Get Hands On at the Valley Museum

You can visit the Valley Museum & Archives anytime to check out Robson Valley history or make a toque in 30 minutes on a modern knitting machine, but this summer’s schedule is also jam packed with hands on activities, workshops, presentations and films.

Make and Take’s

Back by popular demand – Make and Take’s! Every day during July and August visitors can try a hands on activity for a small fee. There’s something different each day from 2-3pm that will introduce a new concept about the history of the Robson Valley:

Mondays – Silk Dyeing. Learn how dyes were traditionally made and used within the valley, and how they changed over time. Create a beautiful one of a kind silk scarf. It’s simple and can be done by anyone over the age of 2. $18
Tuesdays – Homemade Ice Cream. Explore the science and mystery behind this sweet treat. Work up a little muscle and sweat creating your own home-made ice cream. $5
Wednesdays – German Scones. The Robson Valley has a strong German population and like the rest of us, they like their sweets. Don’t let the name fool you – these are not traditional Scottish scones – they could be the best doughnuts you will ever try. $6
Thursdays – Won Tons/Dumplings. With the railway, a large influx of Chinese workers came through the valley. Several properties in town are even littered with “Chinese garbage” from this period – soy sauce bottles and trinkets left behind when workers moved on to the next section of the railway. Come learn the art of making won tons/dumplings. $8
Fridays – Sock Creatures. Kids have always played and living far from “civilization”, toys were precious commodities in the Robson Valley. Mothers learned that old materials (like socks) made fabulous toys for their young ones. Sit with us for an hour and make your very own sock creature. Each week is a different – monkeys, whales, mice, elephants, sharks! Check the website to see what creature is being made each week. $13
Saturdays – Crepes. The French answer to everything good! Who wouldn’t want to learn how to make this great carrier of savory and sweet snacks? Join us to learn the art of crepe making and enjoy a savory and a sweet crepe. $6
Sundays – Alcohol Ink. Pioneers had to be resourceful to make their homes more beautiful. They’d focus on practical items like curtains and blankets, but occasionally, art was done for art’s sake! Learn about the huge art community in the valley and try a new form of art. Alcohol ink is incredibly versatile and our favorite way to use it is what we call chaos – there’s no control so the result is different EVERY time. You will create art on 2 or 3 tiles for trivets, something that’s both beautiful and useful for your home. $12

Time Out

Take some time for yourself and put yourself in a time out! From 7 – 9pm, enjoy a few hours of art, a decadent coffee, and a gourmet dessert with other like-minded adults. Call to register for the class as seats are limited.

June 26 – Chocolate Making I (with Tiramisu). Make 4 kinds of chocolates with local expert Eleanor Johnson. Take your creations home to share, or hide – we won’t judge. $35
August 28 – Dot Painting (with Triple Chocolate Cheesecake). Love the look but not sure how to start? Join us to create a personalized dot painting. $30
September 25 – Chocolate Making II (with Strawberry Shortcake). Play with chocolates as Eleanor Johnson teaches us 4 different chocolate techniques. No experience necessary but the class size is small. Take your creations home to share, or hide – we won’t judge. $35
November 27 – Block Printing (with Grasshopper Pie). Create a simple block design to print your own Christmas Cards. No skill is required, just bring a picture you like. $35

Natural History Speaker Series & Movie Nights

A few years ago we held our most popular speaker series which focused on Natural History. Join us again this year as we explore new topics and themes. Coffee and snacks are available and all of the events are FREE!

July 19 (7pm) – Chasing Ice. A movie of time lapse photography that captures a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers.
July 26 (7pm) – Wilderness Survival. Learn from BC Trapping Education Instructor Bryan Monroe.
August 2 (7pm) – Local Geology. Explore the physical processes that created the Robson Valley with Harold Edwards.
August 30 (7pm) – Queen of the Sun. What are the bees telling us? This movie explores the disappearance of bees around the world.
September 6 (7pm) – Peruvian Birding Adventure. Take a trip to Peru with birding expert Larry Cowan without ever leaving the Robson Valley.
September 20 (7pm) – Winged Migration. A subtitled movie on a series of journeys around the world with migratory birds.
October 4 (6:30pm) – Castle Creek Glacier. Join Brian Menounos to hear how the Castle Creek Glacier has changed and what makes it so unique.
October 11 (6:30pm) – Biodiversity. What makes the Robson Valley such a great place to live? Come and learn from Darwyn Coxson about what makes this area so special.
October 18 (6:30pm) – Chasing Coral. This movie examines why coral reefs are vanishing around the world at an unprecedented rate.
November 15 (6:30pm) – Sharkwater. Explore the world of sharks in this movie from biologist Rob Stewart.