EASTER HOURS
Friday, April 3rd CLOSED
Saturday, April 4th: 10am - 5pm
Sunday CLOSED
Monday CLOSED
COMING SOON
Cabinet of Curiosities: The Collection of Niels Knudsen (1935-2024).
Join us on Saturday, April 11th from 12pm-4pm for the public opening of “Cabinet of Curiosities: The Collection of Niels Knudsen,” celebrating the life and legacy of Niels Erik Knudsen (1935–2025). The exhibition will run through to the end of April.
Born in Denmark, Knudsen rejected formal education and moved to Canada, where he lived an unconventional life exploring remote wilderness, including sailing to Australia. He later settled in Victoria, rising from city labourer to the engineering department before quitting rather than accept a fixed retirement, then transitioned into film production design, earning major recognition in 1986 for his work on the Land Plaza at Expo ’86.
A lifelong and passionate collector, Knudsen spent over 60 years acquiring objects that reflected human creativity and craftsmanship, often sourced from thrift shops and flea markets. His Victoria home—rescued and restored from the encroaching ocean—became both a personal sanctuary and a living museum. Until his final days, he remained devoted to sharing his love of history, art, and the enduring spirit of human ingenuity.
2026 CALENDAR
We invite you to visit through December 23 to savour home-made treats and mulled cider gløgg, and pick up your complimentary package of greeting cards and an extra calendar if you wish.
ADVENT GIFT GUIDES
Click on each image to view our Advent holiday series and calendar below:
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
UNO'S 90TH BIRTHDAY
We would like to thank you for all of your many heartfelt greetings, visits and stories celebrating Uno Langmann on his 90th birthday. We were touched by the overwhelming response and the wonderful poems, good wishes, stories and anecdotes sent our way. We have compiled a selection of these for you to read. Enjoy!
SPOTLIGHT
Evening Sun, Greenland by Emanuel A. Petersen (Danish 1894-1948)
Petersen was known as one of the “Greenland Painters” depicting Greenland’s history and Arctic life in a naturalist style. Working before widespread photography, he documented the northern landscape and portrayed villagers during a period of rising European curiosity about this remote region. Petersen’s Greenland views, shaped by his final trip in 1946 remain culturally, ethnographically, and topographically significant. Learn more about this piece in our Insights Blog.
IN THE NEWS
Vancouver Sun - Walt Disney cartoon surfaces in Vancouver Press Club memorabilia
Vancouver Sun - This Day in History, 1825-1925: Canadian history comes to life at Langmann exhibit
West German News Media - Uno Langmann: A Lifetime Devoted to Art and Antiques
The North Shore News - Exhibition showcases Phil Nuytten's vast personal art collection
Vancouver Sun - Stunning First Nations art collection assembled by B.C. diving pioneer Phil Nuytten on display
FEATURED POSTS
BEYOND THE HORIZON: THE MARINE COLLECTION
EARLY CANADIAN MASTERPIECES
EXHIBITION OF FINE SILVER FROM TWO PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
RECENT ACQUISITIONS
UBC LIBRARY'S RARE BOOKS AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
The donation of the Uno Langmann Family Collection of British Columbia Photographs to the University of British Columbia Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections consists of more than 22,000 images from over 80 albums. This collection includes extensive coverage of B.C. from the 1850s to the 1950s and includes photographs in a wide variety of formats and genres including albums, diaries, portraits, landscapes and city/townscapes.
Images from the collection are being digitized on an ongoing basis. Library users will be able to request items from the physical collection through UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections.
FEATURED ARTIST
“Royal BC Museum acquires rare painting from B.C.’s first professional Black painter.” - written by Elizabeth McSheffrey for Global News
It’s the newest gem in the Royal BC Museum’s collection of more than 10,500 works of art — a painting of the Victoria Harbour, made in 1883 by Grafton Tyler Brown.
The museum is celebrating its acquisition of Entrance to the Harbour as part of Black History Month. It was one of Brown’s few works while he lived in the city.
Brown is widely considered to be the first professional Black painter in B.C.
“As far as we know, to date, Grafton was the first Black artist to paint an exhibit here in Victoria and in the province of B.C.,” Royal BC Museum art and images curator India Young said.
“What is interesting about Brown is that over the course of his travels, he really shifted his identity.”
DISCOVER
Genre
Canadian Impressionists
danish art
SEASCAPES
CRISTMAS HOURS
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
December 23 10 am to 5 pm
December 24 10 am to 12 pm
December 25 Closed
December 26 Closed
December 27 Closed
December 28 Closed
December 29 Closed
December 30 10 am to 5 pm
December 31 10 am to 1 pm
January 1 Closed
January 2 Back to regular hours