Temporary Exhibits

Temporary Exhibits

At the museum:

Currently on display is What Was Taken: The Forced Dispersal of Japanese Canadians in Maple Ridge.

The Maple Ridge Museum is proud to present “What Was Taken: The Forced Dispersal of Japanese Canadians in Maple Ridge”, which opened on October 27. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the internment of Japanese Canadians. The exhibition shares the history of Maple Ridge’s Japanese Canadian community through objects, historical images and the stories of various Japanese Canadian families.

It might come as a surprise that the area was once home to a large Japanese Canadian community. Most came with little to nothing except for their hopes and dreams of a better life. Based on their successful farming endeavours, that dream seemed well within reach in Maple Ridge.

In 1942, the Canadian government ordered the forced dispersal of all Japanese Canadians who were living within 100 miles of the coast, including those in Maple Ridge. They were sent to internment camps in the BC interior and further east. Their homes, properties, and personal belongings were sold without their consent for a fraction of the value, making their dreams of a future in Maple Ridge unimaginable.

The exhibition offers visitors the chance to learn about a dark period of our history and reflect on its legacy and impact today. Special thanks to Alicia and the Yoshizawa family, who generously loaned objects from their family’s collections for display, and the staff of the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre, whose input and consultations were crucial for the development of this exhibit. “What Was Taken” will be on display until February 2024 at the Maple Ridge Museum. The museum is open Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and admission is free

On display from October 27, 2022 – February 2024.