The Royal British Columbia Museum has given an official name to its new archives and collections building currently under construction in Colwood’s Royal Bay neighbourhood.
The $270-million facility will be called the Royal B.C. Museum PARC Campus, an acronym for Provincial Archives, Research and Collections.
Royal B.C. Museum employees and the province came up with the new name to reflect the “critical and complex work” that will happen in the building once it’s open to the public.
Tracey Drake, CEO of the museum, said in a statement the project ushers in a new era for the museum and archives.
“PARC Campus will provide much-needed space to steward the collections and for museum and archives teams to look to the future, how we collect and share B.C.’s collective history,” she said.
The 15,200-square-metre building, expected to open in 2026, meets CleanBC’s energy-efficiency standards, is designed for mass-timber construction and will be LEED Gold certified.
Construction of the PARC Campus along Metchosin Road is expected to generate 1,000 direct and indirect jobs.
PARC Campus will ensure the museum’s collections are properly stored and safeguarded and meet international best practices and standards, according to the province.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said some of the items in the current archives and museum buildings near the Inner Harbour are below sea level and at risk from flooding, including books and manuscripts, rare and priceless artworks such as watercolours from the 1700s, several paintings by Emily Carr and early provincial maps.
The museum said the integrated design and purpose-built spaces in the PARC Campus will support the research work happening within its walls while engaging visitors with the province’s history. Collection labs will feature windows that offer the public access to artifacts and museum work as well as offering onsite learning programs and workshops.
