Fish Tales

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society proudly presents Fish Tales, a feature exhibit that celebrates the ways seafood connects diverse communities to Canada’s West Coast fishing history.  Supported by the Province of British Columbia.

A view down the aisle of the exhibit. The aisle is framed by the vibrant, blue walls with various photographs, artefacts, props, signage, televisions, and more.
Fish Tales

Exhibit Aisle

A blue wooden frame with Fish Tales graphics and a sign depicting the exhibit's hashtag, #WhatsYourFishTale.
Fish Tales

#WhatsYourFishTale

Wine glasses, plates, and salt and pepper shakers sit atop a red and white checkered table. In the distance, and in focus, is the second prop table which depicts a home cooked meal at a table with black chairs and a white, floral tablecloth.
Fish Tales

Restaurant Table

A variety of seafood snack images cut out and displayed behind glass similarly to how items are found in a grocery store.
Fish Tales

Supermarket Display

Exhibit Details

Eating is about delicious food and the company you share it with. It gives us the opportunity to create communal spaces where we can connect with one another. We compel our guests to consider their own “Fish Tales” by bridging the gap between themselves and the history our site represents.  

An exciting aspect of this exhibit is that it will grow and evolve as we continue to add stories to the collection. If seafood has had a profound personal impact on your life, we want to hear from you! Fill out our submission form and share your own “Fish Tale” for a chance to be featured in the exhibit.

The inspiration for this exhibit stems from our partnership with UBC’s Initiative for Student Teaching and Research in Chinese Canadian Studies (INSTRCC). The collaboration started as a student-led story-sharing project that centred discussions of seafood. The project, and the stories gathered, have since evolved; however, the goal remains the same – to bring more diverse stories that people can connect with.   

Fish Tales offers immersive audio and visual displays that share stories from diverse communities who all find commonality in fishing and seafood. Vivid photographs depict the plethora of ways that different cultures collect and prepare their seafood. We are certain that your mouth will be watering by the end of this exhibit!   

Submit your Fish Tales Recipe Card

Current Exhibits

Herring Reduction Plant
On-Site Exhibit
Explore the massive machines that turned fish into gold
From Tides to Tins
Virtual Exhibit
A Virtual Museum of Canada online exhibit of the history of Canada’s west coast canneries
The Water We Call Home
On-Site Exhibit
The Water We Call Home exhibit is a continuation of a lifetime of research by Coast Salish / Sahtu Dene artist Rosemary Georgeson, and emerges from her decade-long collaboration with Dr. Jessica Hallenbeck.
LEGO Gulf of Georgia Cannery
On-Site Exhibit
Immerse yourself in the Gulf of Georgia Cannery's 130 years of history in miniature via a 1:1200 scale model built entirely out of LEGO. Visit LEGO Man Peter Grant's newest creation for a limited time, now until May 2025.