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City boasts rich cultural base
Thursday, May 28th, 2009 by GetawayBC.com
Those looking for the cultural side of Kamloops don’t have to go too far.
Kamloops has a rich cultural heritage that ranges from art to theatre to First Nations history.
Here is a look at what the city has to offer.
Kamloops Art Gallery
The Kamloops Art Gallery is located in downtown Kamloops and boasts the largest permanent art collection in the Interior, with more than 1,700 pieces.
It also features a gallery store, hosts special events and offers programs for children and adults who want to explore their artistic side.
Location: 101-465 Victoria St.
Kamloops Symphony Orchestra
Some say there is nothing like experiencing live orchestral music – and Kamloops can provide that experience.
From September to May, the KSO offers live music by composers from around the world and in a range of styles.
Performances are held at the 710-seat Sagebrush Theatre, 1300 Ninth Ave., and the Pavilion Theatre.
Kamloops Firehall Museum
The City of Kamloops Fire Rescue Service has created a museum that showcases the 116-year history of firefighting in Kamloops.
Location: 1205 Summit Dr.
Two Rivers Junction Dinner and Musical
Fun, food and music are awaiting visitors at the Two River Junction Dinner and Musical Review. The evening is a dinner theatre complete with a musical trip through some of the hit songs of past decades.
The season runs from mid-April to mid-October every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings.
Location: Kamloops Convention Centre, 1250 Rogers Way.
Kamloops Museum and Archives
With three floors of permanent and changing exhibits, visitors can discover the history of this Wild West town.
Exhibits here include: the local Secwepemc nation, early fur traders, the gold rush and gold seekers, cattle ranchers, paddlewheelers and railway construction, the coming of permanent settlers and the making of a frontier town.
Tours include informal or formal guided museum tours.
There are also programs for children – kindergarten to Grade 7 – available year-round.
A self-guided walking tour, bicycle tours and cemetary tours are available.
The Kamloops Museum and Archives is located at the corner of Second Avenue and Seymour Street in the bright gold building.
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday closing at 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $3 for adults, $1 for youth.
Location: 207 Seymour St.
Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park
In order to experience the cultural history of the First Nations people of this area, a visit to the Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park is in order.
The museum exhibits incorporate the oral history and legends of the Secwepemc People along with historical photographs, illustrations and artifacts.
Also on display are birch canoes, summer mat lodge and exhibits on hunting, fishing, clothing, games, food gathering and cooking.
The Heritage Park is located on the banks of the South Thompson River on a 12-acre property and is a complement to the museum.
There is more than one kilometre of trails leading visitors through the archeological remains of a 2,000-year-old Shuswap winter village site, four reconstructed winter pit houses and a summer village.
The village features a tule mat lodge, hunting lean-to, fish drying rack, fish trap, smoke house and traditional plant foods.
The Ethnobotanical Gardens
The Secwepemc Ethnobotanical Gardens are located in the Heritage Park and are divided into five zones, each representing a different ecosystem found within the Secwepemc territory.
Each system supports particular native plants that were traditionally harvested by the Secwepemc.
Interpretive signs located at each garden describe the ecosystem in which the plants grow naturally.
Location: 311-355 Yellowhead Hwy.
Western Canada Theatre
From September through March, those looking for a play or two need not search very far.
Plays include comedies, cutting-edge new Canadian works and plays from around the world.
The 2009-20010 season includes Sexy Laundry by Michele Riml, No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre, My Fair Lady by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, The Foursome by Norm Foster, The Miracle Worker by William Gibson, Audible by Cayman Dncan and Skydive by Kevin Kerr.