Nanaimo Museum

100 Museum Way
Nanaimo, BC V9R 5J8
Tel: 250-753-1821

www.nanaimomuseum.ca

Feature Exhibit on Departure Bay

Nanaimo - A new feature exhibit opens at the Nanaimo Museum on April 8.  The exhibit highlights stories from the Departure Bay neighborhood including its roots as a Snuneymuxw winter village, a haunted mansion built by the Dunsmuir family, a jail, crimes committed by visiting sailors and the installation of BC's first telephone.  Discovering Departure Bay runs from April 8 to May 31.

Departure Bay's heritage will be explored through photos, paintings and artifacts.  Some of the artifacts are from the museum's collection while others are on loan from local families and organizations.  "The Harper family has lived on the same property in Departure Bay for over 140 years," says Aimee Greenaway, Curator of the exhibit.  "We are pleased that they have loaned artifacts from the Bay Saloon, a fixture in Departure Bay from the 1870s to the 1940s, to display for the exhibit."

Many stories about Departure Bay in the 1870s and 1880s sound like they could have taken place in the Wild West.  "We read about drug smuggling and car thefts in the news and think they are modern problems," says Greenaway.  "You could pick up a Nanaimo newspaper in the 1880s and read similar stories."  Sailors on a coal ship were caught smuggling opium from Departure Bay to San Francisco in 1887.

Respected author of Western Canadian history, Lynne Bowen, will be giving a presentation on life in Departure Bay during the 1880s.  Bowen's presentation will feature stories from her book Three Dollar Dreams including how the coal wharf changed the area and the luxury home built for James Dunsmuir's family.  She will also give the audience a sneak peek into her experiences as a writer, including research for a book that was not published.  Lynne's presentation is on Wednesday, April 23 at 3:00 pm.  Pre-registration is not required, admission by donation.

For more information please contact the museum at (250) 753-1821 or visit www.nanaimomuseum.ca  The Nanaimo Museum is located on Commercial Street, beside Serious Coffee.  Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.

Contact:

Aimee Greenaway, Curator of the exhibit
Program Coordinator
250 753-1821
program@nanaimomuseum.ca