If you’re surprised that Qualicum Beach has a museum, you’re not alone. Tucked away on 587 Beach Road, the museum is one of the area’s hidden treasures. Rich in cultural history and packed with exciting exhibits, the museum is located beside the original powerhouse that supplied electricity to the entirety of the town. In the words of the Qualicum Beach Historical and Museum Society, their mission is “to acquire, preserve and present the social and natural history of the Qualicum Beach area in a manner in which the whole community will be interested, supportive, and proud.”
A large part of my job here at the museum is to use technology to help preserve the history and culture of the area. This includes digitizing the large collection of historically significant photos and various other digital projects. As a cultural resource, much of the museum’s collection reflects the changing nature of our precious biosphere, from Giuseppe Roat’s Natural History Museum exhibit to the stunning photographs of how the area looked before Western settlement. In my time here, I’ve also had the pleasure of conducting paleontology tours for school groups, worked on a few new exhibits, and learned about the history of our area with some wonderful co-workers.
If you’d like to come on an adventure to the museum, you won’t be disappointed! There's a history of communications exhibit, a large paleontology collection, and a great deal of social history, including two short documentaries outlining the history of the area.
Adventure tips:
- The Qualicum Beach Museum is open from 10 to 4 on Tuesdays and Thursdays on the winter schedule, and there is a suggested donation of $5 per person.
- Be sure to check out Thunder the Cave bear and Rosie the Walrus!
- Children will love the ever-popular dinosaur items, as well as the scavenger hunt!
- Donations to the museum are always welcome and appreciated. For general information, please visit www.qbmuseum.ca