Sunday June 21st

After breakfast, we left for the Royal Museum of British Columbia. We didn’t bother with the IMAX theatre, so we just bought regular tickets and went in to see “Nature’s History” . There were lots of life sized stuffed animals, such as Woolly Mammoth, Grizzly Bear, Deer, Elk etc. All set out in large dioramas which were all VERY impressive, hugs, everlasting and incredibly well done indeed – even to the detail of leaves being painted on the ceiling and believable backgrounds, all huge recreations of natural habitats so you felt as though you were walking through the habitat itself. Very enjoyable AND lots of hands-on activities and occasional live exhibits – notably a small rock pool and a few fish tanks housing tropical fish.

After that, we thought we’d look around the “Treasures of the World” exhibit of artifacts from around the world – this was done with cooperation from the British Museum in London, so we were reasonably familiar with some of the exhibits. It wasn’t a bad little exhibition, but I did feel like I’d just gone to the British Museum.....perhaps that was the idea? The exhibition shop was small and seemed to sell a LOT of Islamic and Indian themed items. Nothing wrong with that of course, but it kind of made the rest of the shop a little dull and more kiddyfied.

After lunch, we headed to the next floor – “Human History”. This Museum is apparently well known for having the best Human History exhibit in Canada. Actually its “THE best Museum in Canada.”....and we DEFINITELY agree!!

We started the “First Peoples” exhibit which at first looked quite small until we found ourselves going around corners, up and down stairs....it was an incredible exhibit, with lots of miniature dioramas, lots of Native masks, tools, clothes, etc...it just all suddenly made me think...How id they know or find out about what processes and materials to use to soften leather? How did they discover these things? I know perhaps I should have thought of these questions before, what with being an archaeologist and similar things happened in Europe. But maybe it was because I was in Canada, and I know how HUGE this country is compared to Britain...or even Europe.

I can understand the concept and the origins of how to create tools made of stone. But I just kept wondering, how did they discover that they could make clothes from cedar bark, by pummelling the bark and turning it into fabric? How did they discover that animal bran and fat made into a paste could be used to treat the hide of an animal to make it soft and flexible?

Also what struck me, was that there were SO many different tribes – some would have come into contact with each other, but I thought it quite amazing how a tribe on the west coast could be making the same or such similar tools, equipment, and clothing as those on the east coast, at the same time having never met. I suddenly – in the Museum – realised exactly how amazing these people were, to have such innovative ideas and creations of such things, and hundreds and thousands of miles away, someone else came up with the same idea. How can two people think of the same thing at (roughly) the same time?

I know this happened in Europe and in most other countries and continents, but for some reason I was just suddenly utterly amazed by all of this. We reached the end of the “First Peoples” Exhibit after having read pretty much everything about everything! The next and last exhibit was called “Modern History Gallery”. We entered through an archway, under the wording “20th Century Hall”. Now, I had not read the leaflet fully – especially as we originally visited this Museum to see the “First Peoples” exhibit, but we thought we might as well have a look at everything, and we had really enjoyed it all so far. And sometimes I enjoy being surprised. And this “Gallery” surprised me!!

The “20th Century Hall” was a mish mash of trends, styles, toys and technology dating from 1900 onwards. This then led out into an “Old Town”. I was not expecting more after the 20th Century Hall...! “Old Town” was similar to Castle Museum in York, where you feel like you’re walking through the cobbles streets in a town in the 1900s. This was incredibly good. I saw stairs leading into the “Grand Hotel” which turned out to be a continuation of the exhibit which returned you back to the street. And it really did look like you had walked into some random hotel!

Around the corner...”The Cannery” showing the fishing trade, above which where was a saw mill and a mine – and here I have to say that this Museum has made the most incredible, cleverest use of space I have ever seen. If there was a window in a room, you look out and see the street below, complete with washing line across the “apartments”. If there was a gap between the Cannery and the Mine and Sawmill, it was filled with a partial mine complete with tracks, trolley and coal.

Honestly, it seemed like everything was there, all the spaces were filled with something relevant. Whoever designed and created this Museum is or was a genius. I have never been to a Museum and NOT got bored at some point of “samey” exhibits. There is no “samey” about this Museum at all. I have to say this Museum is the best Museum I have ever visited in my life. I have never been so amazed and mind blown quite so much, and I have never enjoyed a Museum as much as this one.

And it went on.......after the REAL waterwheel, there was the HMS Discovery model which we walked into, and a corridor which looked like it had come off a cruise ship showing sailing history. You name it, they had it! What an excellent Museum. We had spent 5 hours looking around a Museum which is really quite small when you compare it to the British Museum, but seriously, they fit EVERYTHING in.

The most fantastic. Museum. Ever.

The only disappointment I had was with the shops. I browsed the books but I didn’t see anything in particular, and of course they had all the relevant VERY nice t-shirts for men and NONE for ladies. Yes, I looked – NO ladies t-shirts at all. There was very little in the shop and even less in the neighbouring National Geographic shop which was mostly for kids, or so it seemed. Yet again, a Museum visited but nothing bought, which was SUCH a shame. So after a tiring but enjoyable day which didn’t seem as long as it did, we left via “Thunderbird Park” full of replica Totem Poles which unfortunately we didn’t get a guided tour for (we would have liked to but there were no starting points or advertising points with the exception of one sign for Helmcken House), which was a shame.

Anyhoo, we wandered around town before heading back to our smelly B&B, sorted out luggage and the car for tomorrow, went out to eat and came back to spend our last morning on Vancouver Island before tomorrow – where we were to set sail from Schwartz Bay on to Tsawassen, where we would bid farewell to the car and arrive at “A Tree House Bed and Breakfast” for our remaining three nights in Vancouver, Canada.