Britannia Mine Museum's Spooktacular Halloween and Fall Festivities

Three Halloween Weekends Featuring Cabinet of Curiosities & Exploding Pumpkin Science

October 14 & 15, 21 & 22, 28 & 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Britannia Beach, BC (September 27, 2023) – Starting this October, the Britannia Mine Museum is offering a bounty of Fall activities, kicking off with the return of its Ore and Orcas exhibit from October 1^st to February 2024, the launch of the Land of Thundering Snow exhibit from October 6^th to April 1st, 2024, and three weekends of Spooktacular Halloween fun on October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29^th.

The Museum’s Spooktacular Halloween is full of family-friendly chills and thrills with the secret contents of its Cabinet of Curiosities unsealed, releasing a mysterious creature down into the depths of the Underground Tunnel. Join a “Monster Tracker” on an underground quest to find this creature, visit the “Terror Lab” and explore a collection of real sea creature specimens and come face to face with remnants of “sea monsters”. These eerie specimens will challenge your understanding of the natural world and leave you in awe of the mysteries that lie beneath the waves. And if that doesn’t spook your interest, check out some explosive pumpkin science experiments!

As we head into the cooler fall and winter season especially in the mountainous Sea to Sky region, the travelling Land of Thundering Snow exhibit is visiting the Britannia Mine Museum from the Revelstoke Museum and Archives from October 6^th to April 1^st, 2024 so we can learn more about the history, safety and dangers of avalanches in Canada.

Propelled by gravity, snow avalanches are releases of snow that rush downhill in steep terrain, altering the landscape and ecosystem as they pass. The unimaginable power of an avalanche carves new patterns into the landscape, and becomes fresh ground for species of plants and animals that thrive in slide paths. The exhibit also emphasizes the impact that avalanches have had on human settlement, migration, travel, and transportation. From the mapping of railway and highways to the technological advances of avalanche mitigation, the story of avalanches encompasses the story of humans and landscape and ties them together for museum visitors in an engaging and interactive experience.

Also inside the Museum’s “Terror Lab” from October 1^st to February 2024, the Museum is bringing back “Ore and Orcas: The Remediation of Howe Sound/ Átl'ka7tsem”, a dynamic visual exhibit showcasing the O120 Orca bone display and other marine specimens, to shine the light on the remediation of the Howe Sound marine ecosystem. The O120 Orca bone display is the only travelling killer whale skeleton in the country and the only offshore killer whale used for educating people about marine conservation and the plight of whales in B.C. waters.

The “Ore and Orcas” exhibit is an educational partnership with the Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society (SIMRS), the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and the Porpoise Conservation Society. The exhibit will educate visitors on the mine’s history - including the impacts of pollution and subsequent remediation, recovery and protection with the EPCOR Water Treatment Plant - through the lens of its impact on the Howe Sound food chain.

“This fall, we are so pleased to showcase a number of seasonal educational exhibits to the Britannia Mine Museum to not only add to our Halloween festivities, but also explore a number of topics that are relevant to our Sea to Sky region,” says Heather Flynn, Assistant Curator at the Britannia Mine Museum. “We live and work in the mountainous Howe Sound/Átl'ka7tsem region, also known as Canada’s 19th UNESCO Biosphere Region, and the remediation of Howe Sound is part of our history and legacy at the Museum. It’s important for us to continue to educate visitors of our past, as well as share the important lessons learned about protecting and keeping our environment sustainable.”

Located 45 minutes north of Vancouver on the picturesque Sea-to-Sky highway, the Britannia Mine Museum provides unique and memorable experiences that engage visitors of all ages. Visitors can enjoy fun exhibits and crowd favourites like the underground mine train, gold panning, the historic 20-storey concentrator Mill building and its BOOM! special effects show, the Terra Lab STEAM learning space, the minerals and gem gallery, and the Beaty Lundin Visitor Centre.

The Halloween “special event” rate is $25 for youth and adults, and $20 for kids ages three to twelve, which includes all activities during the three Halloween weekends, “Monster Tracker” underground adventure, museum exhibits, and gold panning. The Ore & Orcas and Land of Thundering Snow exhibits are also available with regular admission, including all Halloween dates. The Museum is still offering the full guided underground tours and the BOOM! Mill show via regular admissions.

Advanced ticket purchase and reservation is recommended as special events are often sold out.

Check the Museum’s website for specific tour times and to purchase tickets in advance.

About Britannia Mine Museum:

The Britannia Mine Museum is a mining legacy site and a vibrant, internationally recognized education and tourist destination located between Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea-to-Sky highway. It is a National Historic Site and a non-profit organization encouraging mining awareness through entertaining, experiential education programs and exhibits, important historic collection preservation and insightful public engagement that allows guests to leave with a better understanding of mining in BC; past, present and future. www.britanniaminemuseum.ca

Twitter: @BritanniaMine Facebook: @BritanniaMineMuseum Instagram: @BritanniaMineMuseum

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Media contact: Yvonne Chiang, 604-880-5090, ychiang@bcmm.ca