378 replies to this topic

[Midnightly]

i'm surprised helps is quoted saying positive things about the museum... she must have been told she should lie through her teeth... there's no way she sees the museum as a positive thing for this town, since it was her idea to take the old court house building which once held the museum (and was a perfect place for the museum) and turn it into an arts hub once it was finally upgraded and considered safe again... and she is also well known not to like anything that has to do with colonialism and much of local maritime history has colonial attachments to it

[On the Level]

she is also well known not to like anything that has to do with colonialism and much of local maritime history has colonial attachments to it

 

That was my thought as well.  If that mob is going to pull down Cpt Cook, burn churches, and vandalize downtown, what is going to stop them from attacking museums?

[todd]

^A fair and accurate history all people and time periods of BC. Maritime museums more about the old technique less about the “history”.

[todd]

I can’t remember any first nation exhibit at the old location?

[Dexter]

For once I agree with you!

just amalgamate with the current provincial museum. and be done with it.

[Mike K.]

🔹The Maritime Museum of BC to open new space on September 3rd🔹

The Maritime Museum has a new home on Douglas Street which opens to the public on September 3rd. More from the museum, including admission details:

The Maritime Museum of BC is excited to announce that it will open its new location at 744 Douglas St. to the public on September 3rd.

The new space will feature a model display that will include returning favourites from our exhibits at our previous location, as well as some new models that will come out from storage to be on display for the first time in years. There will also be rotating featured exhibits that will change out 2 to 3 times a year. The first featured exhibit will be the exhibit titled SS Valencia: “A Theatre of Horror”. This exhibit will run into the fall before a new featured exhibit is installed.

There is also a gift shop featuring maritime new and used books, as well as ocean themed gifts. There will be a new interactive exhibit space where visitors can enjoy hands on exhibits and learn directly from Museum staff and volunteers. This space provides flexible options for presentation style events. The Maritime Museum of BC’s whole exhibit space will be available for event rentals.

The Maritime Museum of BC is running a fundraising campaign called “All Hands on Deck!” to support the move and setting up the new space. The campaign has a target of $50,000 and anyone who donates $100 or more will have their name temporarily added to the walls of the exhibits. Please consider donating today to help complete this new home for the Museum!

Hours of Operation: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Admission:
Adult – $10.00
Senior/Student – $8.00
Youth (12-17) – $5.00
Child (under 12) – Free

[Victoria Watcher]

744 douglas lease sheet:

 

http://www.devencore...nference-centre

[mbjj]

That seems like a good spot. I don't think the Royal B.C. Museum would have enough space. 

[LJ]

Under 3000 sq. feet, or am I missing something?

[Nparker]

Under 3000 sq. feet, or am I missing something?

If it's just unit 744, then it's only 1,180 ft²

[Spy Black]

It's multiple units, but it's still very, very small to be describing it as a "museum".

A more accurate take might be that this location is intended to keep the Maritime Museum visible, and in the public eye while they fund raise and attempt to find a much larger permanent home.

 

In short, this is a temporary "front office" for the museum, with a few displays added for good measure. 

 

It may even be a bit questionable to be charging admission into such a tiny space ... and they might actually do better by allowing folks to enter for free, and have information kiosks and donation buckets front and centre, as well as having their volunteers on hand to make patrons aware of the museums search for a new home, and their ongoing need for funding and support.

[Victoria Watcher]

how much "support" is the city giving?  the space is supposed to be $24/ft.

[Victoria Watcher]

The museum’s new location, attached to the Victoria Conference Centre, is operated by the City of Victoria. “It’s a stable space, but it is still a temporary space while we work on a larger and more permanent home,” Vis said. Their ideal location is in the Steamship Terminal building adjacent to the Inner Harbour, but COVID has put roadblocks towards that end, she said.

“There’s been a lot of ups and downs” for the museum, Vis said. In the last fiscal year, revenue was down 95 per cent.

“COVID has definitely impacted our admission significantly” she said, since it reopened with restrictions in July 2020. “But this summer, we started seeing an upward trend, so we’re excited about that. We’re hopeful that come fall, as things open, we can see more people come in again.”

https://www.vicnews....toria-location/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 September 2021 - 05:39 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The Maritime Museum of B.C. hopes to finally get its wish of a waterfront address now that the provincial government has taken control of the CPR Steamship Terminal building on the Inner Harbour.

Jamie Webb, president of the ­museum’s board, said it seems as if the planets might be aligning to make it happen. “We would love to be there,” he said. “Maritime museums have to be on the water the way aviation museums have to be at airports.”

Webb said the disruption of the pandemic, plenty of vacancy at the CPR Steamship building since the departure of Riverside Marine’s V2V business, and the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority bowing out as head lease-holder could translate into another chance for the museum to get into the building.

https://www.timescol...ocation-4854667

[Victoria Watcher]

Jamie Webb, president of the ­museum’s board, said it seems as if the planets might be aligning to make it happen. “We would love to be there,” he said. “Maritime museums have to be on the water the way aviation museums have to be at airports.”


^ yet a year ago they were set to go to Langford.

[Spy Black]

The current restaurant wouldn't be missed, and as much as I appreciate the art work of Robert Bateman, there's no reason for his "personal gallery" to occupy a harbour side location (considering we, "the people", own the building in question).

 

I don't consider the current tenants of that building to be cultural contributors to the fabric of the Inner Harbour in any way, shape, or form.

 

That the entire building should be handed to the Maritime Museum is a no-brainer, and such a location would completely re-make the Museum as an organization, giving them revenue the likes of which they've never enjoyed before.

The Bateman Gallery, and the restaurant takes from visitors to the building by design ... whereas the Maritime Museum (like all museums) gives to visitors to the building by design.

 

It's really not a difficult decision at all ... but with the (Provincial Government) constituents involved they'll still screw it up completely, and then fail to explain to the public what the reasons for their decision were based on.

[Victoria Watcher]

I'm sure the restaurant and gallery have solid leases with renewal options.

[Spy Black]

I'm sure the restaurant and gallery have solid leases with renewal options.

Oh, I'm sure they do too ... and I don't believe for a second that either of them are going anywhere anytime soon.

 

But for the Maritime Museum to posit publicly that they would like to move into the building, along with the transfer of operation back to the Province (who already own the building), the implication could be that long term residency in that building might not be quite as solidified as the Bateman Gallery and the restaurant might like it to be.

Edited by Spy Black, 11 December 2021 - 07:51 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

I could see the restaurant leaving if they are bought out.  For all we know it's marginally profitable.  I suppose we do not know how the gallery does financially either.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 11 December 2021 - 07:56 AM.

[Spy Black]

Bateman himself is a very wealthy man, so the gallery finances likely don't play heavily into the actual operation of his gallery.

 

Being loosely connected with the Victoria Art Gallery through my work, the general consensus is (not that it's a "bad thing") that the Bateman gallery is somewhat of a "vanity" gallery ... not contingent on selling paintings.

 

Also, Bateman (the man) is 91 years old.

I don't know what that might mean ... but it could play into the long term intent to maintain a rather expensive lease.

Edited by Spy Black, 11 December 2021 - 08:05 AM.