Identity and Heritage

This pathway examines the displacement and dispossession of thousands of Japanese Canadians in Canada in the 1940s.

This pathway is connected to the exhibition Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum. The exhibition and pathway explores the connections between historical and contemporary Black experiences throughout BC.

L’histoire de la Colombie-Britannique est remplie de récits de famille — des familles de toutes les formes et de toutes les tailles ; des familles établies ici depuis des milliers d’années, des familles venues ici des quatre coins du monde. Ensemble, nous contribuons à la diversité de notre province.

British Columbia’s history is filled with stories of families—families of all shapes and sizes; families that have been here for thousands of years and families that have come from almost everywhere in the world. Together, we shape our diverse province. (Grades 9-12)

Every family has a unique and special story. At the Royal BC Museum we have lots of stories—and histories—about British Columbia families. Come and explore! (Grades K-3)

The world of filmmaking has changed dramatically over the years. Recording devices are now digital and they’re available to amateurs just about everywhere. Explore archival audio and film from the BC Archives to learn about home movies and amateur filmmaking through the career of Stanley Fox.

Explore interviews from the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley. Learn more about the experiences of early Punjabi immigrants to Canada.

How do we reconcile past wrongs? Look at documents and objects from the Royal BC Museum’s ethnology collection and archives to learn about the effects of Indian residential schools and think about how we can reach reconciliation.

Every picture tells a story, but whose story? How can a single picture tell us a story about what happened long ago? To answer these questions historians have developed some thoughtful ways to read photographs.

Look into documents and artifacts from the Royal BC Museum and Archives to uncover how the Chinese Canadian community was treated in BC’s past.

Did you know that there has been a connection between China and BC for over 225 years? Explore the Royal BC Museum and Archives and use our collections to find out more about early Chinese Canadian history.

Oral history recordings are like time machines. They transport us to the past and help us learn about the people and places of British Columbia. They are uniquely personal accounts of the past from the people who actually lived it. What can you discover about British Columbia’s past by listening?

It’s been more than 100 years since the beginning of the First World War. How can we now use artifacts, documents, and other primary sources to understand what life was like for people during this part of BC’s past?

Jack Webster was a well-known British Columbian journalist. BCTV donated all of the Webster! episodes to the Royal BC Museum. What will you discover about BC's recent past from the Jack Webster collection?

Explore the rich history of the people who learned and taught in St. Ann's Schoolhouse.

In 1858 word of gold rang out in the Fraser Canyon, setting off a dramatic migration of people and propelling this once remote region of western North American into the modern age. What can you discover about BC's gold rush?

Emily Carr is British Columbia’s most famous artist, but she was also a colourful woman who lived a life full of adventure. Learn about Emily’s love of animals and explore her life through some of the museum’s vast Emily Carr collection.

Did you know BC is a language hotspot? Over 34 distinct indigenous languages are spoken here. Explore sounds, images, words and video about First Nations languages.

Canada’s oldest Chinatown is in Victoria, BC. The Royal BC Museum exhibition Tradition in Felicities used video, photographs and the written word to celebrate the community of this national landmark. Teachers look for lesson plans in Watch!

Documentary film and photographic images held in the BC Archives help us to remember the First World War. Watch video, see photographs and read about the war sometimes called The Great War.

American botanist Mary Gibson Henry collected plants in northeastern BC in 1931. Her pioneering journey was recorded on film. Lucky for us, BC Archives has a copy.

The role of the British Crown in Canada is mainly ceremonial, but the lieutenant-governor still plays a key part in the governing of British Columbia.

You might be surprised at what a seemingly simple piece of paper can reveal. The BC Archives holds paper documents such as birth, marriage and death certificates. These and other records are important resources for family history researchers.