The featured display this year (July-Aug. 2024) is on the Carmen Mirandas, a group of Denman women (usually three) who over the years would appear at community events and protests dressed as Carmen Miranda, or occasionally in other costumes.

Also new last year is the outdoor display area featuring artifacts from the farming, fishing and transportation history of Denman island.

As well, the exploration of the History of Road Names on Denman continures this summer with Graham Lake and McFarlane Road. Previous years exhibits traced the history of the Lacon family (Lacon Road and Reginald Road). Hilda (Slayter) Lacon’s dramatic story of surviving the sinking of the Titanic was a big part of that story. Rosalee Peppard’s one woman play of Hilda’s life was presented at the hall.

The museum is open every day in July and August 1 pm to 4 pm.

Contacts – Barry Landeen ph.250 335 0960 or blandeen@gmail.com

DD Fuchs ph.250 335 1413 or tdfuchs@telus.net

Past Feature Displays

The featured display 2023 was The Marine Environment of Denman Island. It has been put together by the Association of Denman Island Marine Stewards (ADIMS), a group that has been pivotal in preserving and managing the marine environment around Denman Island. Their activism has spurred government to enact stricter environmental standards and has led to a yearly cleanup up of beach debris, mostly plastics.

Inspired by the Museum – 2019 – Island artists from the Denman Fibre Challenge and the Denman Quilters were asked to create something inspired by objects in the museum. The central piece was a full size quilt made by the quilters and given to the museum.

Denman Island Peace Group – 2018 – Activism has been part of the social fabric of Denman for many years and the Denman Peace Group was central to that activism in the 1980’s and 90’s and continued to be a voice for peace into the 2000’s and beyond. The exhibit was curated by Peace Group members Patti Willis and Laura Pope.

History of Education on Denman Island – 2017 – The exhibition looked at the history of schooling on Denman from the establishment of the first formal school in 1878 to the present. Many memories and class photos were included.

History of Pottery of Denman Island- 2016 The exhibition traced the history of pottery production on Denman Island beginning with First Nations. Since the 1970’s Denman has been known as an island of potters and the displays highlighted many of the potters and their work over the last 50 years.