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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">August 29, 2019<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-right:9.3pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">See
<i>Maya</i> before summer ends<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-right:9.3pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">VICTORIA, BC–<a name="OLE_LINK5">With summertime dwindling and school looming, this weekend is the perfect time to remind kids of all ages that learning can be fun, inspiring, international
and shared by everyone in the family. <o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">The Royal BC Museum’s feature exhibition,
<i>Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises</i>, is designed to accommodate a broad range of learning styles and instincts, with interactive puzzles for kids and breath-taking art and artifacts that will surprise and delight visitors of all ages.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">The original Maya artifacts–some leaving Guatemala for the first time ever–and accompanying information have sparked intergenerational conversations and learning opportunities among
visitors since the exhibition opened in May 2019. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">The exhibition, a joint venture between the Royal BC Museum and the international travelling exhibition firm MuseumsPartner, is designed to delight, engage and provoke questions
(and selfies, naturally).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">Visitors are able to handle a heavy ball used in pitzil, the Mesoamerican ball game so beloved by the ancient Maya. The creation of the original balls, which would endure violent
hip-checking and bouncing against monolithic rockfaces, relied on the Maya’s sophisticated botanical decision, some 2500 years ago, to mix raw latex with morning glory sap to create a stable form of rubber.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">Museum staff and volunteers also host an “animation station” in the exhibition that features cacao, beloved by both ancient and contemporary Maya. Cacao pods are out for kids and
adults to touch, generating lots of interest and conversation; many visitors have expressed surprise that they don’t know where their favourite chocolate bars originate and are eager to learn more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">Visitors are also encouraged to learn more about the vibrancy of today’s Maya peoples. The exhibition highlights the 30 Maya languages that are still spoken today by almost half
the population of Guatemala. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">Principal lending partners of the exhibition include La Ruta Maya Foundation and the Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología (MUNAE), with support from the Guatemala Ministry
of Culture. Destination Greater Victoria is the Lead Marketing Partner and Paladin Security is a Community Partner.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">To purchase tickets to the exhibition, visit:
</span><a href="http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/maya"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:blue">www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/maya</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">. Stay updated on exhibition news with
the Royal BC Museum </span><a href="https://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/blog"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:blue">blog</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">, or via social media: #RBCMMaya<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">About the Royal BC Museum<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1pt;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">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. Located in Victoria on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen (Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations), we are a hub
of community connections in BC–onsite, offsite and online–taking pride in our collective histories.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">- 30 -<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><a name="OLE_LINK1"></a><a name="OLE_LINK2"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">Media contact:</span></b></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">Royal BC Museum Media Inquiries
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55"">250-387-5051<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><a href="mailto:news@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:blue">news@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca</span></a><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:blue">
</span></u><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><img border="0" width="19" height="16" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image007.png@01D55E53.848590A0" alt="Twitter_logo_blue"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalBCMuseum"><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:black;text-decoration:none">@RoyalBCMuseum</span></u></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">
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</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:blue"><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.3pt;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">______________________________________________________________________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">Julie Ovenell
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">Communications Specialist | Marketing, Sales, and Business Development</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">R</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">OYAL</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:#5C8727;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">BC</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"> M</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Univers LT Pro 55";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">USEUM</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">Traditional Territory of the Lekwungen (Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations)<br>
675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC Canada V8W 9W2 </span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">
</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"> </span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">T 778-679-1379
</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><br>
<a href="mailto:JOvenell@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:blue">JOvenell@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca</span></a></span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"> | </span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><a href="https://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:blue">royalbcmuseum.bc.ca</span><span style="color:blue">
</span></a></span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"> </span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><br>
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>
Join us on:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/RoyalBCMuseum"><span style="color:blue">Facebook</span></a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/RoyalBCMuseum"><span style="color:blue">Twitter</span></a> |
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36463010@N05/"><span style="color:blue">Flickr</span></a> |
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</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#212121;background:white;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#212121;background:white">See the astonishing Maya treasures from Guatemala’s National Museum and La Ruta Maya at
<b><i>Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises, </i></b>open now until Dec. 31</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;background:white">, 2019</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#212121;background:white">. </span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#212121;background:white;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">
Purchase tickets <a href="https://sales.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Expresscheckout.aspx?item=35&exhibition=maya">
<span style="color:blue">now</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#212121;background:white;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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