Coming soon, to a museum quite near you!

The Dundas collection is coming to Northwestern BC, the recently purchased artifacts from a New York auction house, will stop at the Museum of Northern BC for six weeks from March 1 to April 14th before they move the Royal BC Museum in Victoria for an extended stay until July 4th.

The Dundas collection as it became known as was acquired in 1863 by the Rev. Robert James Dundas during a stop at Metlakatla. The hereditary chiefs of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw'Alaams and Metlakatla agreed that the travelling exhibit of this collection should begin its journey in the Northwest and asked the Museum of Northern BC to host the opening of the collection.

When the collection came up for bid in October of 2006 it became the focus of a concentrated approach to making sure that a number of the items could be returned to Canada, with numerous participants pooling their money to reclaim as many of the artifacts as possible.

The Royal British Columbia Museum offered up the following press release to announce the touring dates for this very important part of Birtish Columbia history.


Dundas Collection coming to British Columbia
VICTORIA, BC, Jan. 9 /CNW/

- A collection of significant First Nationsartifacts purchased at a New York auction last fall is coming to BC forexhibition this spring.

The first stop for the Dundas Collection of Pacific Northwest FirstNations art will be the Museum of Northern BC, located in the traditionalterritory of the Tsimshian First Nations. The collection will be at the PrinceRupert museum, March 1 - April 14. Then it moves to the Royal BC Museum,April 27 - July 4.

The 36 artifacts to be exhibited on behalf of nine owners are the mostsignificant and spectacular items from the Dundas Collection, and includetwo wooden face masks, two rare clubs made of carved antler and a clan hat.The collection, acquired by Rev. Robert James Dundas in 1863, in OldMetlakatla, near present-day Prince Rupert, was auctioned by Sotheby's inOctober 2006.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to take a leadership role inreturning this historic collection to Canada," says James Easton, whorepresents the owner of the largest group of artifacts. "Very rarely does achance present itself to make a contribution of this importance to FirstNations and Canadian culture, and we are honoured to be part of it. We arelooking forward to the opening celebration in Prince Rupert and toparticipating in future exhibitions in other Canadian cities."

Future exhibition dates and venues, yet to be confirmed, will beorganized by exhibit coordinator, Donald Ellis of Ontario's Donald EllisGallery, in conjunction with the Royal BC Museum.

"We are honoured to be hosting this exhibition and assisting with thetour," says RBCM CEO Pauline Rafferty. "This is a superb and significantcollection of First Nations artifacts. The generosity of the people whopurchased these items in the name of preserving Canadian history isastounding."

Representatives from RBCM and Museum of Northern BC have worked closelywith chiefs and elders of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw' Alaams andMetlakatla to develop this exhibition.

"The hereditary chiefs of the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw' Alaamsand Metlakatla agreed that the travelling exhibit of this collection shouldbegin in Tsimshian territory, where these important cultural pieces originatedand where our children and elders would be the first to see them," saysspokesperson James Bryant. "The owners of the pieces agreed to our request,and we appreciate that very much."

For Susan Marsden, curator of the Museum of Northern BC, "it is truly anhonour to have been asked by the hereditary chiefs to host the opening exhibitof this collection in their territory. The Museum of Northern BC is alsograteful to the owners of the collection for the privilege of exhibiting theseexceptional Tsimshian works of art. The carved spoon we purchased at theSotheby's auction in New York - with financial help from the Royal BC Museum -will also travel with this collection."

For the latest Royal BC Museum information, visit www.royalbcmuseum.bc.caor call (250) 356-7226.