Royal BC Museum from Belleville Street, Victoria. Photo © Robin Zebrowski, via flickr and Creative Commons

This week, the Royal BC Museum opens its doors to the local community. For the price of a cash donation, residents and visitors can tour the museum’s galleries, travel back to the province’s early years, and view one of the world’s best collections of West Coast First Nations art and artifacts.

Some weeks ago, online travel-booking company TripAdvisor.ca announced that the museum ranked first in the company’s Top 10 Canadian museums for 2014. The museum was also confirmed as a Travellers’ Choice winner, a position the museum has enjoyed for several years. The awards are based on reviews and opinions posted on the online site by travellers.

TripAdvisor announced its news on November 18. That is also Canadian Museums Day. Marking the date with the announcement created synergies for TripAdvisor, the museums being celebrated, Canada’s museum industry, the travel and tourism industry, the online-booking industry, the power of people who share their opinions online….

But, in another sense, the timing was unfortunate….

Read the rest of this editorial at the Victoria Times Colonist….