Latest News
Laughing Oyster Bookshop Book Club Night
6:30 pm, Thursday, November 5 Submitted by the Laughing Oyster Bookshop Laughing Oyster's autumn Book Club Night has become a tradition for staff, for members of book clubs and for book lovers at large. This year we are pleased to be partnering with the Courtenay and District Museum - hosting the evening in their Rotary Gallery. Each year "The Pearls" (our knowledgeable and helpful staff members) select a few favourites from the new books arriving daily. Book lovers seeking some new ideas for reading or clubs wanting to expand their lists will enjoy a stimulating evening over coffee and dessert. Tickets are $15 and [...]
Drumroll, please…
The launch party for the museum book Watershed Moments: A Pictorial History of Courtenay and District is set for Saturday, October 24th. Please join us for an illustrated talk beginning at 1 pm with refreshments and book signing to follow. Click here for more details
It’s All There in Black and White: Hallowe’en 1962
The year was 1962. "Monster Mash" was a hit song on the radio and locals celebrated Halloween by introducing soap to glass. Check out this article from the November 7th edition of the Comox District Free Press to see what else the police had to contend with. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
Elasmosaur Birthday & Christmas Party
Kick off the season with a celebration combo! On Saturday, November 14th from 11 am – 4 pm, the museum is inviting the community to drop by for a visit and have some fun. Elasmosaur and fossil related activities will include dinosaur movies, fossil exhibits and a chance to talk to paleo experts for fossil identification. For those in a more Christmas frame of mind there will be a chance to make children’s Christmas crafts and enjoy a reading of “The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas”. Or maybe you’d just like to come by for some cake or goodies and enter your name for a [...]
New Book: Watershed Moments
Please save the date of Saturday, October 24th for the launch of the CDM's 2015 book project, Watershed Moments-A Pictorial History of Courtenay and District published with Harbour Publishing. Watershed Moments features over 140 images from the museum's vast collection of historical photographs, glass plate negatives and other ephemera scanned and improved by Ernst Vegt of Coast Imaging Arts. Spanning the mid-1800s to the 1950s, Watershed Moments invites you into a world of portraits, boating parties, family celebrations, agricultural events and economic activities. Local authors Christine Dickinson, Deborah Griffiths, Judy Hagen and Catherine Siba invite you to join them at the launch from 1-3 [...]
Back to School
Did you know that the Courtenay Museum offers a range of education programmes for groups of children? Check out the possibilities. Click here for our Education Programmes
Winter Hours
The museum is now operating on our winter hours schedule. Please note that we are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Courtenay’s Centennial: Give a Hoot! Don’t Pollute!
Throughout this year, the museum newsletter will be providing glimpses into the back story on the City's Incorporation, history and development. Give a Hoot! Don't Pollute! A call out to property owners to keep things neat and tidy in pre-incorporated Courtenay: "It does not give newcomers a favourable impression to see beside the main street and in the very heart of the town vacant lots which consist of half-burned logs, empty oil cans and every conceivable kind of rubbish. If individual owners have not sufficient enterprise to clean up their own lots, then whatever public body has most influence in Courtenay should see to [...]
It’s All There in Black and White: The Driftwood Mall
The Driftwood Mall has gone through many changes since it was built in 1976. A major reno ten years later was documented in the Comox District Free Press of September 26, 1986. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo. Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image
It’s All There in Black and White: Blacktopping Starts Today
Remember driving those dusty gravel roads of the past as you went on your summer travels? Here's an advancement in local "modern transportation" as noted in the Comox District Free Press of August 16, 1961. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
Courtenay’s Centennial: Finished at Last!
Throughout this year, the museum newsletter will be providing glimpses into the back story on the City's Incorporation, history and development. Finished at Last! Downtown Courtenay's singular heritage building, the Native Sons Hall, opened on August 17, 1928 with a special dance and celebration. It opened, but was not completed for another two years. "Native Sons' Hall, Is Finished The Native Sons' Hall has been completed according to the original design and the improvement is most marked. Owing to lack of funds to finish the outside, scaffolding was long left up on Courtenay's unique building. But it is now down. The ends of the [...]
Gift Shop News: August 2015
It has been an amazing season for gift shop sales thanks to our constantly changing and unique inventory. The latest arrivals are Yo Sox for men and women. These socks come in fabulous colours and subjects and are lightweight for easy packing or mailing. We have everything from dinosaurs (including T-Rex) to planets, cupcakes and flower prints. At only $8.99 a pair, they are affordable and fun. Also new in the shop are limited edition prints by Kirsty V Pedersen. Kirsty is a local artist whose business name is fogANDswell. She produces stunning bright and cheerful prints with mainly nautical themes such as whales, [...]
Scrumptious Fund Raiser
Hot Chocolates owner Jorden Marshall is modelling the latest in delicious treats! A portion of sales from boxes of Hot Chocolates truffles featuring a historic Little River picnic photograph from our archives will help support museum programming. This scrumptious fund raiser is a great way to help the museum and celebrate the city's centennial so be sure to pick up a box or two soon.