Our school programs are always evolving to suit the needs of educators, respond to social, economic, and political changes, and to integrate the latest Gallery exhibitions. We welcome classes from all schools in the region, and all grades. Content can be tailored to suit any age group.

Our gallery exhibitions are on a rotating schedule which changes approximately every three months. For up-to-date information please visit the Current Exhibitions page.

Available Tours

Current Gallery Exhibitions:

Gallery A: Broken Promises (February 26 to May 28, 2022) Japanese internment displaced thousands of Japanese Canadians during WWII. Told through the stories of seven narrators, Broken promises illuminates the loss of home and the struggle for justice.

Gallery B: Emma Nishimura | Generational Echoes (March 11 to June 4, 2022) Thinking about the weight of memory and the stories that are passed down from one generation to the next (and the stories that are lost as well) this exhibition presents a survey of series created by Emma Nishimura and focuses on the narratives surrounding the Japanese Canadian internment. 

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Upcoming Gallery Exhibitions: 

Gallery A: SHUTTER (June 18 to September 3) is the third in an ongoing series of medium-centric group exhibitions which explore specific medium/media through as diverse a lens as possible. These group exhibitions are a means of creating a curated and critical discourse with artists from across Canada, involving issues of: place/environment, identity politics and other diasporic realities, means and method, craft vs. art, urban vs. rural, and many other actualities. Featuring Dayna Danger, Adad Hannah, Sandra Semchuck, Thaddeus Holownia, Althea Thauberger, Suzy Lake, and Fred Rosenberg, SHUTTER is generously funded by the Canada Council for the Arts. 

Gallery B: Tekoa Predika | Enduring Spirit (June 11 to August 13) A portrait series by photographer Tekoa Predika pairs well with SHUTTER in Gallery A. This series uses wet plate collodion tintype photographic process, paired with historical photos from the Shawn Lamb Archives. 

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Nelson’s Cold War Bunker Join the Education Team for a tour of Nelsons Bunker, constructed in secret during the height of the Cold War. 

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History Museum Tour Visitors to the second floor Museum Exhibition will experience the geographical challenges, enchanting beauty and human resourcefulness of this place. Explore Red Ribbon Round It and the Missing Voices project, to create space for discussing what and who is missing from the exhibit. Afterwards, share your feedback in the turret ‘Speakers Corner’ installation.

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The Shawn Lamb Archives Explore half a million photographs, records, obituaries, and newspapers that document the early history of Nelson and area. Learn about preservation practices, how pieces are accessioned into the Collection, and more.

Guidelines for School Visits

Be curious! Ask questions. Our Museum Educators are well-versed in the rotating exhibitions, the museum space, and the Shawn Lamb Archives. They are here to help you learn and have fun during your visit, so please be courteous, listen, and follow directions. 

The Museum may be open to the public while you are visiting. Please stay with your group, talk quietly, and do not run. Food and drink are not permitted in the Museum exhibitions.

Experience art with your eyes and minds – not your hands. Do not touch, climb on, or handle artwork unless expressly given permission from your Museum Educator. 

Questions? Email info@touchstonesnelson.ca