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Vancouver Maritime Museum Sharing stories of the Pacific Northwest and Arctic. National Historic Site of St. Roch.
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The Vancouver Maritime Museum is a great place for families and maritime enthusiasts to explore the maritime heritage of the Pacific Northwest and Arctic.

THIS WEEK! Step aboard Argonaut II at the Vancouver Maritime Museum!Meet Argonaut II, a 104-year-old wooden vessel with ...
10/15/2026

THIS WEEK! Step aboard Argonaut II at the Vancouver Maritime Museum!

Meet Argonaut II, a 104-year-old wooden vessel with a remarkable story of BC maritime history, restoration, and community.

Join caretaker Nicholas Verrochi for two special experiences this week:

🚢 GUIDED TOURS | October 15–17
Step aboard at our Heritage Harbour, explore the vessel, and discover her history and ongoing restoration. Tours run every 30 minutes, 11am–4pm.

🎤 AN EVENING WITH ARGONAUT II | Thursday, October 15, 6:30–8:30pm
Hear Nicholas share the story behind this historic vessel, the challenges of restoring her, and the community keeping her story alive. Includes a Q&A and bar.

🎟️ Book your experience

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH | Mary Ann Croft 🌊Was Mary Ann Croft Canada’s first woman lighthouse keeper?In 1902, after her fat...
10/14/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH | Mary Ann Croft 🌊

Was Mary Ann Croft Canada’s first woman lighthouse keeper?

In 1902, after her father's death, Mary Ann Croft was appointed lighthouse keeper on Discovery Island, likely making her Canada's first woman in the role.

Life on the remote island was demanding. Croft maintained the light and foghorn, recorded the weather, tracked passing ships and grew food, all while raising her daughters.

She was paid less than her male counterparts, but fought for equal wages and was praised for keeping the station in “highly creditable and efficient condition.”

Her daughters even received their schooling by mail while helping with daily chores.

The lighthouse was automated in 1996, and its foghorn fell silent in 2004. But Mary Ann Croft’s story still shines.

📷 Family photo provided by Jessica Outram.

From the Collections: Building the Pattullo Bridge 🌉 This week, the Pattullo Bridge’s iconic steel arch was carefully re...
10/14/2026

From the Collections: Building the Pattullo Bridge 🌉

This week, the Pattullo Bridge’s iconic steel arch was carefully removed, marking a major milestone in the dismantling of a landmark that has stood over the Fraser River since 1937.

But every landmark has a beginning.
These archival photographs take us back to the bridge’s construction, capturing a moment when a major new crossing was taking shape between New Westminster and Surrey.

For generations, the Pattullo Bridge has been part of the region’s changing landscape, connecting communities and becoming a familiar feature of the Fraser River waterfront.

Images 📷 Pattullo Bridge, under construction (1937), VMM48.05.N12.03; Pattullo Bridge, northwest under construction (1937), VMM48.05.N12.02; Pattullo Bridge, Northwest, Under Construction (1937), VMM48.05.N12.01; and Ships in port, New Westminster, B.C., VMM48.05.N13.01. Vancouver Maritime Museum Photograph Collection.

(Oct 12, 1974): St. Roch Opens to the PublicOn October 12, 1974, the historic RCMP schooner St. Roch officially opened...
10/12/2026

(Oct 12, 1974): St. Roch Opens to the Public

On October 12, 1974, the historic RCMP schooner St. Roch officially opened to the public in its new indoor shelter at the Vancouver Maritime Museum. Parks Canada interpretive staff began offering guided tours, giving visitors the opportunity to step aboard and learn about the vessel and its Arctic voyages.

More than 50 years later, St. Roch remains one of the museum’s most significant vessels. And now, its story is entering a new chapter.

The Vancouver Maritime Museum is undertaking its largest project to date: an Inuit-led revitalization of the St. Roch exhibit, representing the first major renewal of the exhibit since 1974. The project will bring new perspectives and stories to the exhibit, including greater focus on Inuit knowledge, experiences and connections to the vessel and its voyages.

From its first public opening in 1974 to its revitalization today, St. Roch continues to evolve as a place for visitors to learn about the complex histories connected to the ship and the Arctic.

Image: St. Roch official opening, October 1974. EOSA-74-09, Vancouver Maritime Museum Collections.

(Oct 11, 1942): St. Roch Reaches HalifaxOn October 11, 1942, the RCMP schooner St. Roch reached Halifax Harbour after ...
10/11/2026

(Oct 11, 1942): St. Roch Reaches Halifax

On October 11, 1942, the RCMP schooner St. Roch reached Halifax Harbour after a two-year voyage from Vancouver through the Northwest Passage.

