Wentworth Villa Architectural Museum, is one of Victoria’s best historic attractions! Discover stories from the city’s past through its architecture. Enter the Villa and immerse yourself in a unique heritage building as you learn about the architects and families who laid the groundwork for the city we know today.
Wentworth Villa Architectural Museum, is one of Victoria’s best historic attractions! Discover stories from the city’s past through its architecture. Enter the Villa and immerse yourself in a unique heritage building as you learn about the architects and families who laid the groundwork for the city we know today.
Wentworth Villa
Attributed to local architects Wright and Sanders, Wentworth Villa is a landmark heritage house in Victoria. With only two families occupying the house from the time it was first built in 1863, relatively little has changed with the structure since that time. Today, the Villa continues to showcase its beautiful Carpenter Gothic elements after extensive restorations that have maintained the architectural details as close to their original state as possible.
Continue to explore our website to learn more about Wentworth Villa and what the museum has to offer, or visit today to see it all first hand!
EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS
Fort Street
The Story of Victoria’s First Street
The story of Fort Street is as old as the city of Victoria itself. Originating as a cart track through the middle of Fort Victoria, it has evolved into one of the main corridors through the city and a dynamic repository of local architectural heritage. Drawing on an array of artifacts and historic artwork and photography, this exhibit considers some of the touchstones of that heritage and situates it within the broader cultural history of Victoria.
Francis Rattenbury
Francis Rattenbury (1867-1935) did more than any other single architect to design the look and feel of Victoria as we know it today. Recognized primarily for his work on the BC Legislature, Empress Hotel, and CPR Steamship terminal buildings which continue define city’s waterfront, this exhibit also considers the more personal side of his life and career. Organized around a scale model of the architect’s own self-designed home in Oak Bay, visitors get a glimpse into his domestic life there which, despite appearances, was far from idyllic. His tempestuous personality, scandalous dealings, and ultimate violent end add a sense of tragedy to the life story of this truly monumental figure.
Garden City
Victoria has a colourful and fascinating architectural history. Richly illustrated with archival photographs and historic artwork, Garden City: Designing Victoria provides an introduction to this history. The exhibit shows how early settlers interacted with the local Songhees First Nations people to establish themselves in the region, and how this eventually led to the globally connected modern city we see today.
