BAT-to-the-Bone Fang-tastic Halloween

For Immediate Release

Britannia Mine Museum’s BAT-to-the-Bone Fang-tastic Halloween

Two weekends: October 19 & 20, 26 & 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Britannia Beach, BC (September 16, 2024) – The Britannia Mine Museum will be hosting two weekends of Fang-tastic Halloween fun on October 19 & 20, and October 26 & 27 that is filled with BAT-to-the-bone activities for children and adults of all ages.

The Museum’s very own Underground mine tunnel will be transformed into a bat cave where brave adventurers can take a spooky train ride deep into the mine to learn about the connections between mines and bats. Visit the machine shop and step into the “Castle of Myth” vampire chamber, where the boundaries of legend and reality blur. Also, discover the "Bat out of the Darkness" exhibit, filled with informative displays and interactive activities that reveal the mysterious world of bats, their unique characteristics and incredible abilities.

These little misunderstood creatures have had bad reputations over the years and most are based on misconceptions and myths. Visitors will learn about these mysterious and fascinating creatures living in the darkness of the mine and the conservation efforts to keep these habitats for bats intact.

“Halloween is always a fun time to visit the Britannia Mine Museum, especially given how spooky our mining tunnel can be,” says Derek Jang, Manager of Interpretive Delivery at the Britannia Mine Museum. “What many people may not be aware is the relationship between bats and mines, with many old mines serving as important roosting sites for bats. We thought how fun it would be to create a bat-themed Halloween while creating awareness at the same time!”

On October 19 and 20, Bat Ambassadors from the Community Bat Programs of BC will be onsite from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help raise awareness of bat conservation efforts in BC. 

Did you know[i]:

• Bats are vital to healthy ecosystems and human economies worldwide. As primary predators of night-flying insects, bats consume enormous quantities of agricultural pests and reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
• All Canadian bats eat insects like mosquitoes, moths, beetles, gnats, midges and mayflies. A single little brown bat can catch around 1,200 mosquito-sized insects in one hour.
• In BC, there are 16 known species of bats and half of them are considered vulnerable or threatened.
• Of the more than 8,000 mines surveyed by researchers across North America, 30 to 80 per cent showed signs of use by bats, with an average of 10 per cent containing important colonies.[ii]

Located 45 minutes north of Vancouver on the picturesque Sea-to-Sky highway, the Britannia Mine Museum provides unique and memorable experiences that engage visitors of all ages. Visitors can enjoy fun exhibits and crowd favourites like the underground mine train, gold panning, the historic 20-storey concentrator Mill building and its BOOM! special effects show, the minerals and gem gallery, the gift shop and the Beaty Lundin Visitor Centre.

The Halloween “special event” rate is $25 for visitors under 17 years old, $30 for visitors 18 years and up, and children under age four gets free admission, which includes the special Halloween themed underground adventure, a spooky Halloween exhibit inside the Machine Shop, permanent museum exhibits, and gold panning. The Museum is still offering the full guided underground tours and the BOOM! Mill show via regular admissions.

Visit https://www.britanniaminemuseum.ca/pages/halloween for more information and to prebook the Halloween tours as they often sell out.

About Britannia Mine Museum:

The Britannia Mine Museum is a mining legacy site and a vibrant, internationally recognized education and tourist destination located between Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea-to-Sky highway. It is a National Historic Site and a non-profit organization encouraging mining awareness through entertaining, experiential education programs and exhibits, important historic collection preservation and insightful public engagement that allows guests to leave with a better understanding of mining in BC; past, present and future. www.britanniaminemuseum.ca

Facebook: @BritanniaMineMuseum Instagram: @BritanniaMineMuseum

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Media contact: Yvonne Chiang, 604-880-5090, ychiang@bcmm.ca

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[i] https://bcbats.ca/bat-basics/ 

[ii] https://library.dbca.wa.gov.au/static/FullTextFiles/070766.pdf