Classic Boat Festival Saturday, Day 2
2025-08-30 09:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Inner Harbour, Wharf Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y9, Canada
Up to 100 classic vessels in Victoria’s Inner Harbour over Labour Day weekend. Docks open to the public; suggested donation of $ for entry, with all funds benefiting the Maritime Museum of BC’s programs, exhibits, and collections care.

Anchors Away Activities: Paper Woven Cards Drop-In
2025-08-30 10:30 - 13:00 | Ship Point, Wharf Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1T3, Canada
Join us at the Anchors Aweigh Activities by Ship Point gate all weekend long for fun drop-in activities for all ages run by the Maritime Museum of BC!

Learn how to create woven designs using paper, inspired by the historical techniques used in sailmaking. Participants will leave with a beautiful woven card to send to someone they love! No experience is necessary – drop in and start creating!

Feature Performer: Hounds of Cuchulain
2025-08-30 12:30 - 13:30 | Inner Harbour, Wharf Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y9, Canada
The Hounds of Cuchulain will perform from the Inner Harbour dock stage.

The Hounds of Cuchulain are a seven-piece band from Victoria, BC, delivering vibrant performances steeped in Irish, Scottish, English, and original folk music. Inspired by legends like The Dubliners, The Pogues, The Irish Rovers, The Corries, and The Chieftains, their dynamic shows feature lively dance tunes, historical ballads, engaging stories, and enchanting melodies.

Music Program: Michael Wilford and Joshua Litton
2025-08-30 14:30 - 15:30 | Inner Harbour, Wharf Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y9, Canada
Michael Wilford and Joshua Litton will perform from the Inner Harbour dock stage.

Joshua Litton and Michael Wilford grew up playing folk and fiddle music in their respective communities, after meeting in music school in 2016 it was their mutual love of folk music and songwriting that brought them together. Both incredibly passionate performers and immediate friends, they’ve performed together as part of the fiddle band ‘My Boulder House’ and as part of the backing band from performances ranging from experimental music in abandoned funeral homes to mainstage at Victoria’s Canada Day celebrations and festivals like Sunfest, Islands Folk Festival and more.

Anchors Away Activities: Beaded Fish Drop-In
2025-08-30 15:00 - 17:30 | Ship Point, Wharf Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1T3, Canada
Join us at the Anchors Aweigh Activities by Ship Point gate all weekend long for fun drop-in activities for all ages run by the Maritime Museum of BC!

Dive into this creative program inspired by the beautiful fish of British Columbia. Participants will explore the amazing diversity of fish, discover their importance to our ecosystems, and learn how to protect them. By the end, they will have a new appreciation for our fishy neighbours and a stylish beaded charm to take home.

Music Program: Bilgewater
2025-08-30 17:00 - 18:00 | Inner Harbour, Wharf Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y9, Canada
Bilgewater will perform from the Inner Harbour dock stage.

Singing primarily vocal harmony with some instrumental accompaniment; the band draws their inspiration and style from the likes of: Great Big Sea, The Dreadnoughts, Stan Rogers, David Coffin and any other historical seafaring songs they can find. Expect theatrics and full costume with Bilgewater on stage!

Boater's Skipper and Captain Meeting
2025-08-31 09:00 - 09:30
This meeting is for registered boaters, to plan their participation in the Sail Past. Marine Operations Head Bill Noon and Wharfinger Nick Banks will be on hand with vital information and timings.

Meet on the Causeway below Milestone’s.

Anchors Away Activities: Artefact Interpretation
2025-08-31 09:00 - 17:30 | Ship Point, Wharf Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1T3, Canada
Join us at the Anchors Aweigh Activities by Ship Point gate all weekend long for fun drop-in activities for all ages run by the Maritime Museum of BC!

View and handle artefacts from the Maritime Museum of BC education collection, and learn about Trekka (1955) and other heritage vessels from our volunteer interpreters.

