Gather up your budding physicists and cunning chemists. We’ve found the best spots to mix up some family-friendly fun.
Round up your magnifying glasses and thinking caps because we’ve found the coolest (and educational) science and discovery centres across the country.
A version of this article appeared in our October 2013 issue with the headline “All the best: Science & discovery centres,” pp.135-43.
This centre was built to showcase the brilliant northern lights, so if your family has never seen the aurora borealis and you’re heading out to the Yukon, you’re in luck: Scientists say the best “auroral activity” happens every 11 years, and this year’s show will be the best it’s been since 2002. The prime time to see the lights are on clear, dark winter nights. High season is from late August to mid-April, so if you’re visiting in the summer, you can head inside and watch a video of the the lights streamed on a 360-degree dome screen in a theatre.
Admission to the centre is free. For the show: general admission,$9; kids seven to 16, $6; children younger than seven get in free.
807 Frank Trail, Watson Lake. 867-536-7827
Get more information at northernlightscentre.ca
Photo: Northern Lights CentreThe touch pools (filled with sea urchins and sea stars that visitors are encouraged to pet) and underwater views into the award-winning aquarium of the Salish Sea are exciting sites for young and old. But what we love most about the centre is Tot Tuesdays, where preschoolers and their parents can create ocean-themed crafts and play games.
Admission: Adults, $15; kids four to 12, $7.50; youth 13 to 18, $10; children younger than three get in free.
9811 Seaport Pl., Sidney. 250-665-7511
Get more information at oceandiscovery.ca
Photo: Shaw Ocean Discovery CentreIf your kids followed Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield’s once- in-a-lifetime journey through the galaxy earlier this year, they’ll be blown away by a visit to the space centre, where they can explore the solar system in the planetarium, throughout the exhibit gallery and at some pretty awesome live shows (like Day in Space and Planet Hunters). The centre hosts sleepovers and even has a Not Quite an Overnight Adventure starting at 6 p.m., so younger children can take part, too. Head next door, and you’ll find the Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory, where little stargazers can watch the Vancouver sky.
There are seven permanent galleries at Science World, as well as feature exhibits, a Science Theatre and an OMNIMAX Theatre, but it’s the Kidspace gallery that will catch your tot’s attention. Young explorers ages two to six can learn about water, light, movement and colour; the three- to five-year-old set can join the Preschool Curiosity Club and participate in age-appropriate programs in the Discovery Lab. Wee ones can also have a sleepover, where they’ll see a live science show and get late-night and early-morning snacks ($70 per camper). When your crew gets peckish, you’ll find vending machines throughout the centre, as well as the Snack Lab (at the OMNIMAX Theatre) and a restaurant with a healthy children’s menu.
Admission: Adults, $23.25; kids three to 12, $15.25; youth 13 to 18, $18.50.
1455 Quebec St., Vancouver. 604-443-7440
Get more information at scienceworld.ca
Photo: Science World at Telus World of ScienceFamilies in the Okanagan Valley flock to the OSC to witness how the centre works to conserve the environmental health of their community – OSC houses the province’s air-monitoring station that tests the air residents breathe, and partners with Okanagan WaterWise to teach students about one of our most important resources. There are also a slew of fabulous kids’ programs (suited to budding astronomers, engineers, biologists and chemists).
Admission: Adults, $12; kids three to 18, $9; children younger than two get in free.
2704 Hwy 6, Vernon. 250-545-3644
Get more information at okscience.ca
Photo: Okanagan Science CentreBesides travelling exhibits that visit the Edmonton museum, there’s a Health Gallery, Space Gallery and a cool Robotics Lab. There’s also Discoveryland (aimed at newborns to eight-year-olds), which has a Tot Galaxy play area for toddlers, and Sky High, where wee ones can pretend to be plane engineers, pilots and passengers. The newest exhibit is Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life, where kids will get up close and personal with the human body and how we age. March break and summer camps are offered for a fee.
Admission: Adults, $19.95; children three to 12, $13.95; youth 13 to 17, $16.95.
11211 142 St. N.W., Edmonton. 780-451-3344
Get more information at telusworldofscienceedmonton.com
Photo: Telus World of ScienceCheck out the world’s biggest single oil deposit while learning about science, technology and Alberta’s rich history. Families should make the trek on weekends, when the discovery lab runs fun experiments and activities for kids.
