Hand of Man Museum — Local services in North Cowichan

Jim's the man!

We were looking for something to do last weekend and we were referred to this Museum. WOW! I guess my expectations were low given the location (the beautiful and underrated Maple Bay) cost (by donation) and building (an old school). Needless to say, I was blown away.

Hand of Man sits in that unique intersection of eclectic, amazing and odd - in a good way. The loosely curated collection of artifacts, taxidermy, art and just other 'stuff' makes for one part museum and one part treasure hunt. The space is anything but your typical museum in that the collection is organized, but barely - which is part of what makes it so much fun. Lots of curious items to see, some to touch - a few to smell. Only a handful are explained which certainly leaves a lot to the imagination. There are (no charge to borrow) iPads to help you understand what some of the items are but not a lot of the collection is numbered or referenced. This is a work in progress but that doesn't diminish its entertainment or educational value.

Being unfamiliar with Jim's history / legacy (yes I must have lived a sheltered life) and coming into his world blind, I have to say I am better off for the experience. For me, this is the start of a new appreciate of his point of view and Jim's ability to help educate and spark curiosity in all of us. - VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Logistics: This is short trip 30min from Nanaimo. Parking was ample enough and no-charge. Admission is by donation - so accessible if you're getting by on any assistance or fixed income. But if you can afford it - don't be a cheapskate, pay the $20. Better yet, come back often, preferably with a friend - or five. If you are looking for the mother of all indoor scavenger hunts - look no further. I spend 3 hours and just scratched the surface, so I will be back next time I am on the Island.

One last thing is Jim is at the Museum all the time! Great guy to talk with. I can't fathom all the stories still in his head waiting to get out. Get out, head...

The Hand of Man (not Woman?) museum is billed as a “Museum of Natural History, Cultural Arts and Conservation.” It is nothing of the sort. Potential visitors need to be aware that this is not really a museum at all, but a bizarre and varied collection of artifacts and specimens that Jim Shockey has bought, acquired, found, or shot on his many travels around the world. We are talking: books, antiquities, sculpture, paintings, religious icons, fossils, bones, shells, insects, musical instruments, hundreds of stuffed animals and much more. Few of the items are properly curated, though the visitor is given a tablet to listen to Shockey himself giving a brief description of some select items. I found these commentaries were often superficial, and sometimes ideologically slanted (for example, with claims about the supposed benefits of big-game hunting). The collection is undoubtedly unique, but the displays were entirely divorced from their social, cultural and historical contexts. How, when, and why these items were acquired were questions all left unanswered. We left with the uneasy feeling that we were witnessing a massive display of cultural appropriation. And yes, entrance was by "donation." On the other hand, a visitor would have to be quite bold to resist the "suggested donation" rates (not mentioned in the publicity) and to offer less at the admissions desk. Visitors should also be aware that, for "security reasons" they take a copy of an official ID and a phone number. In summary, we found that the branding of this “museum” obscured the real nature and purpose of the experience – to promote the life and...

I truly enjoyed my trip to the hand of man museum today. Before you go you should know this isn't just a natural History museum where you will see some cool old stuff. It's a collection of one mans souvenirs throughout 50 years of travel around the world while he worked as a hunting reality tv star. This guy is wild and probably a narcissist but I think you'd kinda have to be to pull off something like this. I can't even begin to describe the absolute range of stuff on display in this museum. There are an insane amount of totem poles, taxidermy animals you didn't even know existed, shells of skulls of all kinds, the throne of a German king, a double tusked narwhale, arrowheads, masks, baskets, and gemstones galore. It feels deeply intimate knowing this one man collected all this stuff and he definitely makes that clear. All the videos feature him and explain in his own words the history of his objects. There are photos of him and his family and even fan art of him shooting a moose. As you get to know more and more about this guy and his life you finally make it to the Africa room. This is the only room you can't take photos in and filled to the brim with taxidermy of rare African animals of all colours and kinds. This is like his absolute prize possession and there is a TV screen in the middle of the room playing at max volume clips from Jim's travels. The whole place almost feels like a shrine to himself and the life he lived rather then the artifacts on display. It's an odd place but definitely...