Classic Boat Festival Sunday, Day 3
2025-08-31 09:00 - 18:00 | Inner Harbour, Wharf Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y9, Canada
Up to 100 classic vessels in Victoria’s Inner Harbour over Labour Day weekend. Docks open to the public; suggested donation of $5 for entry, with all funds benefiting the Maritime Museum of BC’s programs, exhibits, and collections care.

Sensory-Friendly Hours
2025-08-31 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-09-07 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-09-14 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-09-21 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-09-28 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-10-05 09:30 - 12:00 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
Explore the Maritime Museum of BC during our weekly Sensory-Friendly hours, designed for visitors who prefer a quiet and subdued environment. Enjoy low-volume surroundings, dimmed lighting, and a scent-free atmosphere. These dedicated hours provide an inclusive experience for all, ensuring everyone can engage with our exhibits comfortably and peacefully.

Sensory kits are available to borrow during your visit from the front desk during all opening hours.

Sail Past and Sail Race
2025-08-31 11:00 - 13:00
Watch classic vessels leave the Inner Harbour!

Head to the Ogden Point Causeway, Clover Point, or Barb’s Fish and Chips at Fisherman’s Wharf for the best view of the traditional Sail Past, and the Sail Race for sailing vessels.

Museum Tots - Otters
2025-09-06 10:30 - 11:15
This weekly program introduces children ages 3 – 5 to the fun world of museum learning. Each week’s program revolves around a new theme, encouraging children to learn through crafts, play, song, and dance. There is a new maritime theme every week.

No registration required–drop-ins welcome!

For more information, please call us at 250-385-4222 or email us at programs@mmbc.bc.ca.

Please note that parents are required to stay for the duration of the program.

Salty Sundays: Linocut Printmaking Workshop
2025-09-07 14:00 - 16:00 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
Join us for an educational and creative drop-in program where participants can create linocut bookmark or postcard prints, while learning about Salish Sea animals and their ecosystems.

This program is drop-in anytime between 2:00pm to 4:00pm, and it should take you between 15-30 minutes to finish. You are always welcome to stay longer!

Anyone ages 10+ is welcome to carve a stamp, and younger participants can make a bookmark or postcard with a pre-carved stamp!

This program is included in admission or membership, and does not require registration.

Community Day: Trekka Returns!
2025-09-12 09:30 - 16:30 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
Join us for a Community Day at the Maritime Museum of BC to celebrate 70 years this week since Trekka and John Guzzwell set sail, and 66 years since they returned to Victoria Harbour after circumnavigating the globe! Admission to the museum will be by donation all day, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Between 10:30 am to 3:30 pm that day, drop in to celebrate Trekka’s international voyage by creating a linocut postcard to send to your farthest flung friend or loved one! Carve a small linocut stamp and use our pre-carved postcard template to print your own, unique postcard.

It should take you around 15-30 minutes to complete your postcard, and all materials will be provided. You are always welcome to stay longer, and the program is free with admission!

Anyone ages 10+ is welcome to carve a stamp, and younger participants can make a postcard with a pre-carved stamp!

Museum Tots - Microscopic
2025-09-13 10:30 - 11:15

Sea Glass Jewelry Workshop
2025-09-13 14:00 - 15:30, 2025-10-04 14:00 - 15:30 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
Join us to learn about the history and beauty of sea glass in this hands-on workshop. Design your very own stunning piece of jewelry using locally sourced sea glass. No experience necessary! You’ll leave with a unique and wearable work of art that captures the beauty of the sea.

Salty Sundays: Rope Keychains
2025-09-14 14:00 - 16:00 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
This program invites participants to explore the art of knot making, inspired by sailors who crafted intricate designs during their leisure time at sea. In this hands-on workshop, attendees will learn essential macrame techniques to create their own unique keychains while discovering the rich maritime history being this creative pastime. By the end, participants will not only have a stylish accessory but also a deeper appreciation for the craft’s nautical roots.

This program is drop-in anytime between 2:00pm to 4:00pm, and it should take you between 15-30 minutes to finish your keychain. You are always welcome to stay longer!

This program is recommended for ages 10+.

