May marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe and the Liberation of the Netherlands by the Canadian Forces in 1945.
To honour the bravery and sacrifices of the citizens of the Netherlands under occupation by German forces and the heroic events by the Canadian Forces to free the population from tyranny, the HMCS ALBERNI Museum and Memorial (HAMM) will be focusing the summer season on these events with an exhibit titled VRIJHEID/FREEDOM.
In creating this exhibit, which will be shown in HAMM鈥檚 Education Centre, the museum staff would like to offer local residents the opportunity to share their family stories by loaning artefacts or stories of the Occupation to show during the exhibit. New display units have been added this year to help showcase and preserve stories of these historical times, with a presentation of the days leading up to the Day of Liberation.
VRIJHEID/FREEDOM is expected to run from May through November and is included in the admission fee. HAMM is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is also available by appointment for groups of six or more on Sundays, Mondays, or evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. through the summer.
HAMM is also seeking local business sponsorship and public donations of funds to help the museum continue its role in the community as one of the Valleys five major museums. There is also an extra unique fundraising program to purchase a building of their own in addition to general funding needs during these difficult financial times. The 鈥淧ut HAMM in the PINK鈥� program began in February to save the museum from the possibility of closure at the end of 2025.
The Alberni Project Society is a registered not-for-profit society and registered Charity. For more information about how you can loan your objects or donate funds or other artefacts, please call the museum at 250-897-4611, email: k103museum@alberniproject.org, visit the front desk at 625 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay or visit the society鈥檚 website at: .
