Ontario Science Center

The Ontario Science Centre (OSC; originally the Centennial Museum of Science and Technology) is a science museum and organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its original location opened to the public in 1969 and was located near the Don Valley Parkway about northeast of downtown on Don Mills Road in the former city of North York. It was built down the side of a wooded ravine formed by one branch of the Don River located in Flemingdon Park.

In 2023, Premier of Ontario Doug Ford announced the Ontario government's plan to replace the Ontario Science Centre with a smaller institution on the Toronto waterfront. The following year, the government announced that the Don Mills location would close permanently after an engineering report identified a high risk of roof collapse. Both decisions have been met with considerable public opposition.

History

Construction and opening

Planning for the Science Centre started in 1961 during Toronto's expansion in the late 1950s and 1960s. In August 1964, Premier of Ontario John Robarts announced the creation of the Centennial Centre of Science and Technology as a Centennial Project. Toronto architect Raymond Moriyama was hired to design the site. Construction started in 1966 with plans to open the Centennial Centre of Science and Technology as part of the Canadian Centennial celebrations in 1967.

However, construction was not completed in 1967, and the Science Centre did not open to the public until two years later, on September 26, 1969. The official opening was held on the morning of September 27 and attended by VIPs, followed by an opening to 30,000 invited guests in the early afternoon. It opened to the general public on September 28, drawing 9,000 visitors. Its advertising slogan at launch was "Come see what would happen if Albert Einstein and Walt Disney had gotten together."

The buildings and design were part of a wider change in Canadian architecture, and remain an example of the brutalist style.

When it first opened, the Science Centre was a pioneer for its hands-on approach to science, along with San Francisco's Exploratorium and the Michigan Science Center in Detroit. Unlike a traditional museum, where exhibits are for viewing only, the majority of the exhibits at the Science Centre were interactive, while many others were live demonstrations (e.g. metalworking). The Communications room contained a number of computerized displays, including a very popular tic-tac-toe game, run on a PDP-11 minicomputer.

By 1974, it hosted around 250,000 students on field trips annually.{{cite journal, journal= Museum International, title=The Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, last=Omand, first=Douglas N., volume=26, issue=2, publisher=Taylor & Francis, pages=76–85, date=1974, doi=10.1111/j.1468-0033.1974.tb01821.x

Operations from 1990 to 2022

In 1990, the Ontario Science Centre announced a contract with Oman to design a children's museum. The Ontario Science Centre had agreed to boycott Israeli goods and services while under contract. The Ontario Science Centre later amended the contract to specify that all goods sold to Oman would be produced in North America. The centre's Director, General Mark Abbott, was later fired for signing the original contract.

In 2001, the Centre embarked on a capital project called "Agents of Change," which focused on innovation and renewed about 85% of the Centre's public space, including the creation of seven new experience areas. The Centre received $47.5 million in contributions from the government of Ontario, private sector companies, and individuals. The Agents of Change transformation was completed in 2007, culminating in the opening of the Weston Family Innovation Centre and the Teluscape plaza.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, the Science Centre received $500,000 from the Government of Canada to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake among children and their families.

Facility decay, replacement plans, and closure

Due to structural decay, which required the closing of the pedestrian bridge leading to the exhibits, a shuttle bus line ran from 2023 until the Don Mills site's closure, bringing people from the main entrance to Level 6, the site of the main exhibit area at the bottom of a ravine.{{cite web , title=Map of the Centre , url=https://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/plan-your-visit/map-of-the-centre , website=Ontario Science Centre , publisher=Ontario Science Centre, an agency of the Government of Ontario , access-date=2023-08-18 The detour used Mercedes and Ford custom-built minibuses. No plans to rebuild or replace the decayed bridge had been announced by the time of the site’s closure.

