Over 100 Years of Local History
The Archives
The Archives is an exciting collection of unique textual records and photographs representing more than one hundred years of White Rock and South Surrey history.
About the Archives
Our archives have thousands of photographs, textual records, and newspapers stored and preserved in a climate-controlled vault.
These documents help us understand settler history in White Rock from the 1900s to the present, and we regularly use them to prepare exhibitions, facilitate personal genealogy projects, and support local research initiatives.
Our photograph collection is extensive, and individual images are available for purchase for private or corporate use. More than 5,000 of these images have been digitized and can be viewed in person in our archives.
Additionally, we have a variety of resources about major organizations prominent in White Rock’s history, including the Semiahmoo High School Alumni Association, White Rock/Surrey Branch, and the White Rock Amateur Swimming Association.
Using the Archvies
Contact us by phone, email, or drop by during office hours. We will arrange a time to assist with your research on-site. We welcome students of all ages to stop by for historical information related to White Rock and South Surrey.
Photographic Reproduction
We are excited to offer historical photograph reproduction services. Choose from thousands of photographs in our collection that can be quickly and easily reproduced. Please contact Hugh for more information or to make a purchase.
Online Resources
We have a wealth of online materials you can access to learn about White Rock’s rich history. Here, you will find a series of newspaper articles from the Semiahmoo Sun and White Rock Sun newspapers that cover a range of topics.
White Rock Museum and Archives
Collecting Moratorium Policy
As of March 1, 2025, the White Rock Museum and Archives is implementing a collecting moratorium (pause) on new object acquisitions for a period of one year. During this period, the museum will not be accepting objects for the collection. Please let us know about the objects you are considering for donation and we will follow up with you once the moratorium is lifted.
This temporary hold on artifact collecting is necessary for museum staff to inventory our current collection, to update and implement our Collections Policy, and assess current and future needs of the collection.
This moratorium only applies to museum collection objects. We still encourage the community to share and donate any archival items such as photographs, postcards, et cetera, that reflects the history of White Rock.
Please do not drop off or mail donations to the museum without consultation with staff.
The one-year moratorium will not affect visitation or scheduled programs. Museum exhibits are still open to the public from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm Tuesday to Saturday for the community and visitors.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Collections and Exhibitions Coordinator at curator@whiterockmuseum.ca or (604) 541-2250.
Get Involved
We provide opportunities for individuals to obtain personal growth, learn new skills, and develop a sense of commitment and belonging. Here is your opportunity to volunteer with us behind the scenes or engage with others in the public eye.
Land Acknowledgement
To acknowledge the land on which we stand is to recognize a truth.
We acknowledge and respect the se’mya’me (Semiahmoo First Nation) on whose traditional unceded territory the museum & archives stands and who have lived on this land for thousands of years. Museums have played a role in colonization, and it is important to recognize the harm of past practices and to strive to do better in the spirit of reconciliation.