Admission: Adults, $11; kids seven to 17, $7; children younger than seven get in free.
515 MacKenzie Blvd., Fort McMurray. 780-743-7167
Get more information at history.alberta.ca/oilsands
Photo: Oil Sands Discovery CentreThere are plenty of things for kids to explore and ways to use their growing imaginations at this six-year-old facility, including the Earth & Sky gallery (where your brood can recreate a thunderstorm or cause an avalanche); the Being Human gallery (do you know whether you’re right-eyed or left-eyed? You’ll find out here); and the Open Studio Workshop (where kids of all ages can experiment and test ideas with staff, from 1-3 p.m.). There are also drop-in workshops and live demos on a variety of science-based topics designed for students, and a cool Creative Kids Museum, which has a climbing structure and a spot for tots to build their own inventions on-site.
Admission: Adults, $19.95, kids three to 12, $12.95; youth 13 to 17, $15.95; children younger than three get in free.
220 St. George’s Dr. N.E., Calgary. 403-817-6800
Get more information at sparkscience.ca
Photo: The Telus Spark Science CentreWith three exhibit-filled floors, kids can learn about everything from their bodies (Anatomy Academy) to what life is like on the red planet (Mars Trek). The Ag-grow-land exhibit is all about Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry, and it explores how the province’s farmers feed the world. There are also stage shows (like the Cotton Candy Sugar Show and a demo about Cryogenics), an IMAX theatre and a climbing wall for kids ages eight and older. If you’re a member of the centre and have a preschooler, she can participate in Science Time with Tots on Tuesday mornings. Families can enjoy activities at 2 p.m. (crafts, experiments and games) on most days.
Admission: Adults, $10; kids three to 12, $8; teens 13 to 17, $9; children younger than two get in free.
2903 Powerhouse Dr., Regina. 306-522-4629
Get more information at sasksciencecentre.com
Photo: Saskatchewan Science CentreHome to Scotty, Canada’s largest Tyrannosaurus Rex (he’s 65 million years old), the Discovery Centre teaches kids all about the enormous herbivores and carnivores that once roamed the earth. Exhibits and activities include finding fossils and visiting the full-scale diorama that showcases what Saskatchewan would’ve looked like – and the life-sized animals that remained – after the dinosaurs became extinct. The facility is open seasonally from Victoria Day long weekend to Labour Day.
Admission: By donation.
1 T-rex Dr., Eastend. 306-295-4009
Get more information at trexcentre.ca
Photo: T.Rex Discovery CentreTween palaeontologists are sure to find remains when they head out on the centre’s fossil dig (there are half-day, one-, two- and five-day excursions). But it’s not the bones of velociraptors or brachiosauruses they’ll be hunting for, it’s the fossils of the marine reptiles and fish that once ruled the sea. (Manitoba was submerged with saltwater in the Cretaceous period.) You’ll also find plenty of these remains in the centre’s gallery, which boasts the largest collection of sea reptile fossils in the country. Kids can also check out shark and bird fossils, as well as the interactive Nintendo Wii exhibit.
Admission: Adults, $8; students five to 18, $5; preschoolers get in free. (Fossil dig excursions are for kids 10 and older; prices range from $50 to $525.)
111-B Gilmour St., Morden. 204-822-3406
Get more information at discoverfossils.com
Photo: Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreVisit the Manitoba Museum’s digital planetarium – it’s the first in Canada that uses two projectors to create a single picture that covers the inside of the dome. The images are 3-D, so kids will feel like they’re floating through the cosmos while they’re sitting in their seats. There are several shows throughout the day – some more suitable to younger viewers than others, so check the listings online before leaving home. The on-site Science Gallery offers more than 100 different exhibits.
Admission to the planetarium section: Adults, $11; kids three to 11, $7.50; youth 12 to 17, $9; children two and younger get in free. (You can visit other galleries at the museum for an extra fee.)
190 Rupert Ave., Winnipeg. 204-956-2830
Get more information at manitobamuseum.ca/main/planetarium-intro/
Photo: Planetarium at the Manitoba MuseumThe new Aquatarium in Brockville opened it's doors in spring 2014. This huge interactive discovery centre is right on the St. Lawrence River, and it’s all about the history and ecology of the famous Thousand Islands region in Ontario. Tots will want to watch the otters in their glass-enclosed habitat, then sit in the theatre and have a “virtual visit” with sturgeon and muskies caught on the underwater camera that feeds onto the screen.
