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Travelling exhibit on B.C.’s marvellous mushrooms visits Cowichan Valley Museum

Royal BC Museum display on until March 11
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Bellybutton Hedgehog. (Photo courtesy Royal BC Museum)

A travelling exhibition created by the Royal BC Museum visits the Cowichan Valley Museum at 130 Canada Ave. in Duncan from January 20, 2022 to March 11, 2022.

The B.C.’s Marvellous Mushrooms exhibit explores the science and practical uses of mushrooms today, highlighting some of the most fascinating of the 3,400 known species in the province.

The exhibition encourages visitors to learn more about BC mushrooms and their versatility. It introduces a cross-section of different species – some familiar, some bizarre, some delicious and some deadly. Their lives are interwoven with every part of British Columbia ecosystems.

Mushrooms are not only a subject of scientific study but also a source of food, dyes, and medicine as well as objects of ceremony and beauty.

Featuring interpretive graphic panels, 3D-printed mushroom models and foraging equipment, the exhibition will facilitate visitors’ understanding of BC mushrooms and their many uses.

B.C.’s Marvellous Mushrooms was created in 2021 to accompany the Royal BC Museum’s popular new handbook, Mushrooms of British Columbia by Andy MacKinnon and Kem Luther, a comprehensive and practical guide suitable for both the professional and amateur.

The Cowichan Valley Museum is open from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, beginning on the first day of the exhibition, Thursday, Jan. 20. Admission is by donation and all visitors must wear masks and provide proof of vaccination.

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Grey Fire Morel. (Photo courtesy Royal BC Museum)