Maritime Museum of BC

The Maritime Museum of BC is a collection of maritime artifacts in downtown Victoria that documents the seafaring history of the province through rotating exhibitions. The facility also houses several vessels and provides visitors with a broad overview of how the sea shaped the region's development.

The facility was founded in 1955 by naval officers at Signal Hill in Esquimalt and relocated several times, first to Bastion Square and eventually to its current location. These moves reflect the growth and changing needs of an institution dedicated to preserving the region's seafaring heritage.

The museum works with Indigenous communities to present maritime stories that connect local perspectives with Pacific Northwest traditions. Visitors can see how these different viewpoints shape the region's relationship with the sea.

The museum offers visitors access to extensive resources including a reference library with thousands of volumes and a large collection of historical documents and photograph archives. These materials are particularly valuable for anyone wanting to explore the seafaring history of the region in greater depth.

The museum preserves the Tilikum, a cedar canoe originally built by First Nations people, which undertook a remarkable voyage from Vancouver Island to London in 1901. This historic vessel remains one of the most notable attractions and demonstrates the craftsmanship and adventurous spirit of the region's early explorers.