Etched into British Columbia’s landscape - into the mountains, forests and coastlines of this majestic province - are the stories of its land and people. The Royal BC Museum (RBCM) has been telling these stories for more than 120 years by collecting, caring for and sharing with others, the history of British Columbia.

 

Established in 1886, the first home for the Royal BC Museum was a small room in the "birdcages", a collection of government buildings originally located on the site of the current BC Legislative Buildings.

 

The provincial archives was established in 1894 in the basement of the new Legislative Buildings.  The museum moved briefly to its second home in the courthouse at Bastion Square in 1896.

 

In 1898, the Royal BC Museum moved to its third home in the newly completed East wing of the BC Legislative Buildings where it remained for the next seventy years.

 

The fourth and current home of the Royal BC Museum is the Exhibition Building (1967), Fannin Building and BC Archives Building built in 1969.  The Royal designation was granted in 1987 in a special ceremony attended by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

 

 

The Royal BC Museum precinct as it appears today - the IMAX addition and new lobby were built in 1997.