Latest News
Season’s Greetings
As the festive season approaches, the Courtenay and District Museum board and staff would like to extend wishes to all for a wonderful and safe holiday. Season's Greetings and Happy New Year to you and yours!
2013 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibit
At the Royal BC Museum now to April 6, 2014 The exhibition features 100 winning images, in huge, backlit displays, selected from a field of just under 43,000 international entries "We are delighted to present the world’s hundred best natural history photographs. This year’s winners offer a deeply aesthetic window into our natural world. I am thrilled that four Canadians are amongst the winners and the photo journalism in the show connects superbly with our own mission to better understand our world, nature and the threats it faces," said Prof. Jack Lohman, Royal BC Museum CEO. Click here for Details
It’s All There in Black and White: Valley in Mourning
The assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy was a shocking event. Learn how the Comox Valley responded in this Comox District Free Press article from November 27, 1963. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo. We will also have hard copy newspapers from that time on exhibit in our gallery for the month of November.
Kids Christmas Crafts
If you are looking for fun events for the kids come on down to the Museum on Saturday, December 7th or 14th from 11 am – 3 pm when there will be an opportunity for children to do some fabulous make and take crafts. Kids can choose to make either a Christmas tree, a stocking or decorate a pine cone to hang on the tree. Admission is by donation.
Christmas Open House
Mark Saturday, November 30th on your calendar and join us at our annual Christmas Open House from 11 am – 4 pm. The Museum will be decked out with Christmas decorations and we've got some special events planned for guests. Children's Christmas Crafts: 12 noon to 3:30 pm Fun presentation about the origin of Christmas traditions: 2 pm Reading of "The Night Before Christmas": 3:30 pm Enjoy sweet treats and beverages and keep your fingers crossed to be one of our lucky door prize winners! Admission will be free to any family that brings a new or used unwrapped toy for Santa's Workshop or [...]
Especially for Members
From Saturday, November 30th through Saturday, December 14th museum members are entitled to a 25% discount in the gift shop. The shelves have been well stocked in anticipation! The discount applies to all regularly priced, non-consignment items. Make sure you check it out and take advantage of this membership privilege.
Gift Shop Update
Christmas will be here before we know it! If you are looking for some reasonably priced yet unusual stocking stuffers for kids we have lots to choose from like: Dinosaur Express Train $12.00 Gro Beasts $1.00 Crystal Growing Kit $13.76 Dinosaur Glow in the Dark $1.95 Dinosaur Gliders $0.39 Bucket of Dinosaurs $6.00 Dinosaur Skeleton $3.49 Build a 2 ½ foot T-Rex $22.95 Dinosaur Fossil $8.50 Popcorn Rock $4.60 There are also a ton of other items. Make sure you visit the gift shop for some great Christmas present ideas.
Archives Week
In recognition of BC Archives Week (November 18-24) we share this piece of advertising ephemera from the archives collection.
Elasmosaur Birthday Party
The Elasmosaur's birthday is fast approaching and this year the fossil will be 80,000, 025 years old. On Saturday, November 16th from 11 am – 4 pm, the museum is inviting the community to visit, see the exhibits, talk to the experts and bring in fossils for identification. Festivities include a birthday cake and kids crafts. The museum will show dinosaur movies all day in the Rotary Gallery and on the big-screen monitors. Admission to the event is by donation.
Discounts for Members at Sid Williams
The Sid Williams Theatre Society is offering museum members a special discount on two shows coming up in November. Special pricing is available on tickets for Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir on Nov. 15 and Dock Side Drive on Nov. 16, two shows that are part of the Sid's Blue Circle Series. Both performances begin at 7:30 pm. To get the discount members simply mention their Courtenay and District Museum affiliation in person, by phone, or selecting "Member price" and typing "Courtenay Museum member" in the Notes field when purchasing online. The Sid Williams Theatre Society team continues to work on strengthening [...]
It’s All There in Black and White: Produce Week
Here's a rather unique way to raise food and funds during the great depression courtesy of the 1930 Courtenay Free Press. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
VIX Group Boosts Museum’s Earth Science Programmes
The Courtenay and District Museum has received a boost of $5,000 for its earth science programmes from the Vancouver Island Exploration Group (VIX) with the financial assistance of the Association for Mineral Exploration BC (AMEBC). One of the main goals of the VIX is to promote education and best practices in geology and mineral resources; including exploration and mining on Vancouver Island. With this in mind, Del Ferguson, Chairman of the VIX Outreach Committee, approached the museum about supporting earth science programmes to youth groups who may not normally have the chance to participate in the museum's popular earth science programmes. “With the recent [...]
Before Television: Perpetual Calendar
CDM 985.4.1 What Happens When We Turn off the Remote “Before Television” is a newsletter feature that shares the Courtenay and District Museum collection with readers. This charming artifact is a perpetual calendar affixed to a thin sheet of decorated metal. It may have been a token gift from Rev. Menzies to his congregation. Reverend Thomas Menzies (1870-1947) was a much respected figure in the Comox Valley. He came here with his family in 1900 and became pastor of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in the spring of that year. An article from The Courtenay-Comox Argus of March 20, 1947 briefly summarizes some [...]