Visit - Victoria BC

18/03/2020

In this time of uncertainty, all VISIT member locations have closed to help in the efforts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

To still engage with heritage, arts & culture during this time, you can find collections, stories, images & archival material on our member locations’ websites.

We look forward to when places of heritage, arts & culture can re-open. Until then, be well and take care of each other.

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature British Columbia Aviation Museum CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Emily Carr House Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens Wentworth Villa

13/03/2020

Spring is officially just around the corner. Here's all you need to welcome it!

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature British Columbia Aviation Museum CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Emily Carr House Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens Wentworth Villa

01/03/2020

March is filled with exciting events – tell a friend or bring them with you!

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria ~ Sunday Art Lecture Series March 1, 8, 22 & 29: 'Gardens as Art: Aesthetic Journeys Around the World'. Join four art historians on an exploration of gardens from around the world.

Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature ~ New exhibit open to the public March 7th! 'Castaways: Art From the Material World' presents the work of 20 women artists from Canada and the Americas.

Craigdarroch Castle ~ Theatre at the Castle! March 5-7, 12-14 features 'Treasure Island' with actor Jason Stevens. March 19-21, 26-28 features 'Murder on Paper Street' with the Paper Street Theatre Co.

Wentworth Villa ~ See world-renowned classical guitarist Álvaro Pierri in concert March 22. Tickets to concerts at Wentworth Villa often sell out, so be sure to get yours before it's too late!

Round out the month with a visit to these places:
British Columbia Aviation Museum CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens

27/02/2020

A coal baron, a castle, and a fort: this is an example of how the stories about places of heritage, arts & culture in Victoria interconnect. Discover more with a visit to Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites and Craigdarroch Castle!

that the buildings of Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse NHS were heated by coal stoves? Most of them were made right here in Victoria by the Albion Ironworks on Store St. Sitting next to them were coal bins just like this one - full of fuel for the fire!

Much of the coal used in Victoria in the 19th century would have come from the Dunsmuir mines near Nanaimo and Ladysmith. Before his sudden death in 1889, Robert Dunsmuir (of Craigdarroch Castle fame) also sat on the Board of Directors for Albion Ironworks!

24/02/2020

Need some gardening inspiration from an art history perspective? The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is presenting a lecture series in March – "Gardens as Art: Aesthetic Journeys around the World".

Please join us on March 1, 2020, from 2pm-4pm with Melissa Berry who will be speaking about Claude Monet’s Garden at Giverny.

20/02/2020

A new exhibit is coming to The Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature, so that means there are only a few days left to see OneTree Exhibit!

Concept and Production by Vivienne Challandes Castaways: Art From the Material World is a rags to riches tale of the textile industry and its global impact. Featuring twenty women artists from Canada and the Americas, this immersive exhibition confronts climate change head on, exploring consumer cul...

17/02/2020

We're celebrating Heritage Week, and you can too! Purchase a Pass It Around card during to receive a ✨FREE bonus admission pass✨ to 1 of the following locations:

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature British Columbia Aviation Museum CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Wentworth Villa

** Bonus admission passes are only available when you purchase your Pass It Around card at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria or Wentworth Villa **

Heritage BC CBC Victoria City of Victoria - Local Government

14/02/2020

At VISIT, we love Victoria's places of heritage, arts & culture, and we love the Pass It Around card, too. Why? Because it's affordable ($30), you can share it with anyone (pass it around!), and it's great for locals and tourists alike (discover and connect with the stories of Victoria no matter where you're from) ❤️

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature / Robert Bateman British Columbia Aviation Museum CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Wentworth Villa

12/02/2020

What are you doing on Family Day? Wentworth Villa wants to inspire your creativity! Share your artwork on Family Day using

04/02/2020

February is here 💚 It's going to be a full month, and here are some of the highlights:

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Feb. 13th: Make multi-media art cards with your children and impART the love! Register on the AGGV website.

Feb. 16th: Family Sunday is FREE in celebration of Family Day! Join special guest Monique Salez on a tour of the exhibit 'To Talk With Others'.

