10 March 2005
The Building of Canada
and BC Showcased at Vancouver Museum
Vancouver - The
Vancouver Museum announced today the opening of Mail, Rail, and Retail: Connecting Canadians,
the first exhibition to explore in depth the roles that communication, transportation, and commerce
played in the development of modern Canada.
Developed by the Canadian Postal Museum of the Canadian Museum of Civilization in partnership with
Canada Post, Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Hudson's Bay Company, Mail, Rail, and Retail features
150 artifacts; many on display for the first time. These artifacts show the interdependence of the
rail and postal networks and the retail sales industry, and illustrate how the three sectors helped
open the West for settlement and continue to contribute to the growth of Canada and Vancouver.
Mail, Rail, and Retail also highlights the railway's adaptations for dealing with
ever-increasing volumes of mail and for providing the fast delivery demanded by both the
postal service and the growing retail sales industry. Visitors will learn about the special rail cars
that transported millions of dollars' worth of fragile silk from Vancouver to eastern markets from
1886 until the mid-1930s. They will explore the world of illustrated
mail-order catalogues that enabled anyone with mail service or a nearby railway station
to buy the kind of goods found in big-city stores.
Mail, Rail, and Retail: Connecting
Canadians will be on display at the Vancouver Museum from 10 Mar 2005 to
29 May 2005. It is sponsored by Canada Post, Canadian Pacific Railway, Hudson's Bay
Company, and PACART.
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