Museum Sponsored Talks

Gabriolans Talk - Following the horse trail from Brazil to Gabriola
Thursday, October 26, 2017
7:00 pm - 9:00 pmRoxy Lounge, Twin Beaches
In 2010, Gabriola filmmaker Tobi Elliott sent a videographer to Brazil to document Horses for Orphans, a project pioneered by horsewoman Ingela Larsson Smith, who uses natural horsemanship to help disadvantaged Brazilian children become leaders. On Thursday, Oct.26, Tobi will share this amazing and inspirational story as part of the Gabriola Museum’s annual Gabriolan Stories presentation series.
read moreOur Common Thread: DNA
Thursday, February 22, 2018
7:00 pm - 9:15 pmRoxy Lounge, Twin Beaches
We’ve all seen those TV ads promising that with a simple cheek-swab of DNA, we could be related to Marie Antoinette or Abraham Lincoln, or reunite with long lost relatives we didn’t know we had.
Are those claims true? And what can DNA really tell us about our past, our families and our community?
Find out at 7 pm on Thursday, February 22, at the Roxy, when Dr Sam Abraham will give a presentation about the latest advances in DNA science, including DNA fingerprinting, the geographic ties of Haplotypes, how DNA can identify traits in humans and ties to regions, and separating DNA myth from reality.
Dr Abraham holds a PhD in genetics from UBC, and has been on the cutting edge of research including as Vice President of Research at the BC Cancer Agency, and at the Provincial Health Services Authorit
This presentation is sponsored by the Gabriola Historical and Museum Society. Admission by donation. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Refreshments will be available.
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Cuba Si: Island Time Latin Style
Thursday, April 19, 2018
7:00 pm - 9:00 pmRoxy Lounge, Twin Beaches
Thurs, April 19 – Cuba Si: Join Gabriola’s international travel team Alison Douglas and Steve Struthers at 7pm at Roxy, for a talk and slide show of Cuba island time – Latin style!
read moreFollowing the Horse trail from Brazil to Gabriola
Ingela and Richard’s family drama plays like a Brazilian tele-novella, as tragedy, comedy and cultures collide. They experience gang shootings that take family members, wild drug escapades that cost the boys their freedom, and repeated financial and physical disasters...
read more8th Fire – A CBC documentary Community film screening
8TH FIRE is a provocative journey through Aboriginal country showing you why we need to fix Canada’s 500 year old relationship with Indigenous peoples; a relationship mired in colonialism, conflict and denial. Saturday, May 13, 1- 3 pm EPISODE 1: Indigenous in the...
read moreHow to ID & Safely Remove Gabriola’s Invasive Plants
Three local experts will share their experience and solutions.
Thursday, May 11th, 7pm (doors open at 6:30)
The Roxy Lounge, Twin Beaches.
Firing Lines: Three Canadian Women Write the First World War
Thursday, April 20th
7 pm (doors at 6:30)
Roxy Theatre
Gabriola Museum proudly presents local author, editor and playwright Debbie Marshall as she launches her latest book at the Roxy Theatre.
Firing Lines:Three Canadian Women Write the First World War.
From Addiction-Fueled Con to Model citizen
John Howard Society to give presentation on Gabriola about new addiction treatment that is changing lives. by Ivan Bulic; submitted to the sounder March 16, 2017 Few communities in BC remain untouched by addiction problems. And while the opioid crisis makes the front...
read moreFrom Dunes to Palms – a West Africa Adventure
Gabriola’s favourite world travellers, Steve Struthers and Alison Douglas, have just returned from their latest adventure - a voyage that took them from the deserts of Mauritania to the equatorial jungles of Senegal. They will share a multi media presentation at 7 pm,...
read moreEarthquakes in the Vancouver lsland Area – past and future
The Museum’s first evening of the 2017 Gabriolan Talk Series will feature geologist Steven Earle discussing earthquakes. Steve will review the geological origins of earthquakes on Canada’s shaky western coast and will discuss the evidence for and effects of some...
read moreCelebrating the 70th Anniversary of Malcolm Lowry’s inspiration for October Ferry to Gabriola
Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Malcolm Lowry’s inspiration for October Ferry to Gabriola Ivan Bulic In 1946, British novelist Malcolm Lowry, soon to be famous with publication of Under the Volcano (considered one of the great novels of the 20th century), was...
read moreHidden India: A photo-journey to Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat
Many islanders have enjoyed Steve and Alison’s travel talks about their treks to Antarctica, New Guinea, Burma and China’s Yunnan Province - always spiced with a liberal dose of humour. Their latest show on Hidden India promises the same combination of exotic locales,...
read moreFrom Gabriola to the Bering Sea and Back
From Gabriola to the Bering Sea and Back as published in the Sounder, March 16, 2016 Only a handful of small-boat sailors have dared to venture “north of 60” into Alaska’s Bering Sea; one of the stormiest and most dangerous stretches of water on the planet. Gabriola...
read moreMuseum’s 2016 Talk Series opens with presentation on Martin Mars water bomber.
