Royal BC Museum, summer 2023; Angkor and T. Rex
These are the current main exhibits at the RBCM through the fall, and here is the review: 1) the Angkor exhibit is very long and beautiful but only worth seeing if 2D images really do nothing for you, and 2) the T. rex exhibit is very short and lackluster but very worth seeing if you want something that feels truly novel, like a total Ripley’s moment.
(Details below.)
The Angkor exhibit is very much from/of the European perspective; Angkor history for us–as per the chronology of the walkthrough–begins when the colonial historians begin studying. Kinda sus! Typical RBCM, innit?
Oh well thank God for colonization, right? However else would such beautiful architecture have fallen under the purview of such fine Western institutions as the stolen-artefact warehouse system known as museums? I kid because I love.
Honestly though this is a joke, right? Aren’t you guys struggling with a general perception of Eurocentrism? Who wrote this?
I’m loving all this though, the environmental design? Fabulous.
Where’s Martin Sheen running around in a sweat tho?
More of the mood lighting…
Vibe! Aesthetic! Effort was made. “It looks expensive.”
Here’s a few exhibit highlights imo:
Absolutely breathtaking. Psychedelic. Groovy, baby.
Look, there’s even nice tits here. What a great place to be! So much to see, felt like a lot of walking!

Okay it’s T. rex time!
Well, the space is small and singular. Let me show you around:
This is the first view of the room. Cute 🤷

Going at that thing like its noods. Not enough dino damage.

Cute 🤷

Well okay. Pretty badass. The lighting does a lot for me.

For my money this was way less cool than Angkor but my gf liked it better so YMMV, grains of salt and all that.
The west coast forest dome is still intact so we wandered through there because I find it very romantic and inspirational. (I think it would make a kickass living room/home theatre.)
For the record, the changes they’ve been planning largely made sense. The public doesn’t know what they want until you give it to them–just don’t lead with “we’re taking away your dear faithful old toy, Mr. Things-being-the-way-you’re-used-to Bear, and we don’t even know what to replace him with, haw haw haw.” Just saying.