[BCMA] Gold Rush! El Dorado in BC opens at Royal BC Museum

Tue May 12 14:27:51 PDT 2015

MEDIA ADVISORY

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May 12, 2015

Gold Rush! El Dorado in BC opens at Royal BC Museum

VICTORIA, BC – In 1858, word of gold rang out in British Columbia’s Fraser Canyon, setting off a dramatic migration of people and propelling this once remote region of western North America into the modern age.

Now comes Gold Rush! El Dorado in BC, a major new exhibition created by the Royal BC Museum, in collaboration with the Canadian Museum of History, to tell this fascinating story of adventure, heartbreak and social upheaval.

Gold Rush will explore 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.

Through original objects, archival photographs, interactive displays and more, Gold Rush! explores new perspectives on this thrilling chapter of history. From global trends to the points of view of those with their hands in the dirt, the exhibition offers a new and comprehensive take on the greed and grit that would come to shape a province and unite a nation.

Visitors can marvel at the Turnagain Nugget, the largest existing gold nugget from BC at 1,642g (52 oz.), see a real stagecoach on loan from the Historic O’Keefe Ranch, and witness the cultural influences of gold with the Bill Reid gold box, just a sampling of the more than 400 objects on display.

Gold Rush! also includes Allure of Gold, a companion exhibition of pre-Hispanic gold art, featuring over 130 stunning artifacts on loan from the Museo del Oro in Bogotá, Colombia. This remarkable collection showcases the central role this sacred metal occupied in the life of indigenous people in Colombia. This exclusive exhibition marks the only opportunity to see these treasures in North America.

After its premiere presentation in Victoria, Gold Rush! El Dorado in BC will travel to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. A version of the exhibition will also be displayed in Guangzhou, China, part of a series of cultural exchange activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the twinning relationship between BC and Guangdong Province.

Gold Rush! El Dorado in BC is made possible through the generous support of the Kermode Group, the Government of British Columbia, Tourism Victoria and the Royal BC Museum Foundation.

Gold Rush! El Dorado in BC runs from May 13 to October 31, 2015.

For more information and a full calendar of exhibition-related events, visit gold.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.

About the Canadian Museum of History
Located on the shores of the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec, the Canadian Museum of History is Canada’s largest and most popular cultural institution, attracting over 1.2 million visitors each year. The Museum’s principal role is to enhance Canadians’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the events, experiences, people and objects that have shaped Canada’s history and identity, as well as to enhance Canadians’ awareness of world history and culture.

About the Royal BC Museum

The Royal BC Museum explores the province’s human history and natural history, advances new knowledge and understanding of BC, and provides a dynamic forum for discussion and a place for reflection. The museum and archives celebrate culture and history, telling the stories of BC in ways that enlighten, stimulate and inspire. Looking to the future, by 2017 the Royal BC Museum will be a refreshed, modern museum, extending its reach far beyond Victoria as a world-class cultural venue and repository of digital treasures.

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High-resolution photographs and interviews are available upon request.

Media contact:
Royal BC Museum Media Inquiries
250-387-3207
news at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca<mailto:news at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca>
[Twitter_logo_blue]@RoyalBCMuseum<https://twitter.com/RoyalBCMuseum>

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