From Bridal Veil Falls (8), return to Miller Road and continue south towards Snug Cove. The Bowen Museum & Archives and Higgins Cabin (9) can be seen on the right, opposite the RCMP station. Based on 1937 map.

The Bowen Island Museum & Archives

In 1967 the Bowen Island Museum & Archives began collecting material about the history of the “Happy Isle”. The Museum & Archives consists of two buildings in a park-like setting containing museum displays and an extensive museum and archival collection which exhibit the unique history of Bowen Island.

The Archives acquires, stores and preserves the memory of Bowen’s community. The records of the island’s pioneers, organizations, businesses, writers and artists include photographs, letters, minutes and memoranda, maps and architectural plans, audio and video as well as some small art works. They are all available for your research.

Features:

  • The Higgins Cabin – restored two room logger’s cabin
  • The Photograph Collection – digital and print
  • The Biographical Database
  • The Maps Database
  • The Artifact Database
  • The Family and Organizational Fonds
  • The Bowen Island Books
A small green clapboard house with a 6 by 6 foot extension. It looks dilapidated, missing paint, aged plywood covered porch.

Above: the Higgins Cabin before the renovation. It’s now as good as new.

The Higgins Cabin

Built by logger Bert Higgins, this cabin sits on its original site. Now Higgins cabin is a permanent two-room display. Looking into the bedroom, visitors can see how Bert might have lived as a logger in 1948. The refrigerator and cook stove are both powered by kerosene, as was common before electricity came into general use on Bowen.

In the kitchen, you can see the collection of logger’s tools commonly used on Bowen Island, from an early wood-framed bow saw to a 1950s chainsaw.

Also on display is the history of Higgins Cabin itself, from the land that was once owned by Union Estates to its development by Bert Higgins and the eventual renovation and restoration by the Bowen Island Historians.

A sepia water colour version of an old photo of a rowboat and cabin on the beach.

On the website – bowenislandmuseum.ca

Visit the Museum and Archives website to see open hours and contact details. The website also features a large searchable database of historic photos, articles, audio and beautiful renderings of old photos by Bowen artist Ron Woodall.

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