Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre

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Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre Metals | Mountains | Memories
Community museum & science centre for Rossland, BC. Sinixt tmxʷúlaʔxʷ

The Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre is a community history museum for Rossland, BC covering the mining, industrial, skiing, social, cultural, and natural history of Rossland and area. Also home to Rossland's Visitor Information Centre as a gateway to the Kootenays and the Columbia Basin. Public Washrooms, Free WiFi, Wheelchair Accessible, Family-friendly washroom, Kids discovery zone. The museum building houses thousands of artifacts in the storage rooms. The archives stores and preserves historic photos, documents, the Rossland Miner newspapers from 1896 to 1972, maps and the City's early assessment and tax rolls, as well as other important mining and community historical information. Established in 1955, the Rossland Historical Museum and Archives Association is a not-for-profit society whose mission is to preserve and dynamically present the history and culture of Rossland and area. The Rossland Historical Museum & Archives Association began in the basement of the Rossland Court House in 1954 and was incorporated under the BC Societies Act in March of 1955. The present museum was built on the site of the Black Bear mine in 1967 as a Canadian Centennial project. Although the mine (and underground tour) is permanently closed, the museum still speaks to this area of our history and a video of the underground tour is available during operating hours.

When you think of historic collections, fragile glassware or yellowed letters might spring to mind. But what about a 20-...
10/17/2026

When you think of historic collections, fragile glassware or yellowed letters might spring to mind. But what about a 20-foot-wide flag from the Josie Mine, a heavy wool carpet, or an historic race gate?

Large textiles are some of the most vibrant, storied objects in our care, and comfortably storing them has been a massive conservation puzzle. Thanks to generous funding from the Trail & District Arts Council, we’ve recently wrapped up a major project to upgrade the custom storage system for over 40 of our largest textile artifacts!

Learn more: https://www.rosslandmuseum.ca/news/2026/flag-storage

We're officially Rainbow Registered! We’re proud to be listed amongst other businesses and organizations throughout Cana...
10/17/2026

We're officially Rainbow Registered! We’re proud to be listed amongst other businesses and organizations throughout Canada and be an inclusive space for our customers, visitors, and staff, especially those within the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Learn more about becoming Rainbow Registered and the Canadian Q***r Chamber of Commerce: https://rainbowregistered.com/

🍻 The Lion Brewing Company is the focus of today's . Louis Blue opened the Lion Brewing Company in 1897, on the corner ...
10/16/2026

🍻 The Lion Brewing Company is the focus of today's . Louis Blue opened the Lion Brewing Company in 1897, on the corner of Seventh and Elmore Avenues. Blue was considered one of Rossland's most prominent and enterprising businessmen. Blue came to Rossland from Spokane and established sawmills on Stoney Creek as well as in Ymir and Greenwood.

In 1899, the Lion Brewing Company absorbed the Yuengling Brewery in Trail, before merging with the Columbia Brewery in 1900. As a result of the merger, the Lion Brewing Company claimed it was, at the time, the largest brewery in British Columbia However, the brewery closed in 1907.

We have several artifacts from the Lion in the collection, and thanks to BC Archives, we can see this terrific photograph highlighting the brewery.

Featured:
🍻 BC Archives I-67986 - Lion Brewing Company building, circa early-1900s
🍺 2369.0149 - Louis Blue, founder of the Lion Brewing Company, circa 1898
🍻 Lion Brewing Company label, date unknown
🍺 2356.0041 - Lion Brewery Delivery Wagons, Brewmaster Mike Nagy standing in window of brewery, 1904
🍻1971.440.1 - Lion Brewing Company bottle that was seized by customs officials, circa early-1900s
🍺 2282.0023 - South East view of Rossland showing the Lion Brewing Co
🍻 1990.30.2 - Fragment of a Lion Brewing Company sign, circa early-1900s

Electric locomotives were the backbone of Rossland’s underground mining system. The mines used compact Jeffery‑type engi...
10/16/2026

Electric locomotives were the backbone of Rossland’s underground mining system. The mines used compact Jeffery‑type engines powered by a 200‑volt overhead line, with each locomotive drawing electricity from a pole connected to the wire above (similar to a modern streetcar) 🚋.

These sturdy machines hauled ore, waste rock, equipment, and sometimes crews through the tunnels. By the 1920s, the underground rail network had become enormous: 137 kilometres (85 miles) of narrow‑gauge track linked 22 levels of tunnels. An ore cart could travel from one side of Rossland to the other entirely underground, entering at the White Bear Mine (just down the highway from the Museum) and emerging at the Columbia & Kootenay Mine (KC Mountain).

📸 2304.0069: Electric Trams as used in the Centre Star Mine
📸 2304.0142: War Eagle Mine Tunnel # 3
📸 2304.0126: Mine locomotive and cars on the 1300 ft. level in the War Eagle Mine, circa 1913

Want to know more about mine locomotives in Rossland? Check out our website: www.rosslandmuseum.ca/locomotive

Preserved by the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre & digitized courtesy of Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History. Do you have original photos capturing Rossland’s storied history? Consider donating them to the Rossland Archives - we can also scan them, and you retain the original. Rossland News

Ever browsed our online historic photo collection? 🏔️📷Thanks to our partners at the Columbia Basin Institute for Regiona...
10/10/2026

Ever browsed our online historic photo collection? 🏔️📷

Thanks to our partners at the Columbia Basin Institute for Regional History, thousands of historic Rossland photographs are digitized and available to view online! You can even order digital copies or high-quality prints for your home or business.🔍

Explore the collection: basininstitute.org/collection/19

Check out 📷 2315.0060: a gathering of Rossland residents around a central gazebo and flagpole in the heart of downtown - intersection of Queen and Columbia! 🏙️ Look closely, and you'll spot vintage 1920s automobiles, a dog wandering the unpaved street, multi-story wooden commercial buildings, and a crowd dressed in period hats and long coats.

