Feb 26, 2019

The Maritime Museum of BC has received funding from the Victoria Foundation to provide programs, walking tours, and admissions free to those experiencing marginalization within the Greater Victoria region.

Brittany Vis, Associate Director of the Maritime Museum of BC, indicated “It is important to serve all parts of our local community, and that no one is left behind. This funding helps to ensure that all members of society have the opportunity to benefit from the many different types of Museum experiences that we offer. Museums have the ability to create a sense of belonging and well-being within a community, and more often than not, at-risk populations are the most in need of this.”
 
A total of almost $15,000 in funding from the Victoria Foundation, will be spread out to offer the Museum’s walking tours, Museum Tots, Maritime Memories, and craft workshops to those who do not have the means to cover the costs themselves. The Maritime Museum of BC will do this through current and newly created partnerships with organizations in the Greater Victoria region who serve those experiencing marginalization, homelessness, or other at-risk populations. Some of these programs can be delivered off-site and in a space that the participants feel comfortable in.
 
The Maritime Museum of BC would like to thank the Victoria Foundation for making this possible. The Maritime Museum of BC is a non-profit and registered charitable organization. It is only through foundation or government funding that non-profits and charitable organizations are able to offer services of value to all community members.
 
“We really see this as an opportunity to start forming more meaningful partnerships within our local community. We hope to build on these initiatives into the future as we continue with our proposed development plans to move back into a refurbished 28 Bastion Square,” said David Leverton, Executive Director of the Maritime Museum of BC. “The relationships we build now with the Victoria Foundation funding have the potential to shape the community-focused spaces in a larger facility. We look forward to hearing more from all parts of the community about what their needs are and how we can help to fill them as we build towards a better future together.”