Collections
The Museum houses a vast collection of artifacts and archives that tell the vibrant and diverse histories of the Sunshine Coast. Our collection consists of 7000+ artifacts, 1600 archival documents and over 8000 photographs and negatives. We also house the Coast News newspaper and Peninsula Times newspaper collections, along with an assortment of other regional Sunshine Coast publications. Our publically accessible research library contains 900 books, as well as periodicals and magazines pertaining to the history of the Coast and British Columbia.
Our Geographical Collection area is bordered by McNab Creek to the north, Átl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound to the East, the Strait of Georgia to the South and lekw’emin/Jervis Inlet to the West.
Search our online collection of digitized photographs
Search our the Coast News and Peninsula Times newspaper collections
Research
If you are interested in conducting research or viewing certain parts of the collection that are not currently on display, please contact the museum to make an appointment well in advance. Museum staff can provide the first half hour of research free of charge, after which the charge is $25.00/hour.
Gaining access to the collection
Thanks to a grant from the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, our archived newspaper collection can be viewed online and is freely accessible to the public. Learn more>
Our Geographical Collection area is bordered by McNab Creek to the north, Átl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound to the East, the Strait of Georgia to the South and lekw’emin/Jervis Inlet to the West.
Search our online collection of digitized photographs
Search our the Coast News and Peninsula Times newspaper collections
Research
If you are interested in conducting research or viewing certain parts of the collection that are not currently on display, please contact the museum to make an appointment well in advance. Museum staff can provide the first half hour of research free of charge, after which the charge is $25.00/hour.
Gaining access to the collection
- Library: Available by appointment. Books cannot be loaned out of the museum.
- Archives: Available by appointment.
- Telephone Directories: Available by appointment. Not digitized.
- Photographs: The majority of this collection has been digitized. Descriptions and photo numbers are located on the research version of the museum database, and staff will assist you to browse through the database. Depending on the intended use of the photograph, a copyright release form may have to be signed.
Thanks to a grant from the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, our archived newspaper collection can be viewed online and is freely accessible to the public. Learn more>
Exhibits
West Howe Sound Regatta
The Museum exhibits cover many wide-ranging topics. The main floor features our temporary exhibit space, along with exhibits co-curated by the Squamish Nation, and various exhibits regarding the area's maritime history, including the Hubert Evans handliner and Union Steamships.
The upper floor exhibits include artifacts from early logging and early agriculture, materials from early settler families, a Beachcombers exhibit, as well as Natural History including an extraordinary butterfly collection.
The upper floor exhibits include artifacts from early logging and early agriculture, materials from early settler families, a Beachcombers exhibit, as well as Natural History including an extraordinary butterfly collection.
Current Exhibits
- First Peoples
- Fishing for a Living
- Marine Transportation
- Telecommunications
- George William Gibson
- Helen McCall - Pioneer Photographer
- Beachcombers Relics
- Farrell Family
- Early Logging
- Early Agriculture
- Inglis and Wordsworth Families
- Howe Sound Cooperative Cannery
- From Tree to Sea - our online exhibit about Sunshine Coast boat building at virtualmuseum.ca