British Columbia Legislative Buildings Victoria British Columbia

The BC Legislature is on the south side of the Inner Harbour. It is often referred to as the Parliament Buildings. These however are in Ottawa, our nations capital. The BC Legislative Buildings are the seat of our Provincial Government and are located in the Capitol City of BC, Victoria. There is a lot of history in the building and tours are offered. There is a cafeteria in the building that I told serves great lunches. You might check it out when in the building. I know if you tour the building you will find it very interesting. There is also lots to see on the grounds of the building as well. The building provides a great backdrop to the Inner Harbour.

For more information on Victoria, Click Here

Royal BC Museum S'abadeb: The Gifts

Today we went to the Royal BC Museum to see the S'abadeb: The Gifts. It is an amazing show, well worth seeing. It is enlightening to say the least. My 7 year old granddaughter was enthralled with the displays and asked a lot of questions. Later, we spent the rest of the afternoon just checking out the remainder to floor two. The museum is such a delightful place. Check it out.

For more information on things to do in Victoria, click here.

Macaulay Point Today

Macaulay Point, Victoria BC.  

Find us on Twitter and Facebook

Just a reminder that you can now follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/vanisletourism and we also have a great Facebook group, where you can post pictures, links, and questions about Victoria and Vancouver Island!  Find out more about this beautiful place, and get involved in the dialogue: www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-BC/Vancouver-Island-Travel-Guide

Royal BC Museum offers admission by donation

Photo courtesy of the RBCM

VICTORIA, BC – As a gift to thank the community for its continued support, the Royal BC Museum (RBCM) is carrying on its New Year’s tradition by offering admission by donation. Visitors are asked to pay-what-they-can from Jan. 2 - 9.

“A measure of success for any museum is its community backing,” says RBCM CEO Pauline Rafferty. “And, despite our changing economy, support for the Royal BC Museum this year has been considerable. Offering admission by donation is our gift to the community, a way we can show our thanks.”

Those visiting the RBCM during admission by donation week will see two Canadian premiere exhibitions. S’abadeb – The Gifts: Pacific Coast Salish Art and Artists, a feature show organized by the Seattle Art Museum, brings together 165 ancient and contemporary works of art from the Coast Salish peoples of BC and Washington state. The Silver of the Stars collection showcases contemporary silver drinking vessels, created for some of the biggest names in film, music, fashion, theatre and literature.

In addition, the holiday festivities continue at the RBCM – the streets of Old Town are decked in the season’s finest and, until Jan. 3, historic Helmcken House is open, welcoming visitors to experience an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas.

As the provincial museum and archives, the Royal BC Museum preserves and shares the stories of British Columbia – on-site, off-site and online – through its research, collections, exhibitions and educational programs. Its two-hectare cultural precinct also includes a number of historically significant buildings and First Nations sites.

For more information on the latest activities, events and exhibitions at the Royal BC Museum, visit www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca or call 1-888-447-7977.

DETAILS:

Admission by donation, Jan. 2 - 9, 2010, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more information about Victoria attractions, click here.

Gallery of Drifters - Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

With the rain we've been getting in Victoria, lately, it's great to know we have a lot of rainy day options when planning a weekend itinerary!  Sidney BC is just a 20 minute drive away, and the Ocean Discovery Centre is a bright, colourful way to spend an otherwise grey day.

I could spend hours in the "Gallery of Drifters", where local species of plankton, algae, and jellyfish are on display. The golden Sea Nettle jellyfish are breathtaking against their electric blue backdrop:

And the Moonjellies make me wonder whether I'm looking into the water or the sky!

Knowledgeable Oceaneers stand by, waiting to answer all our questions about these wild and wonderful creatures (and many more).  This is just a sample of what you'll see when you arrive at the Ocean Discovery Centre in beautiful Sidney by the Sea.  We love this place so much, we've written about it more than once.  

Happy New Year!  Be sure to visit our website for more info on Victoria and Vancouver Island.