If visitors didn't already link Britannia Beach with its mining history, they certainly will now as the BC Mining Museum formally changed its name to the Britannia Mine Museum this week but the community may not be pleased by the rebranding.
The new name was chosen to reflect the museum's $14.7 million transformation as well as the unique location and historic community, according to a museum press release.
"As we head into a new frontier with our newly transformed museum and tourist destination, it is only fitting that we launch with a new name that brings us back to the importance Britannia Mines has played in this storied community," said Kirstin Clausen, Britannia Mine Museum executive director.
Both a national historic site and a B.C. historic landmark, the museum was established in 1971 to preserve B.C.'s mining history.
Britannia Beach Community Association secretary Trish McNair, who grew up in Britannia, said she believes the museum has just downgraded.
McNair said being designated as the B.C. mining museum is a more prestigious than naming it after her small community.
"I don't think it should be Britannia Mining Museum, I think it should remain the province," she said. "The province is bigger than a little town called Britannia Beach and it was deemed the BC Mining Museum for a reason."
McNair, a member of one of the oldest families in Britannia, is upset her mother's hard work is no longer being recognized. Her father worked in the mine for years.
"My mother was on the centennial committee and they worked hard at the centennial project to have that name the BC Mining Museum," she said.
"I just can't see why they have to change it. I'm in touch with a lot of the other centennial committee members and we're really proud our parents took part in getting the museum deemed B.C.'s mining museum and it think it should just stay that way. It's a legacy from our parents."
That doesn't mean she isn't excited about the massive improvements to the museum, and is anticipating more great events once the restoration is complete.
"It's great all the work that they're doing they're doing a beautiful job making it more presentable for the public to come in," she said. "I went to the last theatre group in the mill and the acoustics in there are incredible and being in there just sends shivers down my spine with memories."
Clausen said the decision to change the name was put to the museum's entire membership, which is open to everyone, and the support was unanimous.
The museum also launched a new logo and overall design treatments, integrating a number of abstract references to the mine and emphasizing the unique location and geographic characteristics of the Britannia Beach region. The vertically offsetting letters of the logo represent the region's forested and mountainous area, as well as the stepped roofline of the historic Mill 3 building.
The new design treatment will be featured on the museum's new concrete highway entrance sign, highway billboards, on-site event and interpretive signs and banners, as well as on newspaper and TV advertisements.
The official grand opening weekend is Sept. 18 and 19 when the complete museum transformation will be revealed to the public.
