The Royal British Columbia Museum (RBCM) and provincial archive is responsible for collecting and documenting the history of British Columbia, even as it’s happening.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of almost everyone in BC, disrupting daily routines, changed personal interactions and relationships, plus unexpected shifts in community life. During these uniquely uncharted times, the museum and archives is hoping to gather the pandemic stories of British Columbians in real time and build a longer-term collecting project to capture its legacy.
The museum is preparing to collect perspectives, photos, videos and mementoes that will help tell the story of these times for future generations. To accomplish this, the RBCM wants to hear from you. What do you think should be collected, and how do you think BC communities will want to remember this historic time?
The RBCM is inviting the public to write to forourtime@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca. Let them know what you think should be captured for the future. What do you think will best tell generations to come who we were and what we lived through? Your message can be just a few lines, a link to a tweet, a photo or even a poem. Since the museum staff are still working at home, they ask that you don’t send any material objects.
While this may be a time to keep our distance, we can all use this as an opportunity to stay connected and let the future know how we managed in the COVID-19 era.