BC government begins planning South Asian museum in Metro Vancouver

Artistic rendering of the never-built cultural gate for the Punjabi Market on Main Street near 50th Avenue in Vancouver. (Government of BC)

What should a museum acknowledging and celebrating South Asian history, culture, and contributions to Canada look like? And perhaps, more importantly, at this stage of planning, where should it be located in Metro Vancouver?

The provincial government is starting the public consultation process today to set the direction of its future South Asian museum, which follows a commitment made by the BC NDP in the previous election campaign in 2020.

“Public input, especially from South Asian communities, is vital to moving forward on this first-of-its-kind museum,” said Lana Popham, BC’s minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, in a statement.

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Mable Elmore, the parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives, added, “For almost 130 years people from South Asia have been calling British Columbia home, but this has not always been a welcoming place for them. By working with community members we can build a unique and meaningful museum that will better reflect and preserve the diverse and rich history of South Asians in the province for generations to come.”

During this current public consultation process, the provincial government hopes to gain feedback on the purpose of the museum, its potential name, its location, and its function as not only a museum and archive but perhaps also a community gathering place and an interactive space.

Punjabi Market street sign in Vancouver. (Punjabi Market)

Based on previous discussions, such a museum could potentially be located in Vancouver’s Punjabi Market, which stretches several blocks along Main Street in the vicinity of East 49th Avenue. This was the first major cultural and shopping foothold for the South Asian community, before there was a gradual shift towards Surrey, which is also another location being considered.

The provincial government has formed an advisory committee to help guide the planning process. Workshops and an online public survey will begin in early 2024, with key recommendations based on the received input summarized in a report by Summer 2024.

No further timelines for the project have been established, and the provincial government has yet to formally provide the major funding required.

In June 2023, with the backing of the provincial government, the new Chinese Canadian Museum opened within the former Rennie office and private museum in the historic Wing Sang Building. The non-profit organization overseeing the Chinese Canadian Museum has received over $50 million to date from all levels of government, including $48.5 million from the provincial government and $5 million from the federal government.

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