I love it when I can get my family to engage with B.C. history, and visiting the Britannia Mine Museum had been on my to-do list for a long time. A one-way vehicle and driver voucher that we’d received because of a cancelled BC Ferries sailing plus a Family Day Weekend promotion on admission at the museum meant that we had a great opportunity for an off-Island adventure. It did not disappoint!

Taking the 8:25 a.m. ferry from Nanaimo, we arrived right on time for our 11 a.m. reservation at the museum. Soon after, we were heading underground for a guided tour of a haulage tunnel and then into the historic Mill No. 3 for the BOOM! show. We had a quick break for lunch and then spent some time exploring the other buildings and exhibits at our own pace. Overall, we spent three hours at the site and had plenty of time to get back to Horseshoe Bay for our 3:45 p.m. sailing back to the Island. We had a fun time checking out a neat place that we hadn’t been to before and learning about the mining operations there. I’d definitely recommend a visit for other families who are looking for an interesting day trip that contains a healthy dose of British Columbia history.