British Columbia Aviation Museum
Feb. 16th: Get ready for loads of fun at BCAM's Kids Fest 2020! The festivities run from 11am to 3pm.

Wentworth Villa
Feb. 22nd: The Villa's concert series continues with a performance by cellist Rosanna Butterfield and Jannie Burdeti. Purchase your tickets soon as these concerts sell out!

As well, February features (Feb. 17–23), so grab your Pass It Around card and drop in to our other member locations to discover more of Victoria's heritage, arts & culture!
Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Emily Carr House Maritime Museum of British Columbia

Heritage BC

31/01/2020

Have you seen what's happening at Craigdarroch Castle?

28/01/2020

Planning a day that includes a visit to the British Columbia Aviation Museum? Check out VISIT's 'Outings' page (https://visitvic.ca/tours/rural-beauty-innovation/) for other places to see before or after. Suggestions include a visit to Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Society and Sidney Museum.

Bring your Pass It Around card for entry into the British Columbia Aviation Museum or purchase one there.

23/01/2020

Take a closer look at Victoria's Modernist architecture with a visit to Wentworth Villa. The exhibition 'Modern City: The Legacy of Architectural Modernism in Victoria' is on until April 25th.

Do you have a favourite Modernist building in Victoria?

Drop by Thursday – Saturday to see the visiting exhibition 'Modern City: The Legacy of Architectural Modernism in Victoria', and discover more about the buildings you may walk past everyday.

20/01/2020

Have you seen our 'Outings' page on our website? We've provided suggestions on other places to visit and discover in the neighbourhoods around our member locations to help you plan your own itinerary.

An example? Discover the neighbourhoods of Esquimalt and Vic West when you visit CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum. Wander into Fry's Red Wheat Bread Bakery for a delicious treat or walk to the summit of Highrock Park for panoramic views of the area. Get more ideas by going to https://visitvic.ca/outings/ and clicking on 'Coastal Defenses & Scenery'.

17/01/2020

Wondering what plans to make this Saturday? What about heading to the Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature to meet some of the artists behind the OneTree Exhibit?

Robert Bateman

This Saturday, January 18th the Bateman Gallery is hosting another oneTree 'Meet The Artist' day! Admission will be 50% off all day and various oneTree artists will be on site to answer your questions and share their stories. We hope to see you there!

For more information please visit: http://ow.ly/21DE50xQxdT

16/01/2020

Today's Tea & Talks is postponed. Keep an eye on the Maritime Museum of British Columbia FB page for details on when it will be rescheduled.

Tomorrow's (Jan 16) Tea and Talk has been postponed. Helen Edwards will be at our museum at a later date to deliver her talk "Dutchy's Diaries," and we look forward to seeing you then! For now, enjoy the snow and stay safe and warm! ❄️☕

15/01/2020

❄️ It's a winter wonderland in Victoria! At time of posting, other member locations closed today are the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria & Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature. Stay safe out there and enjoy the snow! ❄️

Due to the snowy weather, the Castle will be shut for today.

Enjoy your snow day, stay warm, and be safe!

13/01/2020

A painting in the collection at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria that is well-suited to the weather this week ❄️

Alexander Young Jackson (A. Y. Jackson) was a Canadian painter and a founding member of the Group of Seven. Jackson made a significant contribution to the development of art in Canada.
Image credit: A. Y. Jackson (Canadian, 1882 - 1974), Early Snow - Port Radium, 1959 - 1961, oil, 81 x 101.5 cm, Credit Line: Gift of Alex McBain. AGGV 1962.028.001.

06/01/2020

A new year and a new month mean new opportunities to discover Victoria's heritage, arts & culture.

Take a look at what's happening at some of our member locations this month:

Jan. 7th at the Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature / Robert Bateman Centre: on the first Tuesday of every month, the Gallery will be open late from 5–8pm with admission by donation.

Jan. 16th and Jan. 30th at The Maritime Museum of British Columbia: Tea & Talks at 2:30pm.

Jan. 30th at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria: From 7–8:30pm, meet the artists who have contributed to the current exhibition 'Tender Works'.

