This summer the Sooke Region Museum celebrated our tourism industry through an exhibit on past and present accommodations and restaurants in the area. Quite a few residents have been moved by the exhibit as it shows just how much Sooke has changed since the early 1900s. For this reason, the exhibit, titled “Accommodating the World,” has been extended until March 1, 2015.
Our community has blossomed into one of the most coveted vacation spots on the island. The delicious and locally grown food and exclusive accommodations continually draw people to the Sooke region. The exhibit focuses on many establishments, but emphasizes historically significant ones such as the Belvedere Hotel and the Sooke Harbour House. The content has been really educational for new residents and younger generations.
The exhibit has a few key features.
• One feature is a menu book that includes all eateries in the Sooke Region. This menu book has proven to be very useful for tourists and will be used in the Visitor Centre when the exhibit ends.
• Another feature is a photo op with hay in front of a stable door from the Belvedere Hotel (see the June 11, 2014 Curator’s Corner column for information on this door).
• Additionally, a comment station allows people to share their favourite restaurant or accommodation in the region. This portion of the exhibit has been extremely well received.
The museum extends a warm thank you to all donors who have objects on display in the exhibit. Questions and comments regarding the content are being directed to the museum’s Collections and Exhibits Manager, Brianna Shambrook, who curated the exhibit (musasst@Sookeregionmuseum.com).