Our Summer Programmer Hui talks about her summer at the Museum:

This summer, my focus has been coordinating the annual Heritage Thursdays program that Pitt Meadows Museum hosts every summer. When I came across the job posting on the SFU Co-op board, I was immediately intrigued by the opportunity to inspire curiosity and discovery in children through hands-on activities. While I have worked with youth in numerous roles before, I knew this role would challenge me in a new way because I had to find the right balance between making the program fun and educational.

My first week here was all about readings. I went through piles of old documents, newspaper clippings, and oral stories surrounding the museum’s history. These readings painted a picture for me of how Pitt Meadows has grown from a small community to what it is today, as well as how the Old General Store and the Hoffmann and Son Shop shaped everyday life and supported people in the local community in early Pitt Meadows. I further dug into our website and social
media history lookback posts to discover more. I was really amazed by all the history I discovered, and I couldn’t wait to bring it into my sessions and use it in fun ways with the kids, all tied to this year’s theme: If We Could Turn Back Time.

Getting kids to listen to you talk for a full 10-15 minutes without losing their attention is challenging. To keep the sessions engaging, I filled my presentation slides with lots of colour, animated effects, and interactive elements. One memorable moment was when I created a slide showing two moving horses pulling the structure of the Old General store on logs to demonstrate how the building was moved in history, and some kids looked shocked and amused. Moments like that felt rewarding, and I hope that helped leave a deeper impression on the kids and gave them something to take away. I also tried to explain how each day’s activities connected to its topic. I want kids to be able to see from the perspective of early settlers and understand the ideas and stories behind each activity.

I have especially enjoyed creating those session heads-up and recap posts on social media. I hope they have helped the public to learn more about the Museum’s Heritage Thursdays program and its goals. I hope they can serve as a helpful reference for future students in this role about what has been explored before. Most importantly, they are something that will remind me of the great time I have spent here with my wonderful team and lovely children. I know I will be looking back at them from time to time, reminiscing about my summer here.

I am very grateful for the freedom I was given to design this program, as well as the guidance and support I have received along the way from my team members Keagan, Rebekah, Petra, and Marion. The people here are one of the main reasons my time here has been so great. I am truly thankful to the Pitt Meadows Museum team for trusting my ability and offering me this position.

Summer 2025.