Admission: Adults, $19.99; youth 13 to 17, $14.99, kids 12 and under, $9.99.
6 Broad St., Brockville
Get more information on the opening, programs, admission and hours at aquatarium.ca
Photo: AquatariumDid someone say bugs? If your kids are into creepy-crawlies, the Insectarium is North America’s largest insect museum, where budding entomologists can see about 160,000 types of insects – from creatures with up to a few dozen legs and antennae, to winged ones that buzz, flap and flutter. Kids can get up close while experts explain how bugs find mates, what they eat and how they defend themselves. They’ll also get a kick out of The BuzzGround, the museum’s outdoor play area and discovery zone.
Admission (discounts for Quebec residents): Families from $44.25; adults from $15.75; kids five to 17 from $8; students (18+ with student card) from $12; children younger than five get in free.
4581, rue Sherbrooke est, Montreal. 514-872-1400
Get more information at espacepourlavie.ca/insectarium
Kids can explore the red planet, see a spacesuit worn by astronauts on the Apollo missions, check out model rockets and take off on a journey into the cosmos from the comfort of their space capsule. What makes this museum truly one-of-a-kind is their space camp – nine- to 15-year-olds can sign up for three- or six-day camps and enjoy an authentic astronaut training program where they’ll experiment with replicas of NASA simulators, launch a mini rocket, attend workshops and sleep in a module like the ones in the International Space Station. Five- to 12-year-olds can also sign up for spring and summer day camps.
Admission: Adults, $16.50; kids seven and older from $13; children younger than seven get in free.
2150 Laurentian Highway, Laval. 450-978-3600
Get more information at cosmodome.org
Photo: CosmodômeFour- to seven-year-olds are in for a treat at the MSC – “Clic! The Zone for Curious Young Minds” is the colourful space created for school-agers where they can flex their imagination muscles by designing a roller coaster, building a house and playing with patterns.
Admission: Adults, from $15; kids four to 12, from $8.50; teens 13 to 17, from $13; children younger than three get in free.
2 Commune St. W., Montreal. 514-496-4724
Get more information at montrealsciencecentre.com
Photo: Montreal Science CentrePerfect for promising scientists, the Centre has live science demos (the kinetic energy “bed of nails” show is the most popular), a life-sized suspension bridge, and even an exhibit where future engineers can try building their own roller coaster. There are camps offered throughout the year, including age-appropriate clubs that revolve around building with Lego. For small scientists, the Little Learners program (for three- to five-year- olds and their caregivers) lets tots have fun in a hands-on, educational environment.
Admission: Adults, $12; kids three to 18, $10; children younger than two get in free.
1593 Barrington St., Halifax. 902-492-4422
Get more information at discoverycentre.ns.ca
Fluvarium means flowing water, so kids actually get to watch how marine life exists in their truly natural habitat through the nine large viewing windows where fish swim freely into the building. This open system allows all kinds of aquatic species to move in and out of the Fluvarium from Nagle’s Hill Brook, which connects to Rennie’s River, Quidi Vidi Lake and out to the Atlantic. Enroll your kids in the Fluvarium Kids Club, where five- to 10-year-olds can collect stickers and earn a “Fresh Water Friends” certificate for attending four weekend programs each year. (The club is free with the price of admission.)
Admission: Families (two adults and two children) $25; adults, $8; kids four to 14, $5; children younger than four get in free.
5 Nagle’s Place, St. John’s. 709-754-3474
Get more information at fluvarium.ca
Photo: The Suncor Energy FluvariumThere’s plenty to see here, including a planetarium, and the only science-themed playground in Atlantic Canada, with a climbing wall and a human gyroscope. Sign up for Robo-Families, which takes place one Saturday afternoon each month, where parents and kids can build themed robots together. It’s the perfect antidote for wintery “we’re bored!” weekends. The centre also offers sleepovers and school, March break and summer camp programs.
Admission: Adults, $10; kids three to 16, $6.50; children younger than three get in free.
668 Brunswick St., Fredericton. 506-457-2340
Get more information at scienceeast.nb.ca
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