British Columbia Archives

Identity area

Identifier

BCA

Authorized form of name

British Columbia Archives

Parallel form(s) of name

    Other form(s) of name

      Type

      • Provincial/state
      • Government
      • Museum

      Contact area

      Type

      Address

      Street address

      655 Belleville Street

      Locality

      Victoria

      Region

      British Columbia

      Country name

      Canada

      Postal code

      Telephone

      Reference Room: (250) 387-1952

      Fax

      Reference Room: (250) 387-2072

      Email

      Note

      Type

      Mailing Address

      Address

      Street address

      675 Belleville Street

      Locality

      Victoria

      Region

      BC

      Country name

      Canada

      Postal code

      V8W 9W2

      Telephone

      Fax

      Email

      URL

      Note

      Description area

      History

      The BC Archives is one of the oldest archival institutions in Canada. Its origins date back to 1894 when R.E. Gosnell, the first permanent Legislative Librarian, started to collect “manuscript statements and narratives, old letters, journals, files of newspapers, books, pamphlets, reports, charts, maps, photographs, sketches” which would “illustrate the history of the North West and the Pacific Coast, and more particularly of British Columbia”. In 1908, Gosnell’s services “as archivist” were engaged marking the beginning of the Archives as a distinct identity. Gosnell is considered the first Provincial Archivist. With the exception of 1940-1946, until 1974 the Archives was administratively part of the Provincial (now Legislative) Library. The position of Provincial Archivist from 1910-1940 and 1946-1974 was held by the Provincial Librarian. In 1974 the Library and Archives were separated as well as the two positions. In 1989, the Records Management Branch (established in 1982) was merged with the Archives. In 2002 the two were separated when the BC Archives became part of the new Royal BC Museum Corporation and the records management functions were retained by government.

      Geographical and cultural context

      Mandates/Sources of authority

      Royal BC Museum Corporation

      Administrative structure

      Records management and collecting policies

      Holdings consist of archived records of the Government of British Columbia, and historical records of provincial significance relating to British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest.

      Buildings

      Holdings

      Total Volume: 6900 m of textual records; 5 million photographs; 10,000 art works; 68,000 cartographic and architectural items; 29,000 sound and moving holdings; 80,000 library items.
      Inclusive Dates: ca. 1530 to present
      Predominant Dates: 1850-1990

      Finding aids, guides and publications

      Website provides information on services available and conditions of use of facilities and holdings; direct e-mail provision for collection inquiries; searchable descriptions of library resources, government and non-government textual records, sound and moving images, and visual and cartographic records with a capability to view selected photographic images and maps, research guides, a list of newspapers on microfilm at the BC Archives.

      Access area

      Opening times

      Full Service Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 - 16:00
      Partial Service Hours: Monday to Friday 16:00 - 20:00; Saturday, 13:00-17:00.

      Access conditions and requirements

      Accessibility

      Services area

      Research services

      Reproduction services

      Public areas

      Control area

      Description identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules and/or conventions used

      Status

      Revised

      Level of detail

      Full

      Dates of creation, revision and deletion

      Revised November 2009.
      Updated by BCANS Coordinator, January 10, 2016.

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Maintenance notes

          Access points

          Access Points