The History collection at the Royal BC Museum documents British Columbia’s diverse social, cultural, and economic history. It strives to reflect the province’s multicultural heritage and features objects from industries like canning, mining, and brewing. The collection highlights professional fields and organizations including public health and medicine, policing, surveying, and community-focused groups such as the Women’s Institute. Items from daily domestic life illustrate evolving material culture, notably represented through an extensive furniture collection. Unique collections include BC-made ceramics, hotelware, and locally crafted silverware. The textile collection contains over 10,000 items, spanning quilts, samplers, lace, and historical clothing dating back several centuries.
Our collections include materials and records, some of which may contain certain images, descriptions, depictions, or language that may be outdated or offensive, both culturally and generally, and may not reflect the current values of the Royal BC Museum.
Although these materials are preserved for their research and historical value, we recognize that they can cause distress. We strive to contextualize and present our collections with respect and sensitivity, and make every effort to ensure accuracy, but acknowledge that some content may contain errors or misrepresentations.