On April 18, 2023, Premier Doug Ford announced the provincial government's plan to demolish the Science Centre and relocate it to a new facility on Toronto's waterfront, specifically the grounds of Ontario Place.{{cite news , last1=Morrell , first1=Patrick , title=Here's the latest on the province's plan to move the Science Centre to Ontario Place , url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-place-science-centre-latest-1.6817983 , access-date=2023-08-17 , work=CBC News , date=Apr 22, 2023 This announcement was met with widespread public backlash.{{cite news , last1=Micallef , first1=Shawn , date=23 April 2023 , title=Doug Ford's party built the Ontario Science Centre. That makes his plan to demolish it even more puzzling , url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/doug-ford-s-party-built-the-ontario-science-centre-that-makes-his-plan-to-demolish/article_2d479e26-8599-55fd-8627-861d4d7a2614.html , access-date=2023-08-17 , work=Toronto Star , language=en Concerns centred on potential downsizing and exhibit losses due to space constraints,{{cite news , last1=Jeffords , first1=Shawn , title=Toronto's looking at how to keep Ontario Science Centre where it is — and could run its own , url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-science-centre-toronto-study-1.6914151 , access-date=2023-08-17 , work=CBC News , date=Jul 23, 2023 as well as the possible renaming of Line 5 Eglinton's yet-to-open Science Centre station. Both the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and the Toronto Society of Architects condemned the relocation plans,{{cite web , last1=Lam , first1=Elsa , date=24 April 2023 , title=ACO and TSA advocate to save Ontario Science Centre , url=https://www.canadianarchitect.com/aco-and-tsa-advocate-to-save-ontario-science-centre/#:~:text=Despite%20this%2C%20the%20building%20has,the%20museum%20via%20shuttle%20bus. , access-date=2023-08-17 , website=Canadian Architect , publisher=iQ Business Media Inc while the grassroots group Save Ontario's Science Centre organized rallies and letter-writing campaigns to reverse the government's decision.{{cite web , last1=Donahue , first1=Ryan , date=31 January 2024 , title=Local communities push back against Science Centre move at Riverdale rally , url=https://torontoobserver.ca/2024/01/31/science-centre-rally/ , access-date=2024-03-11 , website=Toronto Observer , publisher=Centennial College Toronto City Council also sought ways to maintain the Science Centre at its original location.

In December 2023, the Auditor General of Ontario concluded that the government's decision "was not fully informed and based on preliminary and incomplete costing information, and had proceeded without full consultation from key stakeholders or a clear plan for the existing site".

On June 21, 2024, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced the immediate closure of the Don Mills location, citing an engineering report revealing water damage affecting 2-6% of the building's roofs. The report estimated that repairs would cost at least $22 million and take two years to complete.{{Cite web , first2=Rob, last2=Ferguson, first1=Robert, last1=Benzie, date=2024-06-21 , title=Ford government closing Ontario Science Centre today after report found roof in danger of collapsing , url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ford-government-closing-ontario-science-centre-today-after-report-found-roof-in-danger-of-collapsing/article_3e7a8442-2fd8-11ef-9c00-03276c11fe83.html , access-date=2024-06-21 , website=Toronto Star , language=en Safety concerns about the roof material in question, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC),{{cite web , last1=Lam , first1=Elsa , title=Ontario Science Centre doesn't require full closure: A close reading of the engineers' report , url=https://www.canadianarchitect.com/ontario-science-centre-doesnt-require-full-closure-a-close-reading-of-the-engineers-report/ , website=Canadian Architect , publisher=iQ Business Media Inc , access-date=2024-06-26 , date=2024-06-24 had caused the temporary or permanent closure of hundreds of buildings in the United Kingdom in 2023. While roughly 400 public buildings in Ontario contain RAAC, the Science Centre is currently the only one in the province closed due to these concerns.

Instead of pursuing repairs, the Ford government expedited its plan to relocate the Science Centre to the waterfront, targeting a 2028 opening, with a temporary location slated for January 2026.{{cite news, last=Bowden, first=Olivia, work= CBCNews.ca, url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-science-centre-closing-roof