VICTORIA, BC — With summer in full swing, the Royal BC Museum has a brand-new slate of exciting programs, activities and more designed to spark excitement and joy for visitors of all ages.
Want to get the inside scoop on areas of the museum with expert insights? Try one of our weekly tours designed to share highlights of spaces inside and outside the museum walls.
- Tuesdays: Join a Native Plant Garden Tour, from 11:15–11:45 AM, to learn more about plants that grow natively on the BC coast;
- Wednesdays: Make the most of your time in our core galleries with a Gallery Highlights Tour, 11:15 AM–12 PM. Join one of our knowledgeable educators for a highlights-only tour through the museum’s human and natural history galleries;
- Thursdays: Learn more about our feature exhibition, Beyond the Beat, with two daily tours, The Soundtrack of Protest, 11–11:30 AM, and Voices of Empowerment, 1–1:30 PM.
- Fridays: Journey through key points in Chinese Canadian history, interwoven with the true story of Wong Guey Dang, a Chinese Canadian labourer and restauranteur with Memories of My Odyssey: A Tour of Chinese Canadian History with Mina (Visitor Experience Designer), 11–11:30 AM and 1—1:30 PM.
- Saturdays: Uncover the history of Indian chintz, a centuries old textile tradition, and discover its impact on global trade, colonialism and cultural exchange with the Global Threads Tour, 11–11:30 AM and 1–1:30 PM.
- Sundays: Missed Thursday’s tours? Visit us for two daily tours of Beyond the Beat, with Voices of Empowerment, 11–11:30 AM, and the Soundtrack of Protest, 1–1:30 PM.
On select Sundays throughout July and August, join Provincial Carillonneur Rosemary Laing for a live recital. Using the bells of the Netherlands Centennial Carillon, the recitals, from 3–3:45 PM, feature songs written for the carillon, Canadian folk tunes and popular songs.
And open daily from 12–2 PM is Helmcken House, the largest piece of the provincial collection. Owned by Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken, a surgeon with the Hudson’s Bay Company, and his wife, it is one of the oldest houses in BC still located on its original site.
July 18 and 19, visitors are invited to celebrate and support the work of talented Indigenous makers and artists with the return of the Summer Indigenous Market, from 10 AM–4 PM.
Come be inspired to connect with and care for the waters that sustain us all with the Ocean Wise Education Team, July 24 from 2–6 PM. The team is bringing their Ocean Wise Sea Dome, a portable 360-degree theatre that offers an unforgettable journey through the world’s oceans and the impacts of climate change.
Call a sitter and come back later that evening for some adult-only fun with After Hours: Rock On. Eat, drink and explore the electrifying world of rock ‘n’ roll with after-hours access to the Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change exhibition, interactive pop-up stations, music, food and drinks.
In August, gather your Deadheads for the premiere of the Grateful Dead Movie 2025 Meet-Up, August 14–17. The Grateful Dead is celebrating its 60th anniversary “meet-up at the movies,” featuring special screenings of The Grateful Dead Movie with bonus live footage. This cult classic captures the band during what they thought at the time were their final shows: a 5-night run at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom in October 1974. Tickets are on sale now at imaxvictoria.com.
Lastly, don’t miss Maker Saturday: Make, Play, Dream on August 23. Help shape the museum’s future as you explore fun, hands-on activities and share your ideas for a brand-new space just for kids and families. If that’s not enough, new events and programs are regularly added to the lineup, so keep your eyes on the Royal BC Museum events calendar to stay up to date.
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About the Royal BC Museum: The Royal BC Museum explores the province’s human history and natural history, advances new knowledge and understanding of BC, and provides a dynamic forum for discussion and a place for reflection. The museum and archives celebrate culture and history, telling the stories of BC in ways that enlighten, stimulate and inspire. Located in Victoria on the territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) peoples, known today as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, we are a hub of community connections in BC—on-site, off-site and online—taking pride in our collective histories.
For tickets to IMAX® Victoria and the Royal BC Museum, including combo tickets for both attractions, visit: Tickets
Memberships are back! Pick yours up today: Membership
For information about visiting the Royal BC Museum, visit: Plan Your Visit
