The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the Lakes District Museum Society does business, but according to society officials, there has never been a better time to join the organization.
Russ Skillen, president of the society, said last week the museum society is currently conducting a membership drive. The first 50 people who purchase or renew their annual membership will receive a complimentary copy of the book Burns Lake & District: A History, which retails for $20.
“Membership sales have been brisk, so those interested in getting in on the offer shouldn’t wait too long,” he noted.
Skillen said there are other advantages to being a member of the museum society. In addition to having unlimited access to the museum during regular hours and being able to vote at the organization’s annual general meeting, members also receive 10 per cent off most items in the museum bookstore and curiosity shop. They are also eligible for discounted admission fees at other BC museums.
“This year, we’re also opening a gallery and plan to display the work of at least three artists between now and the end of September,” he added. “Admission to these exhibitions will also be free for society members. And then there’s access to our recently digitized archives, which contain more than 20,000 documents, photographs, and newspaper pages.”
Anyone interested in purchasing a museum society membership should contact the organization by telephone (250-692-7450) or email (ldmuseumsociety@gmail.com).
The Lakes District Museum Society was established in 1978 to “gather and preserve information, records, and objects of educational, historical, and cultural value associated with the area.” Its museum at 520 Highway 16 West in Burns Lake contains thousands of items donated by the area’s pioneers and their descendants.