Museum of Whale Skeletons in B.C. Destroyed by New Year’s Fire
A devastating fire has destroyed the Whale Interpretive Centre in B.C., erasing years of hard work and dedication to marine life.
Telegraph Cove, British Columbia, Whale Interpretive Centre, Marine Mammals, Fire
Telegraph Cove: It’s a real bummer what happened to the Whale Interpretive Centre. This place took years to build up, and now it’s all gone because of a fire on New Year’s Eve.
Jim Borrowman, one of the founders, shared how much effort went into collecting and restoring whale skeletons. He said it was a massive job, especially for a fin whale named Finny, which took years to prepare and display.
They had to tow Finny’s body hundreds of kilometers, clean it, and then reassemble the skeleton. It was a labor of love, and they welcomed thousands of visitors each year to see it.
But just like that, the fire wiped out everything. Jim felt total panic when he saw the museum reduced to ashes. He estimated the collection was worth over $2 million, but the real value was in the hard work and passion of all the volunteers.
Jim and his wife, Mary, have been at this for over 40 years. They started with a minke whale back in 1978 and learned quickly how to protect the bones from being taken. Now, they’re thinking about starting over, even though it’ll be a slow process.
They’ve already received tons of support from the community, which has been heartwarming. Jim joked that he plans to live to be 100 just to see the museum rebuilt. It’s a tough situation, but they’re determined to embrace the challenge ahead.