Royal BC Museum replacing Becoming BC, First Peoples galleries as part of 'decolonization' efforts

Victoria -

The Royal BC Museum (RBCM) will soon be closing down its First Peoples and Becoming BC galleries to support "decolonization" efforts, because many portions of the exhibits "focused on promoting the story of the European settlement of B.C."

Eventually, the third-floor galleries will be recreated to include a more diverse range of perspectives on the province's history.

A portion of the Becoming BC gallery is shown: (Royal BC Museum)

"Decolonization of the museum’s galleries is important and long overdue," reads part of a statement from RBCM acting CEO Daniel Muzyka.

"This is necessary to begin the long-term work of creating new narratives that include under-represented voices and reflect the lived experiences and contemporary stories of the people in B.C.," he said.

The First Peoples and Becoming BC galleries will be closed in phases, before being completely shut down on Jan. 2, 2022.

The museum says the phased closure will give visitors a chance to view the exhibits as they currently appear.

It's currently unclear what the third-floor galleries will be replaced with. The museum says it will undertake extensive consultations and community outreach before any new exhibits are unveiled – which could take years to complete.

Artifacts that are currently on display will be returned to the museum's collections as the First Peoples and Becoming BC galleries are closed down. The museum notes that this is not a renovation of the exhibits but an end to them.

A portion of the First Peoples gallery is shown: (Royal BC Museum)

"Our government’s commitment to truth and reconciliation demands that we diversify and decolonize the way we share the history of B.C.," said B.C. Tourism Minister Melanie Mark in a statement Wednesday.

"For too long, museums have been colonial institutions that exclude others from telling their own stories," she said. "We have an opportunity to turn the museum inside out, and it starts here, now, on the museum’s third floor."

Earlier this year, staff at the Royal BC Museum apologized for its reported toxic work environment, after an investigation found that racism and bullying was occurring in the workplace.

When the apology was made in June, staff said changes would come to the more than 130-year-old institution, including updating diversity and equality policies, and replacing "outdated core galleries."