The Ship Model Exhibit is a collection of ship models that reflect the maritime connection to Port Alberni from the earliest white exploration days when the Spanish were exploring our coast, up to the twentieth century when the CPR , the Royal Canadian Navy, Lumber companies and European traders all had influence and contact with our West Coast and particularly Port Alberni. The Santiago is representative of the Spanish exploration, the Princess of Alberni and the Princess Maquinna are representative of the CPR business actiivity. The HMCS Alberni is representative of Canada's naval contribution to the Allies in WW 2 when Flower class corvettes were all named after Canadian towns. The City of Alberni is lumber schooner  which was typical of the ships being built here in the early twentieth century to carry BC lumber across the world. The small square rigger in the wooden case is typical of the kind of sailing ships built in Europe in the nineteenth century that traded from European ports out to the west coasts of North and South America.