PoMo Museum facts for kids
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| Former name | Port Moody Station Museum |
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| Established | 1969 |
| Location | Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada |
| Type | Railway Museum |
| Owner | Port Moody Heritage Society |
| Public transit access | Moody Centre station |
| Nearest parking | On site (no charge) |
The PoMo Museum (once called the Port Moody Station Museum) is a cool place in Port Moody, British Columbia. It's run by the Port Moody Heritage Society. Their main goal is to help everyone learn more about the city's past and its amazing history.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's Past
The museum first opened in 1969. It was started by the Port Moody Historical Society. This group later changed its name to the Port Moody Heritage Society in 1979.
At first, the museum was in a different building. In 1978, the Historical Society moved its collection. They moved it to Port Moody's second train station. This station belonged to the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).
The CPR stopped its passenger train service in 1976. So, the Historical Society moved the old station building. They used a big truck to move it. It went from Queen Street to a spot near Rocky Point Park. The museum officially opened in its new home on July 1, 1983.
In June 2023, the Port Moody Heritage Society gave the museum a new, shorter name: PoMo Museum.
How the Museum Works
A group of volunteers helps run the museum. They are part of a board of directors. The museum also has an Executive Director. Two Manager/Curators and museum assistants help with daily tasks.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum shows the history of Port Moody. It covers everything from the first Indigenous people to the 1940s. The CPR helped build the town. Because of this, many exhibits are about trains. You can see old handcars and a velocipede. The train station building itself is also a big part of the display.
The Venosta Railcar
In 1986, the museum got a special train car. It's called the Venosta. This was a first-class sleeper car from the CPR. It was built in 1921. The CPR wanted to make their trains more modern.
The Venosta was first named the Glen Otter. Its name changed in May 1942. In November 1964, the CPR stopped using it for passengers. It became a training car for railway workers. Volunteers started fixing up the Venosta in 1987.
The CPR Railway Garden
The museum also has a special garden. It looks like a CPR railway garden from 1910-1912. Curator Jim Millar started this garden in 2000. It has many old types of vegetables and flowers. The museum is part of Canada's Seeds of Diversity program. This program helps save old plant types.
Sharing Stories: Oral History Project
Since 1975, people at the museum have talked to many Port Moody residents. They interview people who lived there. They also talk to people who know a lot about the city. This project collects their stories.
These interviews were first recorded on tape. In 2004, they were put onto CDs. New recordings are now digital. They are also saved on CDs. You can listen to these stories at the museum.
The Postcard Barrel
In 2005, the museum started something unique. They set up the world's third postcard barrel! The other two are on Floreana Island in the Galápagos Islands and in Crete, Greece.
This idea comes from a tradition in the Galápagos. In 1793, British whalers put a barrel on Floreana Island. Passing ships could leave their mail there. Other ships would pick it up and deliver it for free.
The museum's barrel is in the old telegraph room. Visitors can take a postcard to deliver by hand. Or, they can leave their own postcards. You can drop them off in person. You can also mail them to the museum. Staff will stamp them and put them in the barrel.
See also
