Saanich Archives collects and preserves the documentary heritage of The District of Saanich. Visitors to our website can search thousands of images online, listen to oral history interviews, explore online exhibits, and learn about our resources.  We welcome inquiries by email, phone, or in person at our public reference room located inside the Saanich Centennial Library. 

Resources:

Photographs

Saanich Archives holds a collection of more than 15,000 images including photographs, family albums, slides, negatives and postcards from the earliest days of the municipality to recent times. To date, over 4,500 images have been digitized, thanks to funding from the Municipality of Saanich and a generous matching grant from the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at UBC.

Search Photos Online

Collections

Saanich Archives acquires archival and reference material through transfer of corporate records from the Municipality of Saanich, t hrough donation of private records from families and individuals in the community, and through purchase of reference books and other material on local history.

View Recent Acquisitions

Exhibits

Anne Alice Girling (1880-1953)

Anne Alice Girling was born in Suffolk, England in 1880.  In her early twenties she studied photography in London and produced many accomplished botanical studies, landscapes and portraits.  In 1912, she immigrated to Canada with her parents and younger siblings and settled on the shores of Swan Lake in Saanich on land that would later become part of the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary.  Anne Girling's photographs document the family's experience in their new environment. The collection of more than 900 glass plate and film negatives was generously donated to Saanich Archives in 2008 by Mr. Lindsay Lambert.  Descendents of the Girling family have been working with the Archives to identify the images. 

Visit the Anne Alice Girling exhibit

Oral History Project

Since 1978 Saanich Archives has been conducting oral history interviews with long time Saanich residents, municipal retirees, and elected officials.  Audio recordings and transcripts of the interviews are available for reference at the Archives and over the coming months we will be adding the interviews to our website.  The oral history program at Saanich Archives is ongoing. Please contact us if you would like to suggest the name of a long-time Saanich resident who may be willing to share his/her memories about the municipality.

Contact Us

Saanich Archives
3100 Tillicum Road
Victoria, British Columbia

Canada V9A 6T2

Tel:      (250) 475-1775
Email: archives@saanich.ca
Web:   http://saanicharchives.ca

Open Monday to Friday 10:00am - 4:30pm

Directions and information on planning your visit