The Britannia Mine Museum has won an international award for its BOOM! Mill show.
The museum has garnered the Themed Entertainment Association’s (TEA) Thea Award for outstanding achievement for a museum experience with a limited budget.
The award was announced at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo 2021 in Orlando, Fla, according to a news release.
BOOM! is described as bringing the historic Mill No. 3 building “back to life.”
“From an executive director’s perspective, it is really, really exciting. We're up there with the big guys. What can I say? It is a great thrill," said Cheryl Hendrickson, executive director of the museum.
"It’s really impressive that Britannia Mine Museum’s been recognized as a really great opportunity for some people to come and view a fabulous production."
Deron Johnston, operations manager for the museum, said museum staff have often received compliments from visitors, but this is a nice validation.
“We always felt and we've received many comments from guests, from partners, that this was a world-class exhibit and a world-class show. And this is the proof and the validation from the people who decide what is world-class,” he said.
Other honourees for awards included Universal Studios and Disneyland Resorts. The only other Canadian organization to receive recognition was the Indigenous Peoples Experience by Fort Edmonton Park in Alberta.
Johnston said that due to the pandemic, TEA looked to recognize exhibits and shows from 2019.
And though this announcement took place in Orlando, Hendrickson said there will be a presentation of the award in April 2022 in California.
The museum has committed that there will be two, if not four, people to be present for that evening and that presentation.
Both Johnston and Hendrickson noted that the award for the show wouldn’t have been possible without local partners.
“A number of high-level performers in this industry came together for this project. And this is what happens when you get this level of talent together and they just happen to be in southwest B.C. here,” said Johnston.
“We didn't have to go out of country. We didn't even have to go out of province to get a world-class experience here at Britannia Mine Museum,” said Hendrickson.
Hendrickson added that the award will help market the museum when they announce new shows and exhibits, especially when it comes to international marketing when travel opens back up.
“We have all sorts of plans; we’ve grown up a lot,” Hendrickson said with a laugh. “We’re going to look to forward our offerings. We don’t want to give too much away, because once we're set up and ready to go, it will be marketed and, of course, having an award like this certainly enables you to really play on that internationally.”
For more information about the Britannia Mine Museum, including further information about the award-winning BOOM! Mill Show, go to britanniaminemuseum.ca.
