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Museum of Northern BC commemorates 100 years with a reflective exhibit

Artifacts will remain on display at the museum and Ruth Harvey Art Gallery until March

It was 1924 when a cultural treasure in Prince Rupert was born, finding its first home upstairs of the Canadian Bank of Commerce on 2nd Ave at 5th Street.

Fast forward to 2024, following a plethora of social, economic and technological changes, and it proudly celebrates its enduring mission to keep the art and history of the North Coast alive.

This year the Museum of Northern B.C. is celebrating its 100 years with a new reflective exhibit.

“Unlike the Museum of Northern BC, very few arts and culture institutions in B.C. have a century of unbroken service to its community,” said Susan Marsden, director of the museum.

“It seemed an ideal time to celebrate the museum with an exhibit looking back on the 100 years of the museum’s history in the context of events in the city and the province,” she added.

Marsden created a special outline of significant events and decisions co-occurring at the museum, in Prince Rupert, among First Nations, and throughout B.C. and Canada. The timelines are intricately displayed on the walls, giving history enthusiasts an engaging experience. It spans from 1920, when most women gained the right to vote, to 2025.

The exhibit features artifacts representing specific periods. Among the items are forging tongs from 1938, when Rupert Forge Marine Blacksmithing opened its doors. The collection also includes technology and machinery from the late 1980s to early 1990s, such as archaic telephones, typewriters, and a floating lifeboat radio, among others. 

Around the 1940s, the exhibit highlights the influence of World War II on the port city of Prince Rupert. It shows preserved equipment used by soldiers, including a mine detector, a large magnetic compass, CBC radio equipment from that era, and various other gear used by the troops.

A classic vintage Victrola record player and archaic wooden television set evoke nostalgia for a time when new technology was booming. Next is a miniature architectural version of the “Queen of Prince Rupert,” the first BC Ferries vessel that connected Vancouver Island to Rupert in 1965.

The Museum of Northern BC hopped locations thrice before settling into the current building on 100 1st Ave West. 

The 100 Years Exhibit showcases the mountain sheep horn spoon, the first artifact the museum collected in 1924. Next to it is a carved painted clapper, the latest addition made in 2024.

“We will continue to care for and exhibit these and the many thousands of artifacts now in the museum’s collection for the next 100 years!” reads the text on the exhibit. 



About the Author: Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative

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