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 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. When 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 historic (Aunt Di’s) small cottage on the grounds of the Lions’ Park.
The Cottage was removed from the Lion’s Park property in 2022 and is no longer being used by the Museum Society.
In 2002, a generous donation of the Museum Site property, 519 Georgeson Bay Road, was made by Gerry & Mary Jean Elliott to honour the lives lost in the Cap Rouge II tragedy. With help from grants provided by the Provincial Government and CRD, by volunteers fundraising, by community continuing to generously donate (especially Richard and Evelyn Dewinetz), a 3,000 square foot Museum Building was built and received its occupancy permit in 2020.
The Galiano Museum is now complete (2022) with its beautifully carved doors by Michael Crocker and the building’s entrance sign by Keith Holmes.