Courtenay & District Museum




  • Summer Fossil Tours
  • Step Into Wilderness Pre-Sale Opportunity
  • Gift Shop News
  • Watershed Moments
  • Your Membership and Donations Make A Difference
  • Photo of the Month
  • Just For Fun
  • It's All There in Black and White
  • Virtual Annual General Meeting
  • Museum Funding






  • Phone:
    250-334-0686

    Email:
    museum@island.net

    Website:
    www.courtenaymuseum.ca

    Mailing Address:
    207 Fourth Street,
    Courtenay BC,
    V9N 1G7





    Tuesday – Saturday
    10:00 am to 4:00 pm





    President
    John Wilson

    Vice President
    Daryl Wright

    Past President
    April Shopland

    Rick Ross
    Jim Haggart
    Ross Dingwall
    Mary Everson
    Julie Fortin

    Member of...

    British Columbia Museums Association

    Canadian Museums
    Association

    Archives Association of
    British Columbia

    British Columbia Historical Federation





    Comox Museum

    Cumberland Museum

    Comox Air Force Museum

    Filberg Heritage Lodge

    I-Hos Gallery

    HMCS ALBERNI Museum and Memorial

    Nim Nim Interpretive Centre

    Strathcona Wilderness Institute

    Project Watershed

    Sid Williams Theatre

    Comox Valley Art Gallery

    Comox Valley Arts




    We respectfully acknowledge that we and our members live, work and play within the traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation.​




     


    Photo by Ernst Vegt

    Summer Fossil Tours

    Our public tours are in full swing for the summer and you can share in the adventure.

    COVID-19 safety protocols are in place and tours are limited to small groups. Please visit our site for more information or phone 250-334-0686 to book a tour.


     

    Step Into Wilderness Pre-Sale Opportunity


    The Courtenay and District Museum staff and volunteers are happy to announce that Harbour Publishing will release Step Into Wilderness - A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley in early October. This is a full colour hardcopy book with narrative built around 150 images from family albums, professional photography and journals, diaries, news accounts, maps and ephemera.

    From shores to peaks, Step Into Wilderness recounts moments of ingenuity and hardship as well as fun and enjoyment in and around the Comox Valley. The book will retail for $39.95 plus GST.

    From now until September 30, the museum is offering pre-sale opportunities of a 10% discount for non-members and 25% discount for current Historical Society members.

    Anyone interested in a pre-purchase can email the museum at info@courtenaymuseum.ca or phone 250-334-0686 ext. 2 to place their order. All proceeds from Step Into Wilderness go to the Courtenay and District Museum.


     


    Gift Shop News

    Drop by the museum gift shop and check out the fresh new look!

    The underwater theme has been retired to make way for a shabby chic vibe with lots of open space that is great for social distancing.

    Shelves are full of innovative gifts with an emphasis on locally made items. Lots of great gifts for yourself or your friends at fabulously good prices.

    The gift shop is open the same hours as the museum: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.

    You can also see some of our merchandise on the museum Facebook page.


     

    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: Postcard showing the view over the Dyke Flats towards Courtenay, after 1926. The photo was likely hand-tinted by Spalding’s wife, Ida Merle Spalding. Joseph Frederick Spalding photograph. Photo: 999.154.2.

    Click Here for a Larger Version


     

    Your Membership and Donations Make A Difference

    Purchasing a membership to the Courtenay and District Museum, now in its 59th year, supports heritage preservation in the Comox Valley through special events, lectures, education programmes, research and exhibitions. Your membership benefits these award winning programmes on a year round basis and we appreciate it!

    Becoming a member provides you with discounts in the gift shop and on lectures and an opportunity to support one of the most active regional museums in British Columbia. Thank you for your support.

    Click Here to Join

    Click Here to Make a Donation


     


    Photo of the Month

    CDM #985.89.17 Haying, Comox, 1918

    You can view more photos like this on our website. Click here to visit our holdings.


     


    Just For Fun

    Some silly flirtations you might want to try from the 1916 Fun Magic and Mystery book No. 43 published by I. & M. Ottenheimer.

    Eye Flirtation

    Winking the right - I love you
    Winking the left - I hate you
    Winking both eyes - Yes
    Winking both eyes at once - We are watched
    Winking right eye twice - I am engaged
    Winking left eye twice - I am married
    Dropping the eyelids - May I kiss you?
    Raising the eyebrows - Kiss me
    Closing left eye slowly - Try and love me?
    Closing the right eye slowly - You are beautiful.

    Hat Flirtation

    Wearing the hat squarely on the head - I love you madly
    Tipping it over the right ear - My little brother has the measles
    Pulling it over the eyes - You must not recognize me
    Wearing it on the back of the head - Ta,ta; awfully, awful
    Taking it off and brushing it the wrong way - My heart is busted
    Holding it out in the right hand - Lend me a quarter
    Leaving it with your uncle - Have been to a church fair
    Throwing it to a policeman - I love your sister
    Using it as a fan - Come and see my aunt
    Carrying a brick in it - Your cruelty is killing me
    Kicking it upstairs - Is the old man around?
    Kicking it downstairs - Where is your mother?
    Kicking it across the street - I am engaged
    Hanging it on right elbow - Will call to-night
    Hanging on left elbow - Am badly left
    Putting it on ground and sitting on it - Farewell forever


     


    It's All There in Black and White

    A multi-talented feline made good south of the border. The Comox District Free Press of September 9, 1937 carried the story of his lucky break on the front page.

    Read More

    With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.


     

    Virtual Annual General Meeting

    The annual general meeting of the Courtenay and District Historical Society will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, September 16 at 5 pm.


     

    Museum Funding

    The Courtenay and District Historical Society was registered as a nonprofit society in 1961 to preserve and interpret cultural and natural heritage of the Comox Valley. It has functioned as an independent society since that time. Funds are derived from the generous support of the City of Courtenay, British Columbia Arts Council, Comox Valley Regional District, British Columbia Gaming Branch, and from museum generated revenues and donations.

    Proud sponsors of the Courtenay & District Museum:

    The City of Courtenay

    BC Arts Councils

    Regional District Comox-Strathcona

    British Columbia Gaming Commision