The Museum & Archives of Vernon

06/23/2026

We are very much looking forward to hosting Kelsey Lonie as the next guest in our "Hometown Histories" speaker series!

Kelsey will be presenting on her new work, 𝘈 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺: 𝘈𝘯 𝘐𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢, which explores the experiences of women and girls mobilized for agricultural labour during the First and Second World Wars.

During both conflicts, women across Canada were called upon to support food production on farms, in orchards, and in fields. As men served overseas, members of the Women’s Land Army planted, picked, and packed essential crops to sustain the nation. While Ontario saw large recruitment numbers, British Columbia’s program developed more gradually before expanding significantly with the arrival of women from Saskatchewan and Alberta—many drawn by a mix of patriotism, opportunity, and adventure. One participant even travelled from as far as Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to work in British Columbia.

In British Columbia, many of these efforts were closely connected to agricultural regions across the Okanagan Valley, where seasonal labour shortages made women’s contributions especially significant to wartime food production.

Copies of 𝘈 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 will be available for purchase for $40 from Kelsey after the talk!

06/21/2026

This Indigenous Peoples Day, we are reflecting on what reconciliation means in practice and what our responsibility is as a museum committed to truth, justice, and meaningful relationships.

Land acknowledgements are an important first step, but reconciliation requires ongoing action. It asks us to examine our collections, our records, the stories we tell, and the voices we elevate.

In our latest blog post, we discussed some of the gaps that exist within our records and the work that remains to be done. These gaps are also reflected in our photograph collection. The images shared here feature remarkable Indigenous individuals whose stories form part of our holdings, but they also highlight a challenge faced by many museums. When Indigenous histories are represented primarily through historical photographs—often created during periods of intense colonialism—it can unintentionally reinforce the misconception that Indigenous Peoples belong to the past.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Indigenous communities are vibrant, resilient, innovative, and thriving. Their cultures, languages, traditions, and leadership continue to shape our communities today.

As a museum, we recognize that our collections do not yet fully reflect these living histories. While this presents challenges, it also underscores the importance of the work ahead. We remain committed to building relationships, fostering trust, listening to Indigenous voices, and creating space for Indigenous communities to share their stories on their own terms.

Reconciliation is not a destination but an ongoing commitment—one that requires humility, accountability, and a willingness to learn.

06/20/2026

Our friends at the Vernon & District Family History Society are offering two Pleasant Valley Cemetery Walking Tours! There are so many stories of lives lived to be told in our beautiful cemetery.

Tickets are $20 and can be paid via e-transfer to [email protected]. Please make note in the the e-transfer which tour you would like to attend.

06/18/2026

🔥 Thank You for an Incredible Firefighter Fun Day! 🔥

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Firefighter Fun Day! It was wonderful to see so many families, community members, and new faces come together to celebrate the history, dedication, and service of our local firefighters.

A HUGE thank you to our firefighting partners—this event would not have been possible without your support. We are especially grateful to BX-Swan Lake Fire Rescue, Vernon Fire Rescue Services, and Rider Ventures Ltd for helping make the day such a success. Your ongoing commitment to protecting and serving our communities does not go unnoticed.

We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to all of our sponsors, volunteers, and supporters. Your generosity, enthusiasm, and dedication helped create a fun, educational, and memorable experience for visitors of all ages.
Thank you for helping us celebrate the people who keep our communities safe. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!

06/17/2026

Anyone else had one of these? 🖥️🌐⚡

No doubt the Commodore 64 is instantly recognizable to many: according to the Guinness World Records, it is the highest selling computer model of all time. Introduced in January 1982, it was an affordable alternative to other personal computers of the time (priced at $595, approximately $1,900 in today’s currency) that could go for higher than double the price!

While it was originally aimed at the business community, another reason it was so successful was that it was offered in regular retail stores (not just computer hobbyist specialty stores) and heavily marketed to a broad audience in a series of TV commercials.

The Commodore 64 was discontinued in 1994 but lives on in the memory of many who know it as their first introduction to the world of computers!

06/15/2026

We are thrilled to host military historian Kelsey Lonie as the next speaker in our Hometown Histories Speaker Series!

Kelsey Lonie (BEd, MA History) was raised on a cattle ranch in Southern Saskatchewan, an environment that fostered her lifelong interest in prairie history and the women who helped shape it. After nearly a decade as a classroom educator, she now serves as the Regimental Historian for the Royal Regina Rifles and as Executive Director and Chief Historian of RUSI Regina. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Organization of Military Museums of Canada (OMMC) and serves as editor of its quarterly Bulletin. This presentation highlights her second published book.

Lonie will be presenting on 𝘈 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺: 𝘈𝘯 𝘐𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢, which explores the experiences of women and girls mobilized for agricultural labour during the First and Second World Wars.

06/14/2026

Step back into the summer of 1901, when a rowboat, a bush bed, and a curious porcupine made for an unforgettable Okanagan adventure. Mary Cameron’s handwritten account, now preserved in the Vernon Archives, offers a rare glimpse into early travel in our region. Read her remarkable journey from Vernon to Peachland in our latest blog post.

June 12, 2026 As summer approaches, many families begin planning trips both near and far. The same was true more than 125 years ago, although the experience of travel looked very different. A set of records preserved in the Vernon Archives offers a vivid glimpse into what a regional journey could

06/11/2026

🚨𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗘𝗡𝗗! 🚨

Firefighter Fun Day is happening this Saturday at the Museum & Archives of Vernon! 🔥🚒

Bring the family down for an afternoon of:
✅ Fire truck tours
✅ Games & activities
✅ Face painting
✅ Meet local firefighters
✅ Community BBQ by donation

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Saturday, June 13
𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 11 AM – 2 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: Outside the Museum & Archives of Vernon (3009 32nd Ave)
FREE for everyone!

Celebrate the opening of 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘦 and enjoy a fun-filled day with the community. We can’t wait to see you there!

06/09/2026

The Museum & Archives of Vernon 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧🔥🚒
To celebrate the opening of Battling the Blaze: A Historic Look at the Frontline of Firefighting, we’re excited to invite the community to our upcoming Firefighter Fun Day!
𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: June 13
𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 11 AM – 2 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: Museum & Archives of Vernon (3009 32nd Ave)
𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 | 𝗡𝗼 𝗥𝗦𝗩𝗣 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱
Join us for:
🚒 Fire truck tours
👨‍🚒 Meet local firefighters
🎨 Face painting
🎯 Games & activities
🌭 Community BBQ by donation
Bring the whole family and help us celebrate the people who help keep our communities safe!

06/06/2026

Looking for something fun to do with the family next weekend? 🔥🚒

Bring the kids down to the Museum & Archives of Vernon for 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆 — a free outdoor community celebration filled with activities, games, and opportunities to meet local firefighters!

Plus, explore our newest exhibition, 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘦: 𝘈 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨.

📅 Saturday, June 13
⏰ 11 AM – 2 PM
📍 Museum & Archives of Vernon
Free Admission | No RSVP Required

We hope to see you there! 🔥