Free tours of Moss Cottage and Triangle Island Lighthouse
Treat yourself to a history lesson Saturday with free tours of Moss Cottage and Triangle Island Lighthouse at the Sooke Regional Museum.
Moss Cottage, the oldest standing pioneer home west of Victoria, was built in 1869 and moved to the grounds of museum in 1977.
Visitors to the cottage on Saturday will step back in time and be welcomed by an interpretive guide in the character of Matilda “Aunt Tilly” Gordon, who is raising her two children on her own, in 1902.
Aunt Tilly will chat with visitors as she performs household tasks common in the turn of the century.
Historian Lanny Seaton will welcome visitors to the lighthouse, which was built on Triangle Island in 1910. He will tell stories of life at the lighthouses of Vancouver Island as well as the saga of the journey of the lighthouse from Triangle Island (off Cape Scott, on the northern tip of Vancouver Island) to the Sooke Region Museum.
This event is supported by the Province of British Columbia.
Admision is free. The event runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. Tours begin approximately every 20 minutes at the Sooke Region Museum, 2070 Phillips Rd., Sooke. For more information, go to sookeregionmuseum.ca.
Free public-art walks in Victoria during the Winter Arts Festival
Check out Victoria’s public art with free walking tours during the Winter Arts Festival, at various venues downtown, Friday to Sunday.
The festival has teamed up with John Adams, the founder of Discover The Past Tours, to build a special public-art walk in downtown Victoria. Get ready to see major new public art installations, stop in a few warming locations and maybe even a pop-up performance in a storefront — all in historic downtown Victoria.
The tour includes stories about the artists, behind the scenes information about the creation of the festival and insights into the history of the buildings.
The tour is by donation, but registration is recommended as spaces are limited.
The 90-minute tour starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday from the main gate of Market Square, 560 Johnston St. The route takes participants south to Wharf Street, Bastion Square, the Rithet Building, Chinatown and ends at Brew Works, 506 Herald St. at the Winter Arts Festival Hub.
Capacity for each tour is limited to 20 guests. For more information, or to book, go to downtownvictoria.ca/series/winter-arts-festival-2024-walking-tour.
