by Kissel Reid | Mar 8, 2025 | news
“The History of Railways on Vancouver Island”
Wednesday March 19th, at 2 p.m.
Please join us as we welcome Robert D. Turner, FRCGS, LLD, who will explore the stories of railways and their impact on Vancouver Island and its communities over the last century and a half.
By 2025, operating railways are all but gone from Vancouver Island. However, not so long ago, the Island was served by both the Canadian Pacific Railway (with the Esquimalt & Nanaimo) and Canadian National Railways, as well as hundreds of miles of logging and coal mining lines. There was even an electric streetcar and interurban system in Victoria. The earliest railway dates to the 1860s at Nanaimo, and by the 1920s, railways were a key role in transport and communications on Vancouver Island, from Victoria to the Nimpkish Valley and from Parksville to Port Alberni.
Today, two delightful heritage centers for railways operate on our Island. The BC Forest Discovery Centre at Duncan, and the other is at Port Alberni. Preserved locomotives (including Qualicum’s own 1066 engine), huge trestles, historic stations, and trails connecting communities are reminders of the busy times in days gone by.
*Please note: This lecture will be at Rotary Hall, not at the museum*
General Admission: $10 per person
QBH&MS Members/Enrolled Students: $5 per person
Tickets can be purchased at the link below, or in person at the museum.
https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/qb-museum-lecture-series-ft-robert-turner
by Kissel Reid | Feb 5, 2025 | news
125 Years of BC Nautical History Through the Experiences of One Family
Wednesday February 12th, 2025 at 2 p.m.
QB Museum Lecture Series Presents: John M. MacFarlane
Please join us as we welcome John M. MacFarlane, FRGS, who will share some of British Columbia’s nautical history as told through the lives and experiences of his Grandfather, his Father, his brothers, their children, and himself. With more than 125 years on the coastal waters of B.C., the stories and legends from the lives of John and his family are fascinating, moving, and amusing!
John is a best selling author, and in 2020, he shared the John Lyman Book Prize of the North American Society of Oceanic History for his book ‘Around the World in a Dugout Canoe: The Untold Story of Captain John Voss and the Tilikum’. In 2021, he also published ‘Shipwreck! A Chronicle of Marine Accidents and Disasters in British Columbia’.
General Admission: $10 per person
QBH&MS Members/Enrolled Students: $5 per person
Tickets can be purchased at the link below, or in person at the museum.
https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/qb-museum-lecture-series-ft-john-m-macfarlane
**Please note: this event is at the Rotary Hall (211 Fern Rd W), not at the museum**
by Kissel Reid | Sep 24, 2024 | news
National Day for Truth & Reconciliation is just around the corner.
In the acknowledgement of Indigenous Rights, and paving way for a more equitable future, governments, organizations, and community leaders have been using terms such as ‘UNDRIP’, ‘Declaration Act’, or ‘Calls To Action’.
What exactly does this all mean? How does it affect the future of Indigenous People? Why do museums play a role in all of this?
To commemorate the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, stop by the Qualicum Beach Museum to learn the answers to those questions, hear about the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and see what museums across BC are doing to support their local Indigenous communities.
‘The Beginning of Truth & Reconciliation’ will be open on September 30th 10 am to 4 pm, and is on display until November 26, 2024. Visitors are also invited to contribute to a commemorative book to mark their reflections on truth, reconciliation, and the rights of Indigenous peoples.
Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays 1 – 4 p.m.
