Latest News
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.
Courtenay’s Centennial: Bathing Barbers
Throughout this year, the museum newsletter will be providing glimpses into the back story on the City's Incorporation, history and development. Bathing Barbers Early barber shops in Courtenay also served as bath houses. In the 1914 Courtenay Review newspaper, the "Comox Barber Shop" listed itself as the oldest shop in Courtenay and provided bathing facilities. Bill Sutliff's "Courtenay Barber Shop" located on 5th Street between Duncan and Cliffe Avenues also offered use of a tub right up into the 1920s.
Capes Escape: July 2015 Update
Capes Escape Capes Escape, the museum’s vacation rental property, continues to do great business The 1700 sq. ft., 1930s heritage home is part of the Courtenay and District Museum visitor services. The Capes home, situated on seven acres of forested land on Cumberland Road, was donated to the museum by the late Katherine Capes. Located approximately 4 km from Highway 19, Capes Escape is only minutes from downtown Courtenay and Cumberland. Summer bookings are in full swing but there are still some openings in August and the first week of September if you are looking for a “home away from home” [...]
Gift Shop News: July 2015
Summer traffic is busy in the gift shop and gifts are going all over the world. People visiting from other parts of Canada, Europe and the Pacific stop in and pick up gifts to take home. Local residents visit to find items for family and friends. We have new shipments of beautiful hoodies for late summer with great hummingbird and salmon designs. We’re also carrying a new line of cards and note pads from Yellow Bird, designed and distributed from North Vancouver. To add to our stuffed animal zoo, we’ve gone local with a huge ammonite and giant hippo made by Ding Ding Dillio [...]
BC Day Closure
The museum will be closed on Monday, August 3rd. Wishing everyone a safe and happy BC Day holiday.
Slugzilla and Friends
The next time you visit the museum, meet our new African lungfish, Slugzilla, and his friends, Darth the algae eater, and Doodah the goldfish. We, students and the public, all missed Pam so much, we searched for a new African lungfish. Slug and his two friends were kindly donated to the museum by James Stanley from Calgary. All three of them were sent here on WestJet and have settled very well into their new home.
Summer Day Camps
The children's Summer Day Camps are well underway. Days are packed with games, arts and crafts, and making a new friend or two along the way! The kids have really enjoyed making dinosaur eggs and stegosaurus, but most of all they’ve enjoyed learning about dinosaurs and reptiles. Two different camps are offered this year: Sea, Sky and Land - Life in the Dinosaur Age Where'd You Go Dinosaur? Click for More Info