The fonds consists of 478 photographs, predominantly of students at the St. Michael’s Residential School in Alert Bay. Beverley Brown and her friends took the photographs between ca. 1937 and ca. 1945 using Brown’s camera. Photographs from this period include shots of the students with their friends and of social events, as well as posed class photographs. These class photographs were taken by school supervisors who subsequently sold the prints to other students. Other photographs were taken in Brown’s hometown, Bella Bella, and in the area of the Namu cannery. These show weddings, fishing boats, landscapes, and buildings. Peter Mason Sr., Brown’s father, had the photographs developed in Vancouver.

The fonds has been arranged into three series:

1. St. Michael’s Residential School photographs
2. Bella Bella photographs
3. Langley High School photographs

Series consists of records related to exhibitions in which Porto was involved. Material includes planning documents, correspondence, meeting minutes, research, and promotional material.

Sub-series consists of records related to the exhibition "Amazonia: The Rights of Nature," which was on display at the Museum of Anthropology from March 10, 2017 - January 28, 2018. Porto was the curator for this exhibition.

The exhibition was described on the Museum of Anthropology's website as follows:

"Amazonia: The Rights of Nature explores the creative ideas that inspire Indigenous resistance to threats facing the world’s largest rainforest.

The exhibition features Amazonian basketry, textiles, carvings, feather works and ceramics both of everyday and of ceremonial use, representing Indigenous, Maroon and white settler communities. Today, these groups confront threats caused by political violence, mining, oil and gas exploration, industrial agriculture, forest fires and hydroelectric plants. Challenging visitors to examine their own notions towards holistic well-being, the exhibition covers more than 100 years of unsuspected relationships between Vancouver and Amazonian peoples, ideas and their struggles.

Amazonia departs from a social philosophy, known in Spanish as “buen vivir,” in which the concept of a good life proposes a holistic approach to development that intertwines notions of unity, equality, dignity, reciprocity, social and gender equality. The concept aligns directly with value systems intrinsic to Indigenous South American cultures, and serves as a rallying cry to move beyond Western ideals and practices of development and progress largely measured by profit.

The objects displayed in Amazonia have been exclusively assembled from MOA’s collection of acquisitions and donations. Included amongst the exhibition are items from Frank Burnett’s founding collection, donated to the University of British Columbia in 1927, ensuring the exhibition spans more than 100 years of exchange between Vancouver and Amazonian peoples.

Taking over MOA’s O’Brian Gallery, the exhibit’s items are primarily composed of simple, identifiable elements: vegetal fibers, wood, animal parts, clay or feathers. These uncomplicated components are transformed into extremely sophisticated and intricate textiles, basketry, ceramics, feather works and jewelry, displaying the knowledge and craftsmanship of some of the groups who reside in the region. Taken in its entirety, the exhibition promises to offer a revealing window into one of the world’s more culturally, socially and linguistically diverse regions, as well as a new framework for addressing some of the globe’s most pressing environmental challenges."

Series documents Cunningham’s responsibilities as exhibits designer, and consists of records related to the planning and implementation of various exhibits since the late 1980s. In addition to his role as designer, Cunningham has also been involved in producing exhibit proposals; assisting with travelling exhibits; and developing exhibition policies and guidelines. Records include artists’ statements and artwork; banners; calligraphy; case lists; contact prints/proofs; contracts; correspondence; exhibition catalogues; exhibition panels; exhibition proposals; exhibition text; guidelines; invitations; labels; loan agreements; measurements; memoranda; minutes; negatives; object lists; photographs; photocopy of artworks; plans; policies; reports; schedules; and sketches.

The records are divided into the following sub-series:

A Guidelines 1992-1994

B Long-term installations [ca. 1992]-2000

C Proposals 1988-1996

D Schedules 1991-1993

E We Sing to the Universe: Poems and Drawings by Ron Hamilton [1994]-1994

F Fragments: The E. Sonner Donation of African Sculpture 1990-1991

G A Coat of Many Colours: Two Centuries of Jewish Life in Canada 1990-1991

H Ancient Cloth / Ancient Code? 1990-1992

I Savage Graces: After Images by Gerald McMaster 1990-1993

J A Rare Flower: A Century of Cantonese Opera in Canada 1989-1997

K Inside Passage: 1792 1993

L Multiplicity: A New Cultural Strategy 1989-[ca. 1993]

M Cannery Days: A Chapter in the Lives of the Heilsuk 1993-1994

N High Slack: An Installation by Judith Williams 1992-1994

O Reclaiming History: Ledger Drawings by Assiniboine Artist Hongeeeysa 1993-1995

P Trapline Lifeline 1990-1992

Q Our Chiefs and Elders: Photographs by David Neel, Kwagiutl 1989-1990

R Festival Hong Kong: Possessions from the Past: Objects from a Lifetime of Change and Contrasts: Hong Kong’s New Territories in the 20th Century 1991-1992