Museum Tots - Lighthouses
2025-09-20 10:30 - 11:15 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
This drop-in weekly program introduces children ages 3–5 to the exciting world of museum learning! Each session features a new theme, engaging little learners through crafts, play, songs, and movement.

No registration required.

For more information, please call us at 250-385-4222 or email us at programs@mmbc.bc.ca.

Please note that parents are required to stay for the duration of the program.

Fabric Printmaking Workshop
2025-09-20 13:30 - 15:30 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
Join us for an ocean-inspired printmaking workshop at the Maritime Museum of BC, where you will carve your own linocut stamp and apply it to fabric! This hands-on session invites participants to explore the history and beauty of our rich maritime heritage through creative block printing techniques. Bring your imagination and leave with a practical item for your home or to wear that celebrates the ocean!

Each participant will take home:

4×6” Linoleum block carved with a design of their creation

A cotton tea towel or tote bag, printed with their design

Participants are also welcome to bring additional fabric materials to print on if desired. Maybe you have an old pair of jeans that need some sprucing up, or a stained t-shirt that could be printed over? Feel free to bring those in to print on as well. Please note:

Lighter coloured fabrics will show your design better.

If you decide to purchase something new for the workshop, please wash and dry it before the workshop.

Smooth fabrics that do not possess a heavy texture or stretch are best for use with our inks. Cotton, linen, broadcloth and denim are examples of ideal fabrics for use. Nylon and canvas are not recommended.

Registration includes workshop, all supplies, and admission to the Maritime Museum of BC (valid for 24 hours).

Register Here

Salty Sundays: Beaded Fish
2025-09-21 14:00 - 16:00 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
Dive into this creative program inspired by the beautiful fish of British Columbia. Participants will explore the amazing diversity of native marine and freshwater fish, discover their importance to our ecosystems, and learn how to protect them. By the end, they will have a new appreciation for our fishy neighbours and a stylish beaded charm to take home.

This program is drop-in anytime between 2:00pm to 4:00pm, and it should take you between 15-30 minutes to finish your charm. You are always welcome to stay longer!

This program is recommended for ages 8+.

Sound Like a Sailor Book Launch
2025-09-26 15:00 - 16:30 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
As this event is included in admission and free for members, there is no option to pre-book tickets. Simply join us in the MMBC gallery!

Returning to the Maritime Museum of BC gallery, author R. Bruce Macdonald launches Sound Like a Sailor (Harbour Publishing)! Join us on September 26 at 3 PM.

Lifelong sailor Bruce Macdonald knows a thing or two about the language of the sea and, in Sound Like a Sailor, he catalogues nautical terms and idioms that are used in the common vernacular. Delving deep into the colourful history behind each word or phrase, this alphabetical reference will help readers understand the maritime origins of our most ubiquitous expressions.

Discover how minding your p’s and q’s originates in how bartenders kept track of pints and quarts on sailors’ tabs, how “going berserk” calls up images of shirtless Vikings, and how the word “footloose” originally referred to an untethered sail flapping around like Kevin Bacon’s legs. And, as any superstitious sailor knows, it’s best to “cheat the devil” by having an arsenal of euphemisms at the ready when needed, as cursing is said to invite trouble aboard.

An essential book for boating enthusiasts and language buffs alike, Sound Like a Sailor is a windfall of fascinating linguistic information.

Museum Tots - Salmon Tales
2025-09-27 10:30 - 11:15

Salty Sundays: Paper Weaving Cards
2025-09-28 14:00 - 16:00 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
Learn how to create woven designs using paper, inspired by the historical techniques used in sailmaking. Participants will learn about patterns and materials, gaining skills that connect art with the practical aspects of making sails. Participants will leave with a beautiful woven card to send to someone they love!

This program is drop-in anytime between 2:00pm to 4:00pm, and it should take you between 15-30 minutes to finish your card. You are always welcome to stay longer!

This program is recommended for ages 8+. No experience necessary!

Participation is included in admission or membership, with no extra cost.

Museum Tots - Water Cycle
2025-10-04 10:30 - 11:15 | The Maritime Museum of BC, 744 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W3M6, Canada
