What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm

Courtenay & District Museum

Name: Courtenay & District Museum
Address: 207 Fourth Street, Courtenay, BC, V9N1G7, CA
Telephone: +12503340686
Price range: $

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Courtenay & District Museum

Natural and cultural history. Fossil tours, exhibits, programs, archival access, gift shop. Welcome! history. Admission is by donation.

Please join us to explore exhibits of Cretaceous marine reptiles and to learn more about Vancouver Island's natural and cultural history. If you're interested in a more hands-on experience, fossil tours are available to explore local rivers where you can hunt for fossilized marine animals and plants. We also have programs on social history and public access to the archives.

08/24/2026

From the Archives: Photo of the Month

Gordon McLean (left), two unidentified young men and Dusty d’Esterre (front right) enjoy a sunny day at Williams Beach. S.B.W. (Dusty) d’Esterre photograph. This photo and its caption appear on page 139 of Step Into Wilderness: A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley available in the museum giftshop or from Harbour Publishing (All proceeds from the book support education programs and archives).

You can view more photos like this on our website.

Click here to visit our holdings:
https://www.courtenaymuseum.ca/comox-valley-history/our-holdings/

Photo: CDM d’Esterre Collection

08/19/2026

Rental Discount for Non-Profits

Are you or someone you know part of a non-profit that’s looking for venue space? The Courtenay Museum is now offering special discounted rates for non-profit groups renting out the Rotary Gallery or Dogwood Gallery spaces.

Please email [email protected] or call (250) 334 - 0686 ext. 2 for more details.

08/11/2026

Summer Fossil Tours ☀️⛏️

Explore the region’s ancient past on one of our world-famous fossil tours, led by Natural History Curator, Pat Trask, and running through October 2026. Reserve your spot for a day of discovery. There's a tour for everyone — public tours for individuals and families, plus programs built for school classes and adult and youth groups.

Whether you're discovering fossils for the first time, or returning as an enthusiast, these tours make for a fun, educational outing for all ages. Don’t miss your chance to explore, learn, and step back in time! And if you’re planning, consider booking for spring 2027!

For more information and to book your tour, please call (250) 334–0686 ext. 2 or send an email to [email protected].

07/27/2026

BC Day Closure

The museum will be closed on Sunday, August 2 and Monday, August 3. Wishing everyone a safe and happy BC Day holiday.

07/24/2026

Gift Shop News

Looking to buy Canadian? The Museum Gift Shop has you covered this July!

Discover a fabulous collection of magnets, stickers, and greeting cards by Almeida Illustrations (Vancouver), patches, pouches, and enamel pins by Northern Icons (Vancouver), and tea towels by Maison Lorrain (Quebec, designed in Vancouver).

07/22/2026

From the Archives: Photo of the Month

The Sutherland and Fairbairn girls ready for a swim in the Courtenay River. Left to right: Saxon and Agnes Sutherland, Gwen, Jean, Dorothy and Kay Fairbairn, with Lewis Park in the background, ca. 1920. This photo and its caption appear on pg. 118 and 119 of Step Into Wilderness: A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley.

You can view more photos like this on our website.

Click here to visit our holdings:
https://www.courtenaymuseum.ca/comox-valley-history/our-holdings/

Photo: CDM Sutherland Collection

07/20/2026

Summer Fossil Tours

This season is the perfect time to plan an unforgettable outdoor adventure! Be sure to reserve your spot on one of our world-famous fossil tours, led by Natural History Curator, Pat Trask. Running through fall 2026, these guided experiences offer a unique opportunity to explore and uncover the region’s ancient past.

We offer public tours designed for families, along with specialized programming for school classes, adult and youth groups. Whether you're discovering fossils for the first time or returning as an enthusiast, these tours make for a fun, educational outing for all ages. Don’t miss your chance to explore, learn, and step back in time!

For more information and to book your tour, please call (250) 334–0686 ext. 2 or send an email to [email protected].

07/15/2026

100 Years of Legions

The Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League united numerous Veterans groups and societies together as one national entity. Over 160 Legion branches were founded that first year of 1926. This included Courtenay Branch #17 which was followed locally by Cumberland Branch #28 and later by Comox Branch #160 in 1939.

To acknowledge this anniversary as well as commemorate the work of the Royal Canadian Legion in supporting Veterans and community initiatives, celebrations have been planned across Canada. The Courtenay Legion is hosting a gala banquet and dance on Saturday, July 18. The evening is open to the public as well as Legion members.

Continue Reading:
https://www.courtenaymuseum.ca/100-years-of-legions/

Photo: Armistice Day breakfast committee members, possibly 1948: left to right (standing) Arnie Williams, Bob Grey, Howard Nelson, Sandy Strachan, Dick Griffith-Cochrane, Malcolm Carwithen, Fred Tull; kneeling are Bob Nikolaisen and Gordon Wagner. CDM 999.174.16

06/25/2026

From the Archives: Photo of the Month

Long-time Courtenay meter reader Billy Hayman with a good catch, ca. 1920. This photograph appears on page 168 of Step into Wilderness: A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley.

You can view more photos like this on our website. Click here to visit our holdings:
https://www.courtenaymuseum.ca/comox-valley-history/our-holdings/

Photo: CDM Stubbs Collection

06/24/2026

Looking Back at the 1946 Earthquake

This year, June 23 marked the 80th anniversary of Vancouver Island's largest historic earthquake, a magnitude 7.3 event with the epicenter located in the Forbidden Plateau region. The tremors rocked the west coast from Port Rupert, BC to Portland, OR.

The shaking demolished 75% of the chimneys in Cumberland, Courtenay and Union Bay, and caused damage to buildings in Comox, Powell River and Port Alberni. Tall buildings in Vancouver swayed back and forth, power was disrupted and a small fire started in the Hotel Vancouver. Lighthouse keepers along the coast recorded damages such as shattered windows and smashed dishes, and in Washington State, bridges and buildings were damaged in urban centers.

The earthquake was so powerful, it knocked the needle off a seismograph at the University of Washington. In Seattle, the flagpole on the top of the Sears building -- the current Starbucks headquarters building -- whipped back and forth so violently that witnesses thought it might snap off.

Photo Credit: CDM 2020.21.3

Address

207 Fourth Street
Courtenay, BC
V9N1G7

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+12503340686

Website

http://www.courtenaymuseum.ca/

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