Sooke Region Museum facts for kids

The Sooke Region Museum is a cool place in Sooke, British Columbia, Canada. It helps us learn about the history of people and nature in the area. This area stretches from East Sooke all the way to Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island. The museum first opened in 1977 and is open every day of the year.

The museum also has the official Visitor Information Centre for the area. This is where people can find out about fun things to do and see. It also has a special space for temporary exhibits that change often. Outside, you can explore different exhibits. There is also a main museum building to discover. One of the most famous things you can see is a lighthouse. This lighthouse used to be on Triangle Island, far off the north tip of Vancouver Island. The museum welcomes over 40,000 visitors every year.

Discover the Sooke Region Museum

How the Museum Gets Support

The Sooke Region Museum is special because of how it gets money to operate. Most museums in Canada don't get funding this way. Local people voted in a special election, called a referendum. A huge 83% of them agreed to pay a little extra in their property taxes. This money helps the museum stay open and run its programs. Later, local governments made the funding even more stable. They decided to make the museum a regular service for the community.

What Can You See and Do?

The museum has a gift shop where you can find unique souvenirs. They also offer special tours, including traditional salmon barbecues. Every summer, the Sooke Summer Night Market is held at the museum. It's a fun place to find local crafts and food.

The museum helps find and protect historical items. For example, they helped discover an old bake oven in the wilderness. They also have another historic bake oven right on their own grounds. The museum is currently working on restoring two small rail engines. They hope to show these cool engines to visitors very soon.

Learning and Community

The museum also publishes books about the region's history. One of their recent books is called Bringing Water to Victoria. They also have a special collection of old documents and photographs. This collection helps people research the past. The museum has been making its buildings better with help from different groups. This includes support from the Canadian government. The museum also has fun programs especially for children.

The museum started the annual Sooke Fine Arts Show. This is the biggest art show on Vancouver Island where artists are chosen by judges. The museum ran the show for 20 years. Now, a separate group manages this popular event. The Sooke Region Historical Society runs the museum. This society is a registered charity in Canada.

Important People at the Museum

The first person in charge of the museum was Elida Peers. She did amazing work for the museum and the community. Because of her efforts, she received the Order of British Columbia. This is the highest award given by the Province of British Columbia. Even today, she continues to volunteer at the museum as the historian.