15 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

The Future of History is envisioned as a floating concrete structure on the provincial water lot that was once home to Undersea Gardens and is currently the site of a temporary dock for the FRS Clipper passenger ferry during construction of the Belleville Street terminal.

 

 

https://www.timescol...eality-11723513

 

 

 

The floating Indigenous welcome centre and exhibit would be approximately 15,000 square feet, featuring teaching spaces, canoe workshop areas, mooring for canoes, and spiritual and community gathering areas.

 

It would tell the history of the Lekwungen people who once lived in villages around the harbour and illustrate how Indigenous people used waterways for thousands of years before European contact.

 

“This opportunity returns the Lekwungen Nations to a place of prominence here in our traditional territory where residents and visitors will be welcomed,” said Chief Jerome Thomas of the Esquimalt First Nation.

 

The project would go hand in hand with the Maritime Museum’s move into a 21,000 square feet space in the CPR Steamship Terminal building.

 

The plan is for the Maritime Museum to contribute $1 million to the new floating museum and raise a third of the $38 million needed to build it from corporate sponsors, a third through a local fundraising campaign and a third from the federal government. The provincial contribution would be the land and water lot.

 

“This really is the opportunity to add a community component to what is otherwise a transportation terminal. We really want to be able to roll this out for the first season after the completion of the Belleville terminal,” he said.

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 11 January 2026 - 05:17 AM.

[Mike K.]

Here’s the link to the project: https://mmbc.bc.ca/t...istory-project/

[Mike K.]

$38 million or $40?

The current capital budget is $40M. That includes $5M to fit out the already upgraded Steamship Building to meet the needs of a maritime museum and $35M for construction of the floating building that will be home to the Lekwungen welcome/cultural facility. We know construction costs are rising. The sooner we start the better.

[Victoria Watcher]

What’s the business case, for us to fork over $40M?

[Tony]

From the above link.........

 

 The cost of the project is estimated at $40 million, with potential funding sources including private philanthropic and corporate sponsors, as well as contributions from the federal government. 

[Blair M.]

Angus Mathews has a solid history of getting cultural/museum projects off the ground in Victoria, followed up by their completion and opening to the public. 

He's definitely a "get 'er done" guy in that sector.

 

The combination of the Maritime Museum and a First Nations themed facility in that specific Inner Harbour location would be pretty spectacular, and a huge improvement over what's been in that location historically, as well as what's there now.

[Victoria Watcher]

The maritime museaum has hardly been able to fundraise itself out of a wet paper bag, I'm not sure they are going to find million-dollar non-government funders.

[Victoria Watcher]

Presumably it can never be profitable, so what’s the ongoing cost to taxpayers?

If it’s an attraction that brings in tourism and other revenue elsewhere then we should have some say on it, no?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 11 January 2026 - 10:13 AM.

[Blair M.]

It's rare to find a cultural institution like a museum (maritime or otherwise) as a profit making endeavour. 

That's just a fact of museums everywhere.

They almost always require some level of public support, varying from hard cash to charitable gestures like being forgiven the paying of property tax, etc.

 

That's where guys like Mathews come into the equation - movers and shakers that have a track record of getting things done despite their obvious challanges.

Such endeavours are certainly not always successful, but (thankfully) that doesn't stop the Maritime Museum from trying. 

 

Reading between the lines of their blurb, they seem to be indicating that they have every intention of changing with the times, potentially meaning that (if done respectfully to both First Nations AND the patrons of the facility) they will potentially appeal to an much broader clientele than the "old" Maritime Museum. 

 

The Maritime Museum is a fantastic element of the City of Victoria, unfortunately not always treasured by bureaucrats and politicians as it likely should be treasured - I definitely wish them well.

[aastra]

 

 

The maritime museaum has hardly been able to fundraise itself out of a wet paper bag

 

You gotta make sure the paper bag was soaked in salt water.

[aastra]

I like the idea of having things right on the water. It seems like a callback to the crowded harbour of old. But wouldn't a floating museum exhibit space present some expensive implications going forward re: maintenance and such?

[Victoria Watcher]

Yes. That’s why I said it can never be profitable. Like the Undersea Gardens was.

[Matt R.]

I just hope they bring back the octopus!

[dasmo]

IDK. It’s pretty cool they still do the canoe trip across the strait. This would make that a more public event. It’s a good thing to make this part of OUR culture IMO. I think this can also be a tourist draw to the area. They spent $85 million on a but ugly handy dart parking lot in View Royal. Money doesn’t matter anymore….

Maybe they will do a good job on the museum. Maybe. I set foot in it once. Boring AF. Make it a good space to bring kids….

I will reserve judgement for when the results are in.

[Victoria Watcher]

They are spending $450 million on the terminal here. I’m still not sure why. When we inevitably become the 51st state, we won’t need border agent facilities.

[dasmo]

Ouch. Better be nice. Our $85,000,000 parking lot doesn’t even have public art….

Edited by dasmo, 11 January 2026 - 06:12 PM.