Architect’s rendering of the Museum’s front lobby looking south, away from the front entrance with Streetcar 153 in the background.

If you take a peek in the windows at 115 West Esplanade, you might think not much is going on. Streetcar 153 is still boarded up, protected from the bustle of crews who bring all their construction materials through this entrance. But deeper inside the 16,000 ft² building, walls have sprung up, and ceiling and floor installation are underway.

The front lobby of the Museum, looking north to the front entrance with Streetcar 153 protected behind boards on the right. The crates contain elements of the Museum’s core exhibits, ready to be installed. Photo: Sarah Mosher

The administrative offices are nearing completion and Museum staff recently toured the site, admiring the fetching blue colour of our new workspaces. We are beginning to plan the move out of our current home in the Archives building in Lynn Valley, to the new Museum of North Vancouver at the Shipyards.

Exhibit Fabrication

The core exhibits that will tell the stories of North Vancouver have been crafted by 3DS and 60% of them have already been delivered to the Museum space, awaiting installation in late fall.

Since we designed these exhibits, a few things have changed and NVMA has been learning from other museums and institutions that have reopened to the public recently about how they’ve adjusted to the COVID-19 world. Interactive exhibits have been adapted to be less tactile and more sanitary for users, and we will be providing one-way direction through the exhibits, as well as timed entry to allow for social distancing.

Staff tour of the new Museum, August 2020. Photo: Sarah Mosher

NVMA welcomes Indigenous Cultural Programmer, Meagan Innes

We are pleased to add the expertise of Indigenous Cultural Programmer, Meagan Innes to our team.

Indigenous Cultural Programmer, Meagan Innes.

Meagan is an experienced Museum Educator, a teacher, and a member of the Squamish Nation. She will be continuing the development of Indigenous education programs that have been planned with MONOVA’s Indigenous Voices Advisory Committee (IVAC).

Both Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nation members have collaborated as cultural advisors in museum planning for many years through IVAC. 

Fundraising

Thanks to all our donors and supporters for their commitment to a transformative community hub! We are more than 80% of the way to fulfilling our $2.5 million Comprehensive Campaign goal that will bring the artifacts and stories from our community to life.

We are fortunate to have sustainable funding in place from the City and District of North Vancouver, as well as from the BC Arts Council for our core operations. Additional support from donors like you will help us to develop exhibits and to deliver engaging, thought-provoking programs around important local and global issues.

We hope you will join us in supporting your community museum by making a gift today.