The Arctic Exhibition Project 

For over 60 years, the Vancouver Maritime Museum (VMM) has been sharing stories about the Pacific Northwest and the Arctic creating experiences that build bridges between the past and future. From a beautiful and unique location in Vancouver with important access to the waterfront and unparalleled views, we welcome visitors to explore exhibitions and take part in programs about life on and around the Pacific Northwest and Arctic oceans. Our flagship exhibition is the RCMP vessel St. Roch, a National Historic Site housed in an iconic A-frame shelter that holds strong nostalgic connections for many Vancouverites and visitors. As part of a strategic plan to decolonize the museum and modernize the gallery, we are embarking upon a revitalization of the exhibition around the St. Roch.  

The VMM invites proposals from experienced and qualified design firms to design, supply, and deliver to the VMM a permanent museum exhibition built around and featuring the St. Roch National Historic Site in collaboration with collections staff. The exhibition should be a significant redevelopment of existing exhibition interpretation. It should re-engage the public with the content of the exhibition, focus on developing the narrative of Joe Panipakuttuk and other Inuit guides on the St. Roch historic voyages (Phase 1), and life in the Arctic, past, present, and future (Phase 2).  

The new exhibition should employ best practices in exhibition design and technology and explore options for muti-media immersive exhibitions. It should be transformative to the VMM’s positioning within the museum context in Vancouver. It should integrate with educational programs and drive public interest and attendance. The exhibition should centre Indigenous cultures and experiences related to the St. Roch as well as maritime life in the Arctic in general.