Regional Workshops - BC Museums Association

BCMA is pleased to offer a variety of regional workshops in various locations across the province. Get in touch if you’d like to host one at your location: grants@museumsassn.bc.ca.

The British Columbia Museums Association, in partnership with Cowichan Tribes and the Canadian Conservation Institute, is pleased to announce the following 2-day workshop opportunity:

Care of Objects in Indigenous Cultural Centres

Dates: Wednesday, October 16 & Thursday, October 17, 2019

Times: 9:00am – 4:45pm each day

Location: Cowichan Tribes Gym Dining Hall, 5574 River Road, Duncan, BC

This workshop looks at the preservation of Indigenous material culture and is designed as an introduction to the care of collections for staff working in Indigenous cultural centres, although others are most welcome. The workshop content is geared for staff, volunteers or other interested persons. No experience in the care of collections is necessary.

The workshop covers how various types of materials deteriorate, how best to minimize this deterioration, how to identify problems of storage and display of various kinds of objects, and how to make informed choices relating to the long-term preservation of collections.

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

identify basic deterioration problems of many organic and inorganic materials;
understand the damaging effects of the most common agents of deterioration;
choose proper materials and techniques for storage and display of many types of objects found in cultural centres; and
safely handle objects.

NOTE: Workshop is limited to 20 participants.

Workshop fee:

The workshop is free for members of the Cowichan Tribes and other Indigenous and local community members. $100 for non-Indigenous BCMA members.

Lunch, morning and afternoon health breaks are included on both days.

If you have any questions, or require assistance with the online registration, please contact Anissa Paulsen, BCMA’s Program Officer at (778) 535-4305 or grants@museumsassn.bc.ca.

Hotel accommodations:

Best Western Cowichan Valley Inn

6457 Norcross Road

Duncan, British Columbia V9L 6C6

(250) 748-2722

Rooms starting at: $139.50 (2-queen beds); $148.50 (1-king bed); breakfast is not included

*Call the hotel directly to reserve and request the “discounted corporate rate” for the above rates.

Oceanfront Suites at Cowichan Bay

1681 Cowichan Bay Rd

Cowichan Bay, BC V0R 1N0

(250) 715-1000; Toll-free: (800) 663-7898

Suites starting at: $129/ night (1-king suite); breakfast is not included

*Call the hotel directly to reserve.

NOTE: This hotel is about a 10-minute drive to the workshop facility.

Please note: The Cowichan Valley Museum is also hosting a Heritage Symposium on Friday, October 18. More information about this workshop is online: It is a separate event and you are welcome to register for it through their registration system HERE.