S Nunavutmiutankik Elisasiniq: A Tribute to the People of Nunavut 1998-1999

T Travelling exhibits 1990-1991

U Gathering Strength: New Generations in Northwest Coast Art [199-?]-2004

V Continuing Traditions: Coast Salish Basketry 2000-2001

W Musqueam Weavers 1999-2000

X Haida Metalwork [1999?]-1999

Y Kaxlaya Gvilas [200-]-2002

Z Proud to be Musqueam 1991-1993

AA Repatriation 2000-2002

BB To Wash Away the Tears 2002-2003

CC Artifacts 1995-[ca. 1996]

DD The Abstract Edge: Recent Works by Robert Davidson 2001-2005

EE Mehodihi: Well-Known Traditions of Tahltan People [200-]-2003

FF Connoisseur’s Collection: Chinese Ceramics from the Victor Shaw Donation 2000-2002

GG Written in the Earth 1993-2002

HH Recalling the Past: Early Chinese Art from the
Victor Shaw Collection 1997-1998

II Maui: Turning Back the Sky: Exhibition of Contemporary
Hawaiian Art 1996-1997

JJ El Corazon Del Mundo: At the Heart of the World
La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia 2002

KK The Art of Norval Morrisseau 1999-2000

LL Without Masks: Contemporary Afro-Cuban Art 2014

MM Safar/Voyage: Contemporary Works by Arab, Iranian and Turkish Artists 2013

NN The Smart One video

OO Luminescence: the Silver of Peru 2012

PP Inuit Prints and Drawings: Selections from the Permanent Collection 1988-1989

QQ Carl Beam 2011

RR Man Ray, African Art and the Modernist Lens 2010-2011

SS Jack Shadbolt and the Coastal Indian Image 1986

TT Speaking to Memory 2013

UU One Mind, One Heart 2013

VV Hiroshima 2011-2012

WW Mungo Martin: A Slender Thread 2004

XX "Pasifika: Island Journeys” - The Frank Burnett Collection of Pacific Arts 2003-2004

YY Exhibit unknown

ZZ: Recent acquisitions 2005

Subseries consists of records relating to the exhibit “Exhibit A: Objects of Intrigue.” In 1999, the Museum of Anthropology celebrated its 50th anniversary. To mark this important milestone, the Museum opens “Exhibit A: Objects of Intrigue” in Gallery 5. This exhibit and accompanying publication “50/50 Fifty choices, Fifty Years,” highlights the museum’s diverse collections through objects selected by artists, staff, and friends connected to the museum over the years. This was the first exhibit to be designed entirely on computer. From the initial layout of components to the final production of exhibit labels and visual materials, the exhibit design was developed and managed electronically. Skooker Broome utilized the Mini-CAD program to plan for the exhibit design, layout, and fabrication of exhibit components. Records include: correspondence, design specifications, design notes, donor lists, computer renderings, drafts of computer layouts and designs for announcements, drafts and originals of computer layouts and designs, drafts and originals of computer layouts and designs for labels and didactic panels, artifact lists, exhibit object summaries, reports, object accessioning records, fundraising records, documents outlining the content and context of the exhibit, conservation documents, budgets, business cards, scholarly articles, contact lists, invoices, and phone lists.

Subseries consists of records related to the graphic design for the Paradise Lost? exhibit, on display at the Museum of Anthropology July 24 - September 29, 2013, and at the Satellite Gallery July 24 - August 31, 2013. The exhibit was curated by Dr. Carol Mayer (MOA curator).

Subseries consists of records relating to the graphic design for the Speaking to Memory exhibit, on display at the Museum of Anthropology September 19, 2013 - May 11, 2014. This exhibit was curated by William McLennan (MOA) and Sarah Holland and Juanita Johnston (both from the U’mista Cultural Centre).

Subseries consists of records related to the graphic design for the Claiming Space exhibit, on display at the Museum of Anthropology June 1, 2014 - January 4, 2015. The exhibit was curated by Pam Brown (MOA curator).

Series consists of records relating to exhibits curated by Jennifer Kramer. The records span the entire breadth of the intellectual creation process, including research material pertaining to exhibition subjects, transcripts of interviews used for research and publication purposes, administrative files and notes and correspondence pertaining to exhibition design, installation and publication development. Fonds currently has records from only one exhibit; additional exhibits material expected.

The series is arranged into sub-series relating to a specific exhibition:
Sub-series 1-A: Kesu': The Art and Life of Doug Cranmer (1964-2012)