St. Roch Immersive Experience + Maritime Museum

The Vancouver Maritime Museum (VMM) is undertaking its largest project in 66 years—an Inuit-led revitalization of the St. Roch exhibit, the first major renewal since 1974. Built in 1928 in North Vancouver for the RCMP to patrol the Arctic, St. Roch is a significant piece of maritime history. The ship made several voyages in extreme Arctic conditions, sometimes trapped in ice for 10 months per year.

 
The revitalized exhibit honors the essential contributions of Inuit guides—including women and children—whose knowledge and technologies ensured survival of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the Arctic.

  
The transformed gallery will offer an immersive Arctic perspective and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, allowing visitors to move freely and interact with the ship and its stories. Contemporary and historical content will be interwoven to present the truths of colonialism connected with the history of St. Roch. 

“Bringing Indigenous perspectives to the foreground and upgrading the exhibit’s presentation to modern standards will be the biggest upgrade to the museum since the St. Roch exhibit opened in 1974. This project will upgrade the stories being told and the technology we are using to tell them.”  David Jordan, Executive Director
 

A revitalized St. Roch exhibit is a key part of the vision for the future of the VMM.

This project was made possible by contributions from the Destination Development Fund, Pacific Economic Development Fund, Gaming Commission, BC Arts Council, Parks Canada, the VMM Strategic Projects Fund, and the Vancouver Maritime Museum’s generous donors.