A VERY SHORT HISTORY OF THE GALIANO MUSEUM

The Galiano Museum Society was incorporated in May 1997 for the purpose of gathering documents and artifacts and operating a museum on Galiano Island. The focus of the museum has been the history of Galiano Island and its people. The late Alistair Ross was the prime mover in creating the Museum Society and leading it through its first years. The Society is incorporated in BC as a non-profit society and is so recognized by the Canadian Revenue Agency. A list of current directors is attached.

Lacking a proper venue, the Museum's first display of historical artifacts was a showcase in the local school. Soon afterwards (spring of 2000) the Society rented a cottage on Porlier Pass Road (Fig 1) in which it could display its collections. This first incarnation of the Museum was quite successful, attracting many visitors and serving as the venue of a number of the Museum's special events and exhibitions. Unfortunately, the lease on the cottage was not renewed in late 2003; the search for similar premises was unsuccessful and some of the collections had to be put in temporary storage.

In order to maintain a presence while searching for new premises, the Museum Society opened in 2004 a summer venue in a small building on the grounds of the Lions' Park. Over the past four years, Aunt Di's Cottage (Fig. 2) has introduced visitors and islanders to a sample of our historical photos and documents.

Meanwhile, in 2002, a generous island couple, Gerry and Mary-Jean Elliott, donated a small parcel of land for a permanent museum site asa memorial for the victims of the Cap Rouge II tragedy. The process of rezoning and subdivision is now complete and preparation of the site towards erection of the new museum is beginning.

In addition to its display mission, the Museum Society has over the years sponsored a series of events celebrating notable anniversaries (e.g. the Queen's jubilee) or introducing the public to aspects of island history (the Japanese charcoal pits, the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers, the Dionisio Park antique native village, the old Scoones gramophone, etc..) and, more recently, a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the naming of the island by Capt.Richards in 1858.

We have also, with the help of Salt Spring Island Archives, created this web site where many of our historical photographs are displayed. Our web site has attracted wide-ranging interest.

The Galiano Museum Society has launched a fund-raising campaign to erect a safe and permanent home for its collections on the property donated by the Elliotts. We plan for a modest building, with 2,000 sq ft of display and storage space, including a climate-controled room for sensitive archival material. A wide porch will allow outdoor displays. Our collections will focus on the pre-history and history of the Galiano and surrounding Gulf Islands, with about 80% of the space devoted to permanent collections and the rest dedicated to special exhibits.