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he adventure begins at the museum where Pat Trask, Curator of Natural History

and Science takes participants on an exciting fossil tour, revealing the wonders of ancient life and sharing some of the famous discover-ies that have taken place in the Comox Valley.

In the exhibit galleries, par-ticipants see actual specimens and reconstructed casts of the Elasmosaur and Mosasaur. The remains of these fascinating marine reptiles were found along the shale banks of the Puntledge River, along with vertebrate and invertebrate fossils that lived 80 million years ago.

With curiosity piqued, the tour moves outdoors to the fossil site, which is a short drive from the museum. This is where the fun begins as Trask explains the site history and demonstrates collec-tion techniques before handing out hammers, chisels and goggles to participants excited to find a fossil of their own. This is a great activ-ity for tourists, families and school groups.

“Last year we had 6500 school children come in during the school year,” says Deborah Griffiths, Executive Director of the museum. “Science classes and natural histo-ry classes are drawn to our unique fossil material and excellent chil-dren’s programs.”

Visitors come to the museum from all around the world to view marine fossil exhibits and visit the fossil site where discover-

ies of ancient life have been fea-tured on television documentaries such as Discovery Channel and Knowledge Network.

The unearthing of the Elasmosaur put the Comox Valley on the map, drawing tourists and palaeontologists to the area. An amateur fossil hunter explor-ing the banks of the Puntledge River with his daughter found the impressive marine reptile in 1988. Thanks to the efforts of the Courtenay and District Museum

this location was quickly declared a provincial heritage site. A dedi-cated group of staff and volunteers worked diligently to excavate the area. The Elasmosaur was recon-structed and greets museum visi-tors with its toothy smile.

“Because of that find, all the scientists and amateur fossil col-lectors in the province began working together,” explains Trask. “The Elasmosaur was the catalyst to bring these groups together to learn from each other.” Trask and fellow palaeontologists continue to work together in the Vancouver Island Paleontological Society, fostering public awareness around fossil collecting. “It’s important for

us to lobby government to estab-lish rules around fossil collection, making it illegal to sell fossils because this is part of our natural heritage.”

“Every find that we have has taken years to research and cast,” says Griffiths. “The Elasmosaur took five years from the ground to the cast.”

As individuals continue to search the area, other large, extinct marine reptiles, such as the Mosasaur, have been discovered. Trask recalls when the new high-way was being built, the jaws of a Mosasaur (likely a Tylosaurus), were discovered by museum board member, Rick Ross. “The block was moved from its original position so we don’t know where it was origi-nally. It remains buried beneath the highway, somewhere along the Dove Creek intersection,” says Trask, explaining that because it is only the jaws and a few other pieces it is not enough to recon-struct a model.

The museum is full of inter-esting discoveries that will thrill amateur paleontologists and histo-rians alike. If you haven’t visited the museum recently, it underwent some exciting changes in the fall of 2012 with a reinvigoration of the display area and revamping of the museum website.

The website, http://www.courtenaymuseum.ca, hosts an impressive collection of videos and articles that act as a springboard for further discovery. The site is a popular resource that draws visitors to the Comox Valley. “They are knowledgeable tourists,” says

tThe thrill ofdiscovery

at the Courtenay and

District Museum

CULTURE

14 Tuesday, March 26, 2013 ABOUT TOWN

by Jennifer

Cox

❝ Science classes and natural history classes are drawn to our unique fossil material and excellent children’s programs. ❞– Deborah Griffiths

This model, on display at the museum, represents a new species of ratfish found

locally by a first-time fossil collector. PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

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ABOUT TOWN Tuesday, March 26, 2013 15

Griffiths, explaining that of 23,000 visitors to the museum each year, 12,000 visit the web-site.

Within the museum there is a great selection of fossils as well as reconstructions of ancient marine life. Beautiful murals by Robert Lundquist provide an impressive backdrop to displays that tell the story of Vancouver Island’s rich natural history. The museum is commit-ted to using natural history as an element for growth. “We are really interested in natural his-tory because it’s a platform that everyone can relate to,” explains Griffiths. “That’s why we get so many people on fossil tours, they come from all over the world because they are interest-ed in how things are formed.”

The museum is known for it’s paleontological discover-ies but it is rich in history and works closely with schools to host social history and pio-neer programs throughout the year, configuring programs to a teacher’s specific needs and developing programs for home-

schoolers.The museum archives are a

treasure trove of local history, photographs and information. This is a great resource for writers and local historians. The archives are open to the public Tuesday through Friday but if individuals have specific research needs, archive visits should be booked ahead of time.

There are nominal fees for programs and services but museum admission is by dona-tion, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to travel back in time 80 million years, to imag-ine the ancient reptiles whose fossilized remains are still being discovered, and to learn about the rich cultural history of our communities earliest settlers.

Railway buffs will want to visit the museum this spring to see a new exhibit profiling rail-ways in the Comox Valley. From Camp to Community shows how the formation of the railway led to industry expansion and the establishment of community. Self-curated exhibits like this one take a lot of work behind

the scenes. “We do the research, write content and work with a graphic artist to create pan-els which are often integrated into our permanent exhibit,” explains Griffiths. “We research multiple sources of informa-tion before presenting the final exhibit.”

Today, the museum stands at the forefront of the explora-

tion of Vancouver Island his-tory; from fossils and geology, to First Nations, pioneers, and logging, the museum displays the dynamic social history of this land of plenty. Excellent resources and top-notch chil-dren’s programming encour-ages the amateur scientist to continuously pursue the thrill of discovery.

A new, revamped look at the Courtenay and District Museum encourages exploration and discovery. PHOTOS BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

d his-eology,rs, andsplaysory of ellent h chil-cour-tist the

eum HALUSCHAK