Museum Blog

Apr 144 min read

“Fats” Robertson – A brief history of one of Vancouver’s most notorious Kingpins

By Michaela Sawyer, VPMA Museum Assistant William Faulder Robertson, also known as Fats Robertson, was a major drug trafficking boss in...

Jul 31, 20205 min read

Forensic Entomology in Canada: How Bugs Solve Crime

By Liam McGillivray You may be surprised to find out that police officers aren’t usually the first to arrive at a crime scene. The...

Sep 20, 20193 min read

Salt Water’s City: “King of the Thugs” Jim Goon

The corner of Pender and Carrall, at the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood (1910s). Photo: Vancouver City Archives AM54-S4-:...

Jul 4, 20194 min read

The Incredible History of The Penthouse: A Vancouver Landmark Weathers 70 Years of Change

Filippone brothers Joe, Jimmy and Ross bringing the booze out of hiding after finally getting a liquor licence in the fall of 1968....

Feb 21, 20194 min read

The City Analyst’s Lab: Vancouver’s History as a Forensic Pioneer

The entrance to 238 East Cordova Street, which served as the City Analyst’s Laboratory from 1932 to 1996. Photo VPMA photo collection...

Feb 13, 20193 min read

The History of the Coroner’s Court, Part 3: The Bingo

This is part three of our series on the history of the Coroner’s Court. Written by Sheena Koo The Bingo The former Coroner’s Court has...

Feb 7, 20193 min read

The History of The Coroner’s Court, Part 2: The Brilliant, Whiskey-Loving Coroner

This is part 2 of our 3-part series on The History of The Coroner’s Court: “We have been inquiring to the best of our abilities into the...

Jan 25, 20195 min read

The Fascinating History of The Coroner’s Court: Part 1, The Bodies

This is part 1 of our 3-part series on the history of the Coroner’s Court: In session at the old Coroner’s Court with Glen...

Nov 9, 20183 min read

Revisiting the Milkshake Murder

A newspaper headline about the infamous Milkshake Murder in Vancouver. * This is a repost of a popular blog about the Milkshake Murder...

Oct 19, 20175 min read

Murder, Mystery and Intrigue in Review: Babes in the Woods

A newspaper clipping from The Vancouver Sun, 1998. *This is a repost of a popular blog from 2014 Written by Sheena Koo The final lecture...

Sep 18, 20175 min read

Seeing the Kosberg Murders in a New Light: Criminologist Heidi Currie Digs Deep and Finds Answers

Written by Sheena Koo The streets of Vancouver on December 10th, 1965, were quiet and chilly—just like any other winter’s day in the...

Sep 18, 20175 min read

The Unsolved Murder of Jennie Eldon Conroy

Jennie was born in North Vancouver in 1920. She was five-foot-eight, with brown curly hair and blue eyes. She attended Ridgeway...

Visiting During Covid-19