Museum’s 2016 Talk Series opens with presentation on Martin Mars water bomber. Submitted to the Sounder by: Gabriola Historical and Museum Society BC’s iconic Martin Mars water bomber is the biggest seaplane in the world. And few people know more about the big red...
read moreDavy the Punk
We hope you will be able to join us for our final event before the Museum closes its doors for 2015 : a performance of “Davy the Punk”. Bob Bossin will be performing his one-man show, probably for the last time on Gabriola, on the evening of Saturday, October 10th,...
read moreThe Future of Agricultural Self-sufficiency on Gabriola
article published in the SOUNDER, February 24, 2015 With close to 70 percent of all fruit and vegetables consumed in BC imported from California and the US, we will all have to start rethinking where our food comes from and how we grow it. Food production in...
read moreFrom Gabriola to Flanders Fields
November, 2014 The community commemorates the centennial of the First World War. For a transcipt of the presentation, and more WWI archival photos in our past exhibit, see From Gabriola to Flanders Field. November, 2014 The community commemorates the centennial of...
read moreFirst Nations Treaties and Gulf Island Development
“ First Nations are not opposed to development, they’re opposed to not being part of the discussion." That’s part of the message that Adam Olsen, a Tsartlip First Nations member, former municipal councilor delivered to the Gabriola Museum’s annual general meeting on...
read moreBridge over Troubled Waters
History of fixed link proposals – Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands and the B.C. Mainland See also article in Archives.
read moreBetween Wood and Water: restoring Dorothy, the oldest sailboat in Canada
A multimedia presentation by Gabriola boat builder and artist Tony Grove and documentary film maker Tobi Elliott.
read moreStory of Silva Bay Shipyard
The Story of Silva Bay Shipyard by Fred Withey
read moreEarly Settlers on the Gulf Islands
April, 2012 Presentation by historian Jean Barnam on the arrival of Hawaiian, African-America and Spanish settlers on the West Coast. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Library.
read morePetroglyph Tour
Petroglyph tour February, 2012 The tour was led by Dr. E.C. Krupp, Director of the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, CA, and Ian C. McLennan, Consultant to Museums, Science Centres Planetariums, Digital Theatres, Theme attractions, and World Expositions, Vancouver,...
read moreThe Way it Was
February 2012 Cecil Ashley presented vintage movies from the 1930s and 1940s depicting the logging, sawmilling, and fishing industries on the west coast of BC activities of the time. The movies were complemented by local artist Doug Harrison’s Working West Coast...
read moreGiving Peace a Chance
October, 2011 Long-time peace and social activists Susan Yates, Holda Pattern, Jean McLaren and Ted Wilson recounted the story of the Gabriola Island Peace Association.
read moreFlippers to Flukes
Information on Vancouver Aquarium’s BC Cetacean Sightings Network and the role that Gabriolans can play in reporting cetacean sightings. The speakers were Caitlin Birdsail and Heather Lord of Vancouver Aquarium. GROWLS co-sponsored the...
read moreCrossing the Waters
This was a multi-visual presentation on the history of ferry services to Gabriola Island with guest speaker Mark Stefanson, BC Ferries Vice-President of Public affairs.
read morePrehistoric Rock Art
A presentation by Professor Jean Clottes.
read morePotlatch of the Quamichan First Nation
A celebration of Jane Degnen’s descendants.
read moreVanishing Beacons: The Story of BC’s Lighthouses and Lightkeepers
Presented by Ivan Bulic, a Director for the Canadian Lightkeepers Association.
read moreJoined Hands
Grand Opening of the Joined Hands exhibit presenting the history and legacy of Jane Degnan and Louisa Silva (note link).
read moreMuseum Sponsored Fundraising

Gabriola Trivia Night
Saturday, November 4, 2017
7:00 pm - 9:30 pmGabriola Community Hall
Come join us for a fun evening. Learn something new about Gabriola, team up to answer interesting questions about Gabriola Trivia, tempt yourself with decadent desserts, peruse amazing auction items.
You’re invited to the second annual Gabriola Museum Trivia Night. Gather your friends to share a table, and pool your Gabriola knowledge to challenge the interesting questions carefully culled from last year’s contestant’s suggestions, the new Historic Guidebook – and wherever our creative team can find them . Tempt yourself with decadent desserts, coffee, tea – or indulge in a beverage from the cash bar. There will be one-of-a-kind auction items to tease your pocketbook, lots of laughs, and a fun time spent with friends.
read moreGabriola Trivia Night
Tickets will be on sale online early next week. You're invited to the second annual Gabriola Museum Trivia Night. Gather your friends to share a table, and pool your Gabriola knowledge to challenge the interesting questions carefully culled from last year's...
read moreSo you think you know Gabriola
Trivia Contest Spend an evening challenging your knowledge of Gabriola past and present. The evening promises to be lively and fun with MCs Gary McCollum and Danna Lewis. Prizes for winning teams (6 to a team) Desserts and Cash Bar Enjoy decadent desserts, tea and...
read moreAirfare for 2 and one week stay in Sicily
Lynn Dillon, of Nanaimo, is the happy winner of the Museum's 2015 raffle. Congratulations, Lynn! The draw was made by Lizhen Mao (a friendly bystander), in front of a group of about 15 people at the Folk Life Village. The Museum thanks all the people that purchased...
read moreGabriola Roots: The Land Provides film premiere and Scarecrow Auction fundraiser
Many thanks to Steve Struthers, our event photographer, Gerry Stefanson* (Cymbal Wear) and Derek Mattes, our intrepid auctioneers, Sonja Zupanec (Just Another Weed Patch), who donated the lovely flower arrangement for the door prize, Village Food Mart, who supplied...
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