One of the city's longest serving and dedicated members of the arts and culture community is taking a final bow from his daily work.
Bob Campbell was a dinosaur technician (yes, that is an official profession) at the famous Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller when he got the opportunity in the early 1990s to become a senior member of the staff of the Fraser-Fort George Regional Museum. The Prince George museum had a steady and fruitful relationship with the Royal Tyrell facility, so it was an easy transition. He knew all about Prince George, what it was, and where it was foreseeably heading as a community. The potential of the Fraser-Fort George Regional Museum was clear in his mind.
"Bob and his wife Elizabeth Campbell were contracted to do much of the exhibit design when the museum was expanding and rebranding as The Exploration Place in 2000," said Tracy Calogheros, CEO of the facility. By 2001, Campbell earned the responsibilities of manager of curatorial services.
"I first met Bob in 1994 when he brought several large field jackets containing Hadrosaur fossils from Drumheller to Prince George to lead programs for children, and amateur palaeontologists at the then-Fraser Fort George Regional Museum," said Calogheros.
"Dino Bob's easy-going personality, paired with his impressive palaeo knowledge made him an instant hit with our visitors and staff alike. He even toured my parents through the Tyrell when they happened to be traveling in Alberta."
Just before Christmas last year, Campbell was involved in an incident at the museum that left him with two broken vertebrae in his neck and a damaged shoulder.
"While his recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, Mr. Campbell is no longer able to perform the functions necessary for his job," said Calogheros.
"It is a huge loss for the museum to have Bob leaving us earlier than was intended, but it is unavoidable. We are very excited that he has agreed to work on a history book with us over the next couple of years so that we can capture that knowledge he's been amassing for the last 15 years here in Prince George."
Jeff Elder from the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George knows Campbell well. Elder said Campbell "never minded taking the time to tell a story or help find a photo or help another museum with loans and expertise. Bob has that natural curiosity and ability to remember facts and interesting stories. I remember once a long time ago he asked if I'd ever seen the museum's air conditioning/HVAC system that removes and then adds humidity to the building to provide the right environment for artifacts. So he gave me a tour," and contrary to what one might think at the start of such a tour, "it was fascinating!"
Campbell is also one of the city's leading world-beat percussionists, with a knowledge-base as extensive as his drum collection.
The museum celebrated Campbell's career last Saturday night at a special event.