And drop in to our other member locations as well (check out their opening hours here: https://visitvic.ca/places/)!

British Columbia Aviation Museum CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Emily Carr House Wentworth Villa

21/12/2019

✨ To a festive season that's merry and bright, and to a New Year filled with heritage, arts & culture ✨



Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature/Robert Bateman British Columbia Aviation Museum CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Emily Carr House Maritime Museum of British Columbia Wentworth Villa

19/12/2019

Have you heard the latest news from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria?

Look what’s new at the AGGV! Thursday evenings are now admission by donation from 5pm-9pm.

16/12/2019

Have you been to the Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature to see the OneTree Exhibit? You can see amazing works of art like this!

"Island Living" by Marc deMontigny of Land & Water Studio (https://landandwaterstudio.com/) created this beautiful table for this years OneTree Exhibit, displayed with many other beautiful oneTree pieces at the Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature.

Marc specializes in 3D maps, live edge designs, and large structural artwork inspired by patterns in nature. His legacy art pieces and custom projects are crafted using a combination of hand tools and computer-aided design and cutting.

Check out more about oneTree here: http://ow.ly/5BAp50xsbCV

13/12/2019

Only until this Sunday, Dec. 15th, buy 1 Pass It Around card and get the 2nd 50% off!

Get your cards at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, British Columbia Aviation Museum or Wentworth Villa.



Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature / Robert Bateman CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Emily Carr House Maritime Museum of British Columbia

10/12/2019

Wentworth Villa's new exhibit is now open! Check it out Thursday–Saturday, 11am to 4pm.

We look forward to seeing you this Thursday when the exhibit 'Modern City: The Legacy of Architectural Modernism in Victoria' opens!

06/12/2019

Have you heard? VISIT's Pass It Around card is on sale until Dec. 15th: buy 1 card and get the 2nd 50% off!

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature British Columbia Aviation Museum CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Craigdarroch Castle Emily Carr House Maritime Museum of British Columbia Wentworth Villa

05/12/2019

Planning your holiday activities? What about the Christmas Lego Celebration at British Columbia Aviation Museum?

Mark your calendars for a couple of our upcoming events. December 28th will be a lego play day and our annual Kid's Fest has been set to coincide with the BC Family Day weekend on February 16th

01/12/2019

Some ways to include heritage, arts & culture into this festive month:

~ Visit - Victoria BC is having a holiday sale! Until December 15th, buy 1 Pass It Around card and get the 2nd 50% off!

~ Wentworth Villa is host to the exhibition 'Modern City: The Legacy of Architectural Modernism in Victoria'. The exhibit opens Dec. 5th.

~ Maritime Museum of British Columbia invites you to hear David North speak about mutinies during 'Tea and Talks' on Dec. 5th @ 2:30pm.

~ Craigdarroch Castle gets into the spirit of the season with the Christmas Carol featuring actor Jason Stevens. Shows run from Dec. 17th to Dec. 23rd.

~ is having a Christmas Lego Celebration on Dec. 28th.

Swap the hustle and bustle for these events and drop in to our other member locations too!
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Bateman Foundation Gallery of Nature CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum Emily Carr House

22/11/2019

Mark your calendars for a new exhibition opening soon at Wentworth Villa! 'Modern City: The Legacy of Architectural Modernism in Victoria' will run until April 25, 2020.

New exhibition opening December 5th!

Wentworth Villa is hosting the exhibit 'Modern City: The Legacy of Architectural Modernism in Victoria' until April 25, 2020.

Created in collaboration with D'Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism and curated by Martin Segger, this visiting exhibition highlights the footprint and impact of Modernist design in Victoria through modern and historic photographs and modelling.

19/11/2019

Coastal views never become boring. Also not boring? Lighthouses. Take in some coastal scenery, then head into the Maritime Museum of British Columbia to discover stories about lighthouses on BC's coast.

Race Rocks lightstation was built in 1860 to guide ships safely into the Juan de Fuca Strait. Today it's protecting our coast a different way as an ecological reserve. Check out our current exhibit on BC lighthouses for more info. 📷MMBC Archives