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Maritime Museum of BC


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#21 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 04 May 2012 - 08:05 AM

The museum is today's Groupon, for anyone that's never been.

Two adults and up to two children all for $10.

http://www.groupon.c...1f01e9016bb8e69
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#22 HB

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 01:32 PM

They are moving into the Steamship Building on Belville

 

Victoria’s  Maritime Museum is about to get a little bit more maritime.

The 49-year-old museum has announced a deal that will see it move from Bastion Square to the former CPR Steamship building along the city’s waterfront.

“We could not ask for a more fitting home than the historic Steamship Terminal,” said the museum’s executive director, Jon Irwin. “A waterfront, wharf-side, steamship-heritage building: Perfect!”

The deal with the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority is for a six-month option, but a long-term lease is in the works.

“I am confident that an agreement will be in place soon positioning the Maritime Museum on Victoria’s beautiful inner harbor where it belongs,” Irwin said.

The museum will close on Oct. 21, and is aiming for a grand re-opening next spring.

“During the transition, the Maritime Museum will look for temporary opportunities with other public institutions to showcase a few of our 35,000 artifacts while we undertake a complex move,” said museum chair John West.


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#23 Mr Cook Street

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 01:36 PM

Well that is exciting. Frees up an interesting heritage building in Bastion Square.



#24 Mike K.

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 02:22 PM

Here's the full PR:

Maritime Museum signs option for Steamship Terminal

After 49 years at Bastion Square, the Maritime Museum edges closer to Victoria's Inner Harbour waterfront! A six month option-to-lease has been signed for the causeway level of the Steamship Terminal, with Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA). The parties are keen to settle arrangements that would see the Maritime Museum celebrate a grand re-opening in 2015.

“We are absolutely ecstatic to have a six month option in place, with the aim of signing a long term lease for the Steamship Terminal. I am confident that an agreement will be in place soon positioning the Maritime Museum on Victoria's beautiful inner harbor where it belongs. We could not ask for a more fitting home than the historic Steamship Terminal,” says Jon Irwin, Executive Director at the Maritime Museum of BC. “We are especially grateful to the Province (Shared Services BC) and GVHA for smoothing the waters in anticipation of our planned re-launch in a waterfront, wharf side, steamship-heritage building: Perfect!"

“We are proud of the region’s long maritime history,” said GVHA President & CEO, Curtis Grad. “And, we look forward to working with the Maritime Museum and Shared Services BC to find a fitting location to tell the amazing stories and celebrate the rich history of Victoria’s harbour.”

Shared Services BC has been working with the Maritime Museum to secure a new home. The parties signed an option to negotiate a long term lease of the causeway level of the Steamship Terminal.

“Thanks go out to Shared Services BC, the Maritime Museum and GVHA for coming together to explore the potential of the Steamship Terminal as  a spectacular new home for the museum’s  collection,” said Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services Andrew Wilkinson. “This new facility will ensure that this important piece of B.C. heritage will continue to educate and inspire visitors for years to come.”

"Congratulations to the collaborative partnership that helped find a new home for the Maritime Museum of BC in the beautifully restored Steamship Terminal," said Coralee Oakes, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. "The museum's new location in the heart of our capital city's busy tourism hub is a great place to display one of the largest collections of maritime artifacts, photographs and charts in North America. Best wishes to the Maritime Museum of BC for every success in the future."

To prepare, the Maritime Museum is closing to the public at Bastion Square on October 21, 2014 with a planned reopening next year. "During the transition, the Maritime Museum will look for temporary opportunities with other public institutions to showcase a few of our 35,000 artifacts while we undertake a complex move, and we welcome proposals in this regard," added John West, Chair of the Maritime Museum.

The Museum will stay open until 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights through to October 21 so people can get a look at the current exhibits on display. Tours will also be running those nights with either Victoria Vice Tours or Ghost Tours being offered.

-30-

Contacts: 
Kristy Fallon, Maritime Museum of BC, kfallon@mmbc.bc.ca or 250-580-8149
Ivan Watson, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, iwatson@gvha.ca or 250-418-0700

 


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#25 tedward

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 02:29 PM

 

The parties signed an option to negotiate a long term lease of the causeway level of the Steamship Terminal.

 

 

Am I missing something? I thought they needed a bigger space? Is one level of the Steamship building really more square footage than the current building?

 

 

Well that is exciting. Frees up an interesting heritage building in Bastion Square.

 

Very exciting. How about the Victoria Children's Museum? The courthouse and the elevator could form integral parts of the experience for families both local and visiting.


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#26 AllseeingEye

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 02:39 PM

Great news; my dad worked for BC Steamships as a young man and was calling for this move 25 years ago, lol.

 

That said, in addition to space considerations, I thought the intent at some point for the updated Belleville building was to re-purpose it as a ferry terminal for the Coho or Clipper, or both? If so and if space is an issue might not the Crystal Garden be a better long term solution for the museum?



#27 KAS

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 04:28 PM

I thought that the Steamship terminal was occupied with the Bateman Centre, and that restaurant.  Have I got the wrong building in my head?



#28 Rob Randall

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 06:06 PM

 

That said, in addition to space considerations, I thought the intent at some point for the updated Belleville building was to re-purpose it as a ferry terminal for the Coho or Clipper, or both? If so and if space is an issue might not the Crystal Garden be a better long term solution for the museum?

 

I've never heard of anyone looking to turn the CPR building back into a terminal. People probably thought it was a waste to spend a fortune rehabilitating a building that had already been deemed obsolete as a terminal several generations ago. The glass roof of Crystal Garden is a museum conservator's nightmare. 

 

I thought that the Steamship terminal was occupied with the Bateman Centre, and that restaurant.  Have I got the wrong building in my head?

 

There's an upper floor that's pretty good size. Last time I was in there it was a warren of dismal cheap office space.



#29 tedward

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Posted 24 September 2014 - 07:43 AM

I thought that the Steamship terminal was occupied with the Bateman Centre, and that restaurant.  Have I got the wrong building in my head?

 

The restaurant is at street level, the Bateman Centre is the floor above and the museum is apparently going to use the lower or "causeway" level.  Great location but I still cannot believe there is enough square footage on that level for the museum collection.


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#30 Nparker

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Posted 24 September 2014 - 08:09 AM

...I still cannot believe there is enough square footage on that level for the museum collection.

This is my thought as well. Is it really more space than the current location?



#31 Mr Cook Street

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Posted 24 September 2014 - 08:25 AM

This is my thought as well. Is it really more space than the current location?

Maybe it is better space? A better layout could mean more useable space, even if the total sq footage is less.



#32 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 24 September 2014 - 11:47 AM

Sometimes I wonder if moving the museum is going to do all that much for their fortunes.  It's not like their current spot is all that low-profile.


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#33 Mr Cook Street

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Posted 24 September 2014 - 12:15 PM

Sometimes I wonder if moving the museum is going to do all that much for their fortunes.  It's not like their current spot is all that low-profile.

It could make that building a destination. With the Bateman gallery and the historic nature of the building itself. It needs to have something interesting out on the causeway, or in the water docked up. DO we have an equivalent to the Bluenose we could showcase?



#34 thundergun

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Posted 24 September 2014 - 01:11 PM

Is there a basement type floor below the main floor? That could be a good place for it, and I like the idea of it being near the Royal BC Museum.

 

ASE, the plans I've seen call for a new building closer to the existing Belleville terminal that could house both the Clipper and Coho operations and customs etc.



#35 AllseeingEye

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Posted 24 September 2014 - 02:31 PM

Is there a basement type floor below the main floor? That could be a good place for it, and I like the idea of it being near the Royal BC Museum.

 

ASE, the plans I've seen call for a new building closer to the existing Belleville terminal that could house both the Clipper and Coho operations and customs etc.

Thanks Thundergun that is entirely possible; I tend to swoop the VV forum when I do post as I haven't remotely enough time to search and research the site thoroughly. For some reason I had it in my mind the Belleville site was potentially under consideration as a ferry terminal. Could well be that was an "original original" suggestion considered and then dismissed at some point in the past.

 

Not sure what if anything is to come of that RBCM expansion plan discussed a couple of years ago under their previous CEO: at the time I remember thinking if in for a penny why not also in for a pound and why not consider building suitable space there to accommodate the Maritime Museum? I do seem to recall however the new CEO has backed off that expansion idea however so that too is probably moot.



#36 LJ

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Posted 25 September 2014 - 06:58 PM

This is my thought as well. Is it really more space than the current location?

No, it is way less than they have now, only 6500 square feet versus 18,000 presently.


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#37 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 25 September 2014 - 07:01 PM

It could make that building a destination. With the Bateman gallery and the historic nature of the building itself. 

 

As much as we all know Bateman, he's not exactly a household name outside of Canada.  Casual US and other foreign tourists have no idea.   So the building is not a destination like you might think.


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#38 AllseeingEye

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 10:52 AM

As much as we all know Bateman, he's not exactly a household name outside of Canada.  Casual US and other foreign tourists have no idea.   So the building is not a destination like you might think.

Tend to agree; I have poked my head in there twice, once with out of country guests who consider themselves fairly sophisticated fans of art, neither had never heard of him; both times the gallery was virtually deserted.



#39 G-Man

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 11:27 AM

I doubt many "fans of art" would be going to a Bateman gallery if they had heard of him IMO.

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#40 tedward

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 12:00 PM

Never understood the hate on for his work. I think his paintings are really good and compare with the paintings of Audubon.   It may not be the "high art" that snobs love to dissect but it is technically and IMO aesthetically far above much of what passes for "art".

 

As seems normal he will be denigrated until he dies (suppressing resale value) then suddenly when he can longer produce any new works (thus limiting future supply) he will be "rediscovered" or reassessed as a genius of a new modern genre and his paintings will mysteriously increase exponentially thanks to revisionist hipsters of the art world looking to make a buck.


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