The Britannia Mine Museum had their grand re-opening this past weekend and I was one of the over 500 people who took in the festivities.
I remember going to the museum as a child on a school field trip and being impressed by the shiny stones in the gift shop. I also recall the exciting feeling of putting on a hard hat for the first time and feeling like I was going on an important mission.
But when I recently returned to the museum to cover the Copper and Fire festival in August I was a little underwhelmed. The site was littered with fences, there were a number of areas that were off limits and the site seemed to lack the energy that I felt as a child.
Well, after checking out the new renovations firsthand on Sunday (Sept. 19) I was wowed by not only how good the museum looked but also just how fast they turned around the site from what I saw weeks earlier.
The new Beaty-Lundin Visitor Centre boasts a number of interesting exhibits. Personally, I was highly entertained by the dynamite display. Visitors can push down on a replica dynamite charge box and then hear a large explosion sound moments later.
After playing with the dynamite for several minutes, I noticed the long line of anxious children behind me and continued on.
Also located in the visitor centre is a small theatre, which shows a 15-minute film on the history of mining in British Columbia. Full of comfy seats and a large screen, the only thing it lacks is a popcorn machine.
Another unique feature is the mining tornado, which is an artistic display in the shape of a twister of a bunch of mining equipment and tools. There are also a number of interesting displays of different mineral and mining equipment in the centre.
Another one of the new exhibits that piqued my interest was the A-Z administration building. It houses artifacts that correspond to every letter of the alphabet (even Q).
The variety of items in the administration building is mind-boggling and there's certain to be something for everyone inside.
The gold panning exhibit has also been upgraded and everyone I spoke to raved about the newly heated water. It's also a much bigger, brighter station than before so more people than ever can fight for the tiny gold flakes found within.
The museum also boasts a brand new gift shop where there are even more shiny stones available than there were when I was a kid.
I highly recommend checking out the brand new improvements for yourself but try not to hog the dynamite box. The younger kids and those young at heart would certainly like a try.