Departing Vancouver on June 23, 1940, the St. Roch spent two winters frozen in Arctic ice before completing the passage from west to east. The journey made it the second vessel to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage, after Roald Amundsen’s Gjøa, and the first to make the crossing from west to east.

The voyage was undertaken as part of the RCMP’s Arctic patrol and supply work. Members of the crew were later awarded the Polar Medal for their service during the journey.

Today, the St. Roch is preserved at the Vancouver Maritime Museum, where visitors can learn more about the vessel, its voyages and the people connected to its Arctic history.

Image: St. Roch docked in Halifax, 1942. -40-05, Parks Canada St. Roch Photograph Collection, Vancouver Maritime Museum Collections.

🌊 Make the most of the long weekendTake a stroll around the beautiful Heritage Harbour, soak up the stunning views acros...
10/10/2026

🌊 Make the most of the long weekend

Take a stroll around the beautiful Heritage Harbour, soak up the stunning views across the water, and enjoy a little fresh sea air. ☀️

And while you’re here, why not pop into the Vancouver Maritime Museum? Discover fascinating maritime stories, explore our exhibits, and make a day of it!

📍 Find us in Vanier Park
🕙 10am–5pm

We look forward to welcoming you this long weekend!

⚓ Step aboard a piece of BC maritime history!Argonaut II is a 104-year-old wooden vessel with a remarkable story connect...
10/09/2026

⚓ Step aboard a piece of BC maritime history!

Argonaut II is a 104-year-old wooden vessel with a remarkable story connecting communities along British Columbia’s northern coastline.

Join caretaker Nicholas Verrochi at the Vancouver Maritime Museum for a special tour of Argonaut II. Hear about her history, explore her inner workings, learn about traditional boatbuilding, and discover how an online community is helping restore this historic vessel.

📅 October 15–17
🕚 Tours run every 30 minutes from 11am–4pm
⏱️ Approx. 25 minutes
👥 Limited to 15 people per tour

Don’t miss the chance to step aboard and hear her story firsthand.

🎟️ Book your tour: vanmaritime.com/argonaut-tours

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH | Minnie PatersonIn 1906, when the Coloma was shipwrecked off Cape Beale, help wasn’t a phone call...
10/08/2026

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH | Minnie Paterson

In 1906, when the Coloma was shipwrecked off Cape Beale, help wasn’t a phone call away.

Lighthouse keeper’s wife Minnie Paterson walked three hours through a violent storm and dense forest to alert the telegraph keeper’s wife. Together, they rowed out to the Quadra to summon help.

After helping ensure the crew was safe, Minnie walked home so she could care for her children.

Her courage and determination helped ensure that no lives were lost.

Known as the “Heroine of Cape Beale,” Minnie was later presented with a gold watch and silver plate from the Canadian government, and a silver tea set from the Seattle Maritime Union.

📷 Photo PN11869, courtesy of Alberni Valley Museum.

An Evening with Argonaut IIJoin us at the Vancouver Maritime Museum for an evening with Nicholas Verrochi, caretaker of ...
10/06/2026

An Evening with Argonaut II

Join us at the Vancouver Maritime Museum for an evening with Nicholas Verrochi, caretaker of Argonaut II, for a conversation about BC maritime history, traditional wooden boatbuilding, restoration, and the power of community.

Nicholas has brought the story of Argonaut II to hundreds of thousands of people around the world through his YouTube storytelling and documentation of the vessel’s ongoing restoration.

Hear how this remarkable boat connects to BC’s northern coastline, learn about the craft and challenges of preserving a historic wooden vessel, and discover how an online community has come together to help keep her story alive.

The hour-long presentation will be followed by a Q&A with Nicholas.

🍻 A bar will be open throughout the evening, with b**r and w**e available for purchase.

📅 Thursday, October 15th
🚪 6:30pm—8:30pm

Book Ticket: vanmaritime.com/evening-with-argonaut

10/05/2026

Happy World Teachers’ Day! 🍎

A museum visit can be more than a day away from the classroom, it can be a chance for teachers and students to see familiar subjects from a new perspective.

At Vancouver Maritime Museum, teachers can bring their lessons to life through hands-on experiences, stories, and a closer look at the people and journeys connected to the Pacific Northwest and Arctic. Aboard St. Roch, students can connect with history in a way that encourages questions, conversation and curiosity.

Thank you to all the teachers who help spark curiosity every day. 💙

Address

1905 Ogden Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V6J1A3

Opening Hours

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

Telephone

+16042578300

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