What a delight to see such important history so meticulously preserved.
The Pender Islands Museum is located on North Pender Island
We acknowledge and respect the W̱SÁNEĆ People on whose traditional territory the museum stands and whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day. Those lands include S,DÁYES—known in English as Pender Island.
We love sharing the stories that bring our rich island heritage to life. Our museum is in an historic house and features the stories of the people who have called these islands home since time immemorial.
Interesting Artefacts at the Pender Island Museum on North Pender Island
Closed for the Season
The Pender Islands Museum is now closed for the season. We thank the 2,350 islanders, part-timers, their families and friends, vacationers, and bus tour groups who visited this season to learn more about our island heritage. We are equally grateful to our wonderful volunteers who welcome visitors and keep our great little museum alive and well.
2025 marks the museum's 20th Anniversary! Watch for a special exhibition in February, 2025.
Take a Closer Look: 5 Artifacts Worth Seeing
Interesting Artefacts at the Pender Island Museum on North Pender Island
Since Time Immemorial
Archaeologists unearthed this sandstone whale carving on Pender Island in the mid-1980s. While the figure’s specific purpose is lost to time, we know it comes from a community dating back 5,000 years that created the earliest known expressions of Northwest Coast art.
A Lucky Spin at the Store
Shoppers at the Port Washington Store eagerly awaited the pre-Christmas spin of the old bike wheel in hopes it would land on their ticket number. The prize? Bags of groceries valued according to the 5, 10 or 15-cent ticket cost. The festive tradition endured for over 50 years.
Lilias' Loom
Just after Lilias Spalding came to South Pender Island as a 19-year-old bride in 1889, she bought this loom. Inspiring wife, mother, school trustee, Post Mistress, and host to visitors, she wove a community together. Her enduring legacy lives on in her family and in this impressive artifact.
Off to School
A 5-pound tin of lard—rendered pig fat—was standard fare in early Pender Islands kitchens. Once empty and cleaned, it went on to a whole new life, most often as a lunch pail for Pender Islands school kids or for collecting blackberries.
Cool, eh?
Keeping food cool was a challenge on an island without refrigeration before the introduction of electricity in 1956. Enter this ingenious butter keeper. Immersed in water, the clay absorbs moisture. As the water evaporates, the butter inside stays at or below room temperature.
