The exhibition in Victoria, BC runs through Sept. 30, 2009. Photo and slide show by Sue Frause.
Related Articles on Victoria by Sue Frause
Victoria, British Columbia's Royal BC Museum has the honor of exhibiting 309 of the most treasured artifacts from London's British Museum. And traveling to Vancouver Island this summer is much simpler and easier on the debit card than flying across the pond to the United Kingdom. Treasures: The World's Cultures from the British Museum is the North American premier of this exhibition. It opened in Victoria on May 1, 2009 following a highly successful nine-city Asian tour where 1.3 million people viewed the artifacts. It runs through Sept. 30, 2009.
Treasures, originally assembled to celebrate the British Museum's 250th anniversary in 2003, spans more than 1.5 million years of human history. The exhibition also includes more than 150 new treasures that were not displayed on the Asian tour.
The exhibition is arranged geographically and chronologically into seven sections: Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Oceania, the Americas and the Modern World. The oldest objects are African hand axes more than 1.5 million years old, while the largest is a marble statue of Dionysos. Each artifact was selected by the British Museum for its rarity, beauty and historical significance. Other highlights include a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy; a letter from the king of Babylon to the king of Egypt, dated 14th century BC; and works of art by Picasso, Renoir, Matisse and Rembrandt. (See slide show below for photos of artifacts).
Children should also find the exhibit of interest, as there is a hands-on activity space called the Enlightenment Centre. This is where you can wrap and unwrap a small mummy; try on jewelry; or listen to such beautiful poems as Ode on a Grecian Urn and On Beauty. There are also four computer stations and a time line from 3000 BC to 2009 AD. Although there are no audio guides, you'll receive a map of the 10,000 sq. ft. exhibition space.
As always, Victoria is welcoming the Royal BC Museum's newest exhibition to the city. The Fairmont Empress has collaborated with the museum and put together a Dine and Discover Package. The package includes:
- One night accommodation in a Fairmont room
- Treasures themed chocolate amenity
- Up to $50 food and beverage credit during your stay
- Two tickets to the Treasures exhibition
Rates start at $289 CAD (approximately $225 US).
Comments