Can't find a specific image, event, or address? Reach out to our team at [email protected] - We’re always happy to help you search!

A huge thank you to the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History for the digitization work to date.

We were truly inspired by all of the amazing artwork in the InspiRed Mountain Community Art Competition this year, so we...
10/09/2026

We were truly inspired by all of the amazing artwork in the InspiRed Mountain Community Art Competition this year, so we wanted to share this wonderful art piece from the collection for this week’s .

This is Shirley Hamilton’s art book from the late 1940s when she was a student at Cook Avenue School. This small book is filled with 18 unique pieces of art done in a variety of mediums. The book also displays the different techniques and perspectives that Shirley was learning and experimenting with.

Shirley was born and raised in Rossland, growing up with several siblings. Tragically, Shirley’s father passed away in 1948, which may have influenced the creation of her line drawing of a child leaning on a casket (image 3). Shirley would spend most of her life in Rossland, marrying James Browne and raising a family. She passed away in 1995, and her family donated the art book to the museum last year. The book is currently on display in our Rossland Schools exhibit.

The S.S. Rossland was a steam-powered sternwheeler that operated on the Arrow Lakes and the Columbia River from 1897 to ...
10/08/2026

The S.S. Rossland was a steam-powered sternwheeler that operated on the Arrow Lakes and the Columbia River from 1897 to 1916! 🚢💨

Built at the Nakusp shipyard, she was launched as a freight vessel on November 18, 1897. Upon the sinking of the Nakusp in December 1897, the Rossland was refitted as a passenger vessel to replace the Arrowhead to Trail route. In April of the next year, she took the summertime route from Arrowhead to Robson and continued it until the end of her service. The vessel could reach speeds up to 35 kilometres per hour and had a passenger capacity of 300.

Her service was not without drama! On August 23rd, 1899, as the steamer was heading from Arrowhead to Robson, a fire was detected onboard. The Captain beached the Rossland on the nearest shore and forced the passengers to disembark. The crew then began to douse the fire with water until it was successfully extinguished. The passengers were led back aboard, and the steamer was only delayed for a short time.

Sadly, on January 25th, 1917, while moored in Nakusp, the steamer sank due to an overload of snow and ice. In March of that same year, the S.S. Rossland was raised from the water, but unfortunately, the attempt to salvage the vessel was not successful.

🚢 Are you interested in learning more about the sternwheelers of the West Kootenays? Check out the essay on our website: www.rosslandmuseum.ca/essays/ssrossland

📷 2293.0088: S.S. Rossland carrying passengers (circa 1900).
Preserved by the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre & digitized courtesy of Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History.

Do you have original photos capturing Rossland’s storied history? Consider donating them to the Rossland Archives - we can also scan them, and you retain the original.

Put your best foot forward to solve this week’s mystery! This artifact would be great for helping you look your best a...
10/07/2026

Put your best foot forward to solve this week’s mystery!
This artifact would be great for helping you look your best at all times, without having to bend over backwards to keep up appearances.
Can you figure out what it is?

Check the comments tomorrow for the answer!

The Hunter Brothers Store stepped into a new era in 1905 when James and Robert Hunter moved their business into a promin...
10/06/2026

The Hunter Brothers Store stepped into a new era in 1905 when James and Robert Hunter moved their business into a prominent brick building at Columbia and Washington! 🏬✨ Built after Rossland adopted fire-resistant construction standards, this new store quickly became one of the city’s most impressive commercial spaces.

Inside, the Hunter Brothers supplied both everyday residents and local mines. Shelves and storerooms held powder, candles, steel, plumbing supplies, and steam fittings, while an on-site tin shop produced custom tinware and galvanized piping. The building’s size allowed the business to thrive as one of Rossland’s most reliable commercial hubs. Even after the brothers retired, the building remained central to downtown life, later housing Eaton’s, a grocery store, and a hardware shop.

Today, the building remains a vibrant downtown anchor, housing Curiosity Clothing & Gifts, Revolution Cycles, Rossland B**r Company, and local business suites!
📍 Take the Heritage Tour: Stop #30 on the Rossland Heritage Walking Tour (1990 Columbia Avenue).

🔗 Learn more: www.rosslandmuseum.ca/hunter-brothers

📷 2282.0011: Downtown Rossland looking down Columbia Avenue toward Washington Street, showing the Bank of Montreal and surrounding commercial buildings (mid-20th century).
📷 2315.0023: Early streetscape view of the Hunter Brothers Store and surrounding Columbia Avenue storefronts.

Photographs preserved by the RMDC and digitized in partnership with the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History .

This amazing photo of Rossland miners posed with their rock drill underground is our highlight! ⛏️🔦 However, if you lo...
10/06/2026

This amazing photo of Rossland miners posed with their rock drill underground is our highlight! ⛏️🔦

However, if you look closely, there’s one man who seems a little too well-dressed for this to be his daily environment. While the miners are wearing working clothes, the man on the right is posing in a clean-cut suit jacket, vest, and bow tie! 👔

Was he a mine manager, a visiting investor, or an important guest getting a tour of the works? We may never know for sure!
Who do you think our mysterious dapper fellow is? Let us know in the comments! 👇

📷 2309.0024: Preserved by the RMDC and digitized in partnership with the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History.

Address

1100 Highway 3B
Rossland, BC
V0G1Y0

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18884487444

Website

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