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Continue ShoppingHANDMADE HISTORIES: Britannia’s Memories at our Fingertips
November 16, 2026 - January 4, 2027 | Featured Display
The Britannia Mine Museum is home to thousands of documents, photographs, and objects which tell the story of a town’s fascinating history. Within our collection are scrapbooks and photo albums made by the very residents who called Britannia home, painting a picture of a town brimming with life.
Scrapbooks and photo albums demonstrate a unique approach to history, one that considers emotions and memories as closely as facts and figures. They also demonstrate a form of record keeping that can be done by anyone, at any age, at any time, giving underrepresented persons the opportunity to be keepers of their own history.
This featured display of scrapbooks and photo albums, presented by curatorial Intern Eve O’Dea, will be on view at the museum from November 16, 2026, to January 4, 2027.
Become your own historian by making your very own scrapbook! Drop by our exhibit to pick up your materials and collect your treasures at Britannia and beyond. (available weekdays until November 27)
A GLIMPSE INTO BRITANNIA’S HISTORY
Much of what we know about Britannia comes from our extensive collection of official company documents, including pay stubs, scientific reports, and blueprints. While these are incredibly valuable to understanding the operations of a company town, the personal objects within our collection made and owned by residents give us an understanding of the town’s tight-knit community, families, and individuals.
From General Manager C.P. Browning’s family albums, to a group’s weeklong boat trip up Howe Sound in 1932, to a year at Britannia Beach Elementary School, each book offers a unique glimpse into lives lived and remembered.
Eve O’Dea
As a curatorial intern, Eve O’Dea has been learning about the history of the Britannia Mine and its communities by exploring its archives and artifacts. Her interests include the community’s many social clubs and the unique experiences of teenagers growing up in a small and isolated town. Before Britannia, Eve obtained a B.A. Honours in Film Studies at the University of British Columbia, and M.A. in Film Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her fascination with scrapbooks and photo albums emerged from an interest in the individual’s role as both creator and keeper of their own history. Eve will be regularly onsite to talk to visitors about her display, and lead participants in their own scrapbook making activity. This employment opportunity is possible thanks in part to the Canadian Heritage Young Canada Works program, which offers a variety of short-term job and internship programs to job seekers and employers in the arts and heritage sector.