Royal BC Museum opens major new exhibition in China

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Premier Christy Clark and Prof Jack Lohman, CEO of the Royal British Columbia Museum, recently opened a major new exhibition in GUANGZHOU,China exploring the first Chinese migration to Canada.

Gold Mountain Dream! – created by the Royal British Columbia Museum in collaboration with the Canadian Museum of History – tells the personal stories and sacrifices of Chinese migrants in the 1850s as they landed on British Columbia shores in search of gold. It is a fascinating account of adventure, heartbreak and social upheaval.

“This exhibition reflects the deep cultural ties between British Columbia and the people of Guangzhou,” said Premier Christy Clark. “People from this great region made extreme sacrifices to help build our province. The enduring cultural and economic ties they helped build continue to benefit both our provinces.”

Gold Mountain Dream! Bravely Venture into the Fraser River Valley will be displayed at the Guangdong Museum of Chinese Nationals Residing Abroad in Guangzhou, China, as part of a series of cultural exchange activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the twinning relationship between BC and Guangdong Province. The exhibition is from November 5 to December 20, 2015.

“The Royal BC Museum is deeply honoured to bring this important exhibition to Guangdong Province,” said Lohman. “It brings to life our shared history to a new generation and is a fitting tribute to the courage and tenacity of our ancestors.”

Lohman said the exhibition depicts what life was like for new Chinese migrants as they landed in the booming city of Victoria then travelled up the Fraser River to the gold fields. The exhibition documents these pioneers and their stories of determination, grit and perseverance as they helped shape a province and build a nation.

Through archival photographs and detailed storytelling, Gold Mountain Dream! tells the story of how everything changed during this fevered era, as class and racial barriers were broken down and people seized the extraordinary opportunities that glittered before them.

Gold Mountain Dream! is made possible through the generous support of the Government of British Columbia, the Francis Kermode Group, Tourism Victoria and the Royal BC Museum Foundation. The BC government contributed $200,000 to this exhibition and to other exciting projects related to the Chinese Historical Wrongs Legacy Initiative, including supporting the creation of educational on-site and outreach learning materials, the online digital collection, content on the Learning Portal and other travelling exhibitions.

Report courtesy Royal BC Museum.