BC government to proceed with $270 million Royal BC Museum satellite facility for collections and research

Feb 23 2023, 11:52 pm

The provincial government is moving forward with its plans to build a satellite facility for the Royal BC Museum in a suburban community of Greater Vancouver.

It was announced today that a $205 million contract has been awarded to Langley-based Maple Reinders Constructors and Vancouver-based Michael Green Architecture to design and build the museum’s collections and research building (CRB). This team was selected following a competitive bidding process.

This project should not be confused with the June 2022 decision to cancel the $800-million redevelopment of the existing aging main museum facility in downtown Victoria, which was in response to a public and media outcry. The provincial government recently restarted public consultation on its future approach to renewing the Victoria Inner Harbour attraction.

The provincial government first announced in September 2020 its plans to build the museum’s collections and research building in the new Royal Bay residential community in Colwood, located west of Victoria. The site is an eight-acre parcel of land acquired from Vancouver-based Gablecraft Homes at a cost of $14 million.

The entire collections and research building project — land acquisition, planning, design, construction, and the relocation and transportation of the collections and artifacts — carries a combined total cost of $270 million.

According to the provincial government’s announcement today, this will be a state-of-the-art facility with a total floor area of 164,000 sq ft, using mass timber construction, which is a design specialty of Michael Green.

royal bc museum colwood collections research building

Artistic rendering of the Royal BC Museum’s collections and research building in Colwood. (Michael Green Architecture/Maple Reinders Constructors/Royal BC Museum)

royal bc museum colwood collections research building

Artistic rendering of the Royal BC Museum’s collections and research building in Colwood. (Michael Green Architecture/Maple Reinders Constructors/Royal BC Museum)

This collections and research building will provide a new home for the museum’s more than seven million artifacts and the BC Archives, which are currently found in the basement storage areas of the existing museum in downtown Victoria.

The museum has identified a need for this satellite facility due to the Victoria Inner Harbour building’s seismic vulnerabilities, poor building systems, and flooding risk, given that the basement is located beneath sea level at the water’s edge. Only about 1% of the museum’s vast collections are accessible to the public; 99% of the collections are in basement storage.

“Our government is committed to protecting our province’s history today and for future generations,” said Lana Popham, BC minister of tourism, arts, culture, and sport, in a statement. “I am confident that this is the right step to take in securing our province’s invaluable history and ensuring more access for people.”

royal bc museum colwood royal bay

Master plan of the Royal Bay development in Colwood, with the location of the Royal BC Museum Collections and Research Building highlighted. (Gablecraft Homes/Government of BC)

royal bc museum colwood royal bay

Master plan of the Royal Bay development in Colwood, with the location of the Royal BC Museum Collections and Research Building highlighted. (Gablecraft Homes/Government of BC)

Alicia Dubois, CEO of the Royal BC Museum, added: “Alongside the safe and modern storage of the collections and provincial records, the CRB will be a dynamic and welcoming community space… We hope to inspire future paleontologists, entomologists, botanists, and historians through greater learning opportunities by enhancing public access to our work.”

Construction is expected to begin in Summer 2023 for a public opening in Summer 2026.

As for the renewal of the main museum attraction in downtown Victoria, no timeline has been established as the consultation, planning, and design process is back on square one.

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