The indoor garden across the street from the bus station contains a small zoo, a butterfly hatchery, and a large temperature controled tropical garden. It is a wonderful place to spend time.

The Royal BC Museum is one of the ten best natural history musuems in the world. It has a varitey multi-media and interactive exhibits. In addition to well documented case displays.

The lunch buffet at the Empress Hotel is an excellent value and a offers a wonderful selection of food.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

There is good bus system, but you will need to get the map/schedual from the information office.

It is almost impossible to look at the very, very, British Empress Hotel and not think about tradtional afternoon tea. And the four courses served in The Tea Salon offer everything imagination calls for. It is also rather expensive at about $30 US per person and extremely popular.

I arrived around 11:00 on an August day during the tourist season and was relegated to the last seating in the windowless back room. The back room is very nice and has a splendid chandelier, but feels second class compared to the graceful front room where chintz covered furiture faces two story high windows with harbor views. Tea is served at 12:30, 2:00, and 3:30, make reservations, if you can.

The tiger skins and lacework-cut wooden folding screens in The Bengal Room suggest Britian's period of rule over India. The staff is very sweet. My water glass never got a chance to empty and I got lots of advice on what to see and do while in Victoria. The room has windows on three sides; it is possible to see the action in the harbor and the hotel's graceful rose gardens, if you sit in the right seat. The buffet selection of three curries with appropriate side dishes is pleasant, but the mild spices are much more British than Indian. The cost for lunch is about $10 US. Dinner is more expensive.

The best deal at the Empress Hotel is the big lunch buffet served in the downstairs dining room for about $10 US. The selection is dizzying. Dozens of tureenes are arranged on a circular, stepped tables. Bring a group of friends and plan to spend the afternoon.

The Empress Hotel is at the center of Victoria. The main entrance faces the harbor. There is also a back entrance through the rose garden and shopping arcade.

Colorful sea anemones wave gently. Famous Canadian salmon, snapper, an octopus, and something like 5000 other sea creatures of all colors and sizes circulate around a sunken wreck. There is a live scuba show included in the $5 US admission, but I found the humans less interesting then the natural inhabitants of this underwater scene.

The actual purpose of The Pacific Undersea Garden is to raise money to fund seal pup recovery efforts. And it is possible to see adorable pups playing in the fenced pens at the far end of the barge that serves as the equipment storage, administrative office, and animal treatment area.

The entrance to The Pacific Undersea Gardens is around the corner of the habor from the Empress Hotel. It was open daily 9 to 5.

The building was designed by Francis Rattenbury, the same man who designed The Empress Hotel, the back entrance to which is on the other side of the street next to the bus station. It opened in 1925 as a saltwater swimming pool and glamourous night spot, a glass and metal version of a Roman spa. Over time the salt water caused the deterioration of the support beams. The pool was closed and for a long time the building was deamed unsafe.

Today it has been rehabilitated as a conservatory for tropical plants and animals many of which are on the endangered species list. The former deep end of the pool is now a waterfall that cascades into jungle accented by flowering orchids. There are some signs, but most of the plants are so entwined that it is difficult to see where one ends and another begins. Therefore it is impossible to tell which plant the signs refer to.

The animal population is also fascinating. There are macaws, coral flamingos, and other less recognizable birds flying freely under the four-story high glass roof. There is also a small zoo with cages where diminutive 4" monkeys delight adults and children with their playful antics.

On the upper level a corner has been walled off and double doored entry halls have been installed to create a butterfly room. Inside the there is a colorful flower garden that contrasts with the flying inhabitants of this space. Tiny bright green wings flitted across the tops of the blossems, big winged multi-colored butterflies strolled on the ceiling, a butter-yellow landed on my wrist and tickled me.

Although it is no longer a nightspot for flappers and their beaus, people rent the building for private catered events in the evenings. The day I was there tables and chairs were being set up. It was not hard to imagine that I had traveled back in time.

I went through the museum with two friends. We had a ball checking out the shoes; I am particularly partial to platforms. My friends looked for stilettos and bunny slippers respectively. "Two out of three ain't bad."

We also posed ourselves in imitation of our favorite exhibits. Our giggling was infectious enough to attract bit players to fill in our scenes as we wandered through the dioramas. I suppose we were lucky not to be asked to leave!

What impressed all of us the most was the gift shop. It is called The Penny Lane Sweet Shop and has a whole wall of "penny candies" to choose among as well as a glorious assortment of British imports. I bought toffees in tins that looked like traditional British red phone booths. My friends bought plaid scarves with matching socks. The shop sells lovely china cups, mugs, and boxes as well as antique-style metal solidiers and paper dolls. There was a sale on Christmas crackers, those paper and cardboard tubes that explode when two people pull the tabs in opposite directions. We bought six and netted an assortment of paper hats, plastic charms, and dreadful jokes.

The Royal London Wax Museum and The Penny Lane Sweet Shop are located opposite the The Pacific Undersea Gardens at the far corner of the harbor. It is open 9:00 am to 7:30 pm and costs $5 US. It is not necessary to pay admission to enter the gift shop.

While the building has only two exhibition floors, every display has detailed documentation. In addition to excellent descriptive signs there are also short videos, interactive computer programs, and live tours, classes, and workshops as well as arts presentations. The museum is seriously dedicated to its mandate as an education institution.

The second floor is split between the Natural History exhibit and the Feature Gallery for temporary shows. The Natural History exhibit is in chronological order. It traces the development of northwestern costal fauna and flora including undersea creatures from the ice age to today.

The third floor has two permanent displays. The one devoted to First Nations artifacts includes a cerimonial Big House and totem poles. The other, which is called the Modern History Gallery, contains a realist re-creation of a Victorian Era cobblestoned street with shops and a hotel. I would have liked to buy the jet jewelry and lace shawl displayed in one of the store displays.

Of course there is a real museum store. It is on the first floor and features spectatular First Nation handicrafts. Each piece comes with a card identifying the artist who created it. There is also a large selection of books and an excellent assortment of inexpensive things for kids.

Do not miss the breathtaking view of the harbor from the hallway near the escalator landing!

The Royal British Columbia Museum is a half block inland from the corner of the harbor opposit to the on e with the information center. It is open daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. BE SURE TO GIVE YOURSELF AT LEAST TWO HOURS!

If you need more information, the museum has a website: http://rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca