Checking Out All that Glitters at #GoldRush! – El Dorado in British Columbia!

Action. Adventure. Heartbreak. Upheaval. All of these themes are on display at GoldRush! – El Dorado in British Columbia at the Canadian Museum of History. Created by the Roya BC Museum, Gold Rush displays the transformation of a colony near the Pacific Ocean during the Gold Rush as it broke down the barriers of class and race in the pursuit of golden new beginnings. I got a chance to check o, ut all that glittered at this exhibit to share with you! Gold Rush! will be on display from April 8, 2016, until January 15, 2017.

 

Visitors can see such items as the Turnagain Nugget, the largest existing gold nugget from British Columbia, as well as more than 280 objects on display from this era! Made up of five linked galleries, Gold Rush! aims to recreate the gold rush, getting visitors up close with the real history of gold in British Columbia.

During my visit to Gold Rush!, there was so much to discover! I was able to learn about this era from the first shouts of excitement over finding gold to it has impacted the histories of many nations all over the world.

 

 

There are also gold pieces on display from distant lands where gold had been discovered years before that began to spur the search for golden riches in Canada.

 

 

I then ventured to look at the tools of the trade during the gold rush. It was fun to see that an actual stagecoach that is on loan for this exhibit from the Historic O’Keefe Ranch up close, and all of the items a treasure seeker would use to try and strike it rich.

 

I thought that Gold Rush! did an excellent job of sharing various integrating interactive methods for its visitors to learn more about this era.  There are screening areas, tablets with added information about certain aspects of the exhibit, and stations where visitors can learn hands-on about this time period and about gold. They were all interesting to take in and to try.

I could not leave out the fashion of this era out this post! I know these pieces were designed over 150 years ago, but to see them in such great condition and still vibrant with colour was a sight to see! I especially loved the dress and parasol outfit. It was hard to shoot, but it was fun to have a snapshot of the time through fashion.

 

 

A favourite part of the exhibit was seeing how much I was worth in gold. Based on the price of an ounce of gold, it converts your weight into a dollar amount. Based on my weight that day, I could go on a holiday somewhere or on a fun shopping spree!

 

 

There was so much to take in at Gold Rush! Learning how this period shaped Canadian history was a great way to spend a visit at the Canadian Museum of History. Having so many artefacts from this time also brought what I learned more to life. An added bonus was seeing everything that glittered and made out of this precious metal! Gold Rush! is a fantastic exhibit for visitors to experience!

 

 

For more information about GoldRush! – El Dorado in British Columbia, you can connect with the Canadian Museum of History on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram pages!

Disclaimer: I received admission to the Canadian Museum of History to visit GoldRush! – El Dorado in British Columbia exhibit in order to write this review. The views expressed are my own.

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Fun for Kids of All Ages at Canadian Museum of History’s Canadian Children’s Museum!

Hey Readers!

The ”Bosses” and I have had some amazing adventures this summer, some were big and others were small. Throughout each journey, I felt that they were able to take away something from it, and I am so happy about it! One of the excursions my entourage and I went on was to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. This was their first visit to a museum, so I was anxious to see how they would do in an environment like this, but I also want them to learn beyond what they are used to, and this Museum has so much to offer and teach them! Since two of my VPs are still toddlers, I limited our visit. I shared our visit to the Museum’s exhibit on Terry Fox that they loved (yes, even my little ones!), then we made our way to the Canadian Children’s Museum. Let me tell you, this is one of their favourite places to go!

It was a bit of a challenge to keep my kids at bay as we entered this exhibit to grab this shot! They saw the pillars and the stamps and wanted to see more!

The Canadian Children’s Museum allows children to travel the world and explore other cultures through exhibitions, props costumes and hands-on objects. There really is something for every child, big or small, to experience and enjoy at this Museum and allow them to learn from everything around them.

When we entered the Canadian Children’s Museum, we received passports for my younger children from the Travel Bureau so they can collect stamps from each exhibit they explore. My eldest helped her siblings place each stamp into their passports to make sure they had a memory of each exhibit they visited. The kids love looking at their passports and reliving all of the fun we had!

Our first stop, Destination: Imagination, was a favourite for my younger daughter. The theme of this exhibit was the theatre and she loves drama and the theatre! The ‘’Diva’’ and I fell in love with everything here from the ticket booth at the entrance, to the backstage area to the stage itself. We had to tear ourselves away because we could have stayed and played here for our whole visit!

We then found our way to Crossroads where cultures come together in one area. They were able to see what it would be like to ride a Pakistani Bus, pretend to pull a rickshaw or get information from another country. My kids loved riding on the bus, learning information about different countries, and making calls in the London telephone booth!

We got a bit of a break to recharge by spending time in the Studio. My kids were able to sit down and create bead bracelets while taking in the fun décor. My favourite part of the room had to be the ceiling! The fish and the bubbles gave me so many ideas of what I would like to try for fun birthday party ideas or for decorating their bedrooms.

My daughter’s masterpiece! She was extremely proud of her work!

The kids found their way to Kaleidoscope. It is an area designated to special exhibitions by the Canadian Children’s Museum. During our visit, my son was elated to see that Lego was being featured! There were certain areas set up for visitors to build structures to their heart’s content, a wagon and wheel barrels to help transport Lego pieces around the room if there just were not enough at your station, and a large Adirondack chair so anyone could feel like a big kids while they sat in it!

While my eldest took my younger daughter for a sneak peek of the rest of the Museum, my son and I popped into Lucy’s Bookstore. This was another great rest stop for me. I fell in love with how it is in a quiet spot so visitors can kick back and relax with a fun storybook on their comfy cushioned bench or poke around the bookstore. My son loved the check-out area because he could play with the cash register and pretend to be an employee.

Our final stop was to the International Village. There was so much to do and see! My kids were able to ‘’create’’ a meal at the Kids, Café, drive a van and work on a cargo ship at Port of Entry, learn about ancient Egypt in Secrets in the Sand, barter for goods at the Market Bazaar, and see how different homes look around the world. They really got a kick out of being able to pop in and out of areas and see how different cultures live and communicate.

There are parts of the Canadian Children’s Museum that we did not get to visit because there was SOOOOOO much to see and do! This is a good thing because these will be the first places we will go to on our next visit! For my younger kids, there were a few tear as we had to say goodbye. They really did not want to leave. For them, it was like having a super doper playroom with countless rooms full of discovery! The best part about this Museum is that the ”No Touching” Rule does not apply here! In fact, not getting to interact with the exhibits would take away from the experience! The ”Bosses” cannot wait to return and have another fun day of learning and exploration. If you are ever hard pressed for an idea for a family fun day, I would always point you in the direction of the Canadian Children’s Museum at the Canadian Museum of History. You and your mini entourage will not be disappointed!

For more information about the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian Children’s Museum, you can visit them on their website, or connect with them on their Facebook  and Twitter pages!

Disclousre: I was compensated with admission to the Canadian Museum in order to visit the Children’s Museum. The opinions are all my own as I wanted to share this experience with you!