The Maritime Museum of BC receives $190,884 from the Government of Canada

Princess Sophia Steamship

Sept 28, 2017

The Princess Sophia in 1912 

The Maritime Museum of BC has received $190,884 from the Government of Canada’s Museums Assistance Program, Access to Heritage to help support the production of the SS Princess Sophia Exhibition, a travelling exhibit that will launch in Victoria, BC at the Maritime Museum of BC in January 2018. This exhibit will travel to communities through BC, Yukon, and Alaska, with major stops at Victoria, Vancouver, Whitehorse, and Juneau. A portable version of the exhibit is also available for travel throughout smaller communities as well.

“This funding is a tremendous support for the museum. We have not received a grant this size in quite a few years, so it is an honour to receive this now,” states Don Prittie, president of the museum.

The Exhibit will commemorate the sinking of the SS Princess Sophia, a Victoria-based vessel that transported passengers up the coast to Skagway, Alaska, with stops along the way. She served from 1912 to 1918 before her tragic sinking in October 1918, on her last sailing south for the winter. Everyone on board perished. Her sinking had major effects on communities along the west coast, who relied on her as their main mode of transportation.

Princess Sophia Model

“We appreciate having such strong federal support for this important project. The SS Princess Sophia provided a major transportation link for Canadian west coast communities from 1912 to 1918. The ship’s tragic sinking on October 25, 1918 and the loss of everyone onboard was the largest maritime disaster in the Pacific Northwest. We are honoured to be given the opportunity to develop a travelling exhibit that commemorates the 100th Anniversary of this event and we are very grateful that the Canadian Government is assisting us in this process,” states David Leverton, Executive Director.

“This exhibit will bring together artefacts from multiple organizations along the coast, which will be the first time they will have been together since they were salvaged from the wreck,” according to Brittany Vis, the Museum’s Associate Director. “The exhibit will also include digital interactives and personal stories of the victims.”

For more information on the story of the Princess Sophia and on the Exhibition, please visit the website at www.princesssophia.org

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