Exhibits
Pioneer Life
This exhibit shows what early European homes looked like in the Cowichan Lake region beginning in the late 1890s and running until the 1940s. The displays are largely a mix of model buildings/rooms filled with period correct items.
In Progress
Mill Room
The Mill Room will be rebuilt at a later date, in a shared space with our IWA Union exhibit.
The Mill Room features photographs, artifacts, and the history of the major mills in operation around Cowichan Lake.
WWII and Lake Cowichan
This exhibit details the history of the RCAF within the Lake Cowichan area, including information and artifacts related to the numerous crashed planes found over the decades around the lake.
Lake Cowichan Railways
This exhibit highlights Cowichan Lake railways, and the history of the various locomotives, rolling stock, and stations in the region.
The exhibit also features a variety of physical items from the period such as luggage scales, ticket stubs, and old telephones and typewriters.
IWA Room
The IWA Room covers the history of the IWA (International Woodworkers of America) Union from its early foundations in the 1930s until the early 2000s. The IWA was the largest union in Canada and it was a significant actor in various worker and environmental affairs in BC.
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Bell Tower School
The Bell Tower School was the primary and largest school for Lake Cowichan beginning in 1923. The school currently houses additional archival records and a model classroom.
Main Lobby Displays
The main lobby is home to several displays relating to the history of Lake Cowichan and the surrounding region.
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Examples include a display on the various clubs that have existed over the past century, and a display of various logging tools.
Legacies at the Lake
Showcasing the rich history of the Cowichan Lake region's South Asian community, this exhibit traces the path from immigration to settlement.
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This room contains objects and photos donated and loaned by South Asian community members, alongside a small community library with books for adults and children.
Mailing Room & General Store
These displays recreate an example of the general stores and post offices that would have existed in early 20th century Lake Cowichan.
Mesachie School
Built in 1956, the museum grounds contain the Mesachie Lake School, renovated and preserved for museum use. Items such as a wall of chainsaws and Wilmer Gold's darkroom cart used in the 1940s are just a couple examples of what's on display.
External Exhibits and Rolling Stock
Exhibits range from a Shay locomotive used by Comox Logging and Railway Co., to a CN Caboose from 1918. In addition there is a variety of logging and mining equipment spread around the museum grounds.
Lake Cowichan and Ohtaki, Japan
Details the town of Lake Cowichan's relationship with its Japanese twin-city Ohtaki, located in Hokkaido.
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Items that have been gifted to the town of Lake Cowichan as part of this relationship are shown in the exhibit, including a collection of intricate hina ningyo dolls.
Ts'uubaa-asatx Nation History
Designed by the Ts'uubaa-asatx Nation in partnership with the Kaatza Historical Society.
This display features a map of important sites and events in Ts'uubaa-asatx Nation history, alongside panels with information about Ts'uubaa-asatx's hereditary chiefs and a replica dugout canoe by Nuu-chah-nulth artist Joshua Watts.
Rotating Exhibits
The museum also includes a space for rotating exhibits which highlight individual local communities, special events in the region's history, and other notable features.
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As these rotating exhibits are subject to change, we encourage visitors to come see them in person.
In Progress
Chinese Heritage
This upcoming exhibit will tell visitors about the experiences of Chinese immigrants in the Cowichan Lake region.