The Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection, one of our most well-known and beloved special collections, contains material related to three broad and interrelated themes: early British Columbia history, immigration and settlement, and the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. The collection contains a wide variety of documents, photographs, books, artifacts and maps related to each of these themes.
Selections from the collection are on display in RBSC, organized to show some of the most compelling stories of Canada’s past.
Early B.C. history:
Related to early B.C. history are rare editions of the narratives of many Pacific voyages of discovery including Valdes, Galiano, Malaspina, Cook, and Vancouver. The exhibition also features charts recording the exploration of the Pacific Northwest.
Immigration and settlement:
The Fraser River gold rush that sparked Chinese immigration to British Columbia is highlighted through books and government documents relating to the restriction of such immigration. Chinese-Canadian cultural, social, and economic life is displayed through archival documents, photographs, and artifacts.
European immigration to Canada is illustrated with promotional brochures and posters encouraging settlers to the West, and archival material from the Clandonald colony in Alberta, a community of immigrants from the Scottish Hebrides.
Canadian Pacific Railway:
Documents, maps, and publications show how the Canadian Pacific Railway was built, and how Vancouver was chosen as the western terminus. Photographs and accounts of the building of the railway are presented, along with vibrant posters promoting travel and tourism via C.P.R. rail and steamships. Beautiful examples of cruise ship memorabilia provide a glimpse of the style of the times.
The exhibition is open to the public, free of charge during Rare Books and Special Collections opening hours (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.) for self-guided tours. For those who aren’t able to visit in person, we have a virtual tour of the Chung Collection exhibition room available, as well as a number of informational videos about the collection. We hope you enjoy them!