The Shawnigan Lake Historical Society | The Shawnigan Lake Museum

Join us for the next
Virtual Book Talks

September 30 at 7 PM

Alice Ravenhill
Early advocate of BC
1st Nations Rights
by Lauren Miller

October 30 at 7 PM

The people behind the names
on the local cenotaph
by Jim Ward

To register, email:
[email protected]

What visitors say...

Absolutely amazed at the diversity of displays! A fabulous layout of artifacts. - Barb & John
It's taken us 10 minutes to think of a a comment because we liked so many things! - Rob & Sarah
Excellent displays. Great tour guide. - Shirley
Amazing exhibits and nice people - Curtis
This is such a cool place - Zoey

Beginning September 1

Open 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Thursday - Sunday

EJ HUGHES GALLERY

E.J. Hughes lived at Shawnigan Lake for over twenty years until he found it too busy and noisy (circa 1970) and moved to Cobble Hill. Hughes' last studio, in a modest house in Duncan, was a spare bedroom, with a table and easel set close to a single north window. He painted there, in the afternoon, six days a week. Sunday was his day off.

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KINSOL TRESTLE

Your GO TO SOURCE for information about the Kinsol Trestle at Shawnigan Lake. Stop by the Museum on your way to/from the Kinsol Trestle to learn it's history. We have two scale models: one 3 foot and one 10 foot! There are also historical and a time lapse restoration video of the Trestle for your enjoyment.

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THE LAST SPIKE

The Last Spike was ceremoniously placed by Sir John A. Macdonald in 1886, at Cliffside. He used a silver hammer and pounded a gold spike. In 1883, the British Columbia Government appealed to Robert Dunsmuir to build a railway. The 72 miles of track, which was laid starting from Esquimalt and Nanaimo met at Mile 25 (Cliffside, Shawnigan Lake).

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Admission by donation

When?

• 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday - Sunday

Why?

• Friendly guides
• Interactive displays
• Historical slide shows
• EJ Hughes gallery
• Kinsol Trestle models

Where?

• 1775 Shawnigan-Mill Bay Rd
Shawnigan Lake, BC

How to get here?

Coming from the south:
• travel north on Hwy 1 to
   Mill Bay
• turn left at Shawnigan-
   Mill Bay Road (2nd light)
• travel 5 minutes west to
   Shawnigan Lake Village

Coming from the north:
• travel south on Hwy 1 to
   Mill Bay
• take Shawnigan-Mill Bay
   Road turn off
• travel 5 minutes west
   to Shawnigan Lake
   Village

Coming by transit bus:
• click here for directions