, 1930s. Preston L. Tait photograph. Photo: 975.36.10. Page 7. Photo caption: "Strathcona Park, designated in 1911, is the oldest park in British Columbia and includes 250,000 hectares in the Forbidden Plateau and Buttle Lake areas." Page 125.
From Our Library
We hope you enjoy this page of food substitutions from Edith Adam's Wartime Cook Book published in 1943 by The Vancouver Sun. The preface states that the "recipes in this book were chosen because they call for only materials available on our markets." It might be fun to try some of the dishes just to see how they turn out! Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image
Easter Offering
This lovely image is from a scrapbook donated to the archives over 45 years ago. Inscribed inside the front cover are the words "Minnie Berkeley" and "from Mamma, Xmas 1894." Minnie filled the pages with pressed flowers, calling cards and inspirational messages. Minnie Rose Berkeley was born in Sandwick April 28, 1880. She was the daughter of John and Agnes Berkeley. John was one of the first loggers in the district and provincial road superintendent. Minnie married George Swan in 1904. Together they had a family of six children: Madeline, Lloyd, Reggie, Billy, Murray and Norman. Minnie died in December of 1936. Her obituary [...]
COVID-19 Update – Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre Closed
This is a special announcement from the Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre regarding COVID-19. In tandem with the City of Courtenay cultural and recreational facilities, the museum will close to the public until further notice. Alternate Programming For people at home, you might want to view the museum's YouTube Channel to learn more about the museum, about fossil collections and explore with some of the scientists who have been involved with discoveries and exhibits at the Courtenay and District Museum. We will be providing more information regarding opportunities to connect through virtual tours and education sessions as soon as possible. Helpful Learning [...]
It’s All There in Black and White: CRUD is for Clean
It was all hands on deck for the Comox Valley spring clean-up of 1970 as seen in this March 18 article from the Comox District Free Press. But, you may be asking, what the heck is SPEC? Why it is the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation of course! Founded in 1969, SPEC's website identifies itself as the "oldest environmental non-profit in Canada." The Comox Valley SPEC group and hundreds of volunteers made our local campaign the biggest in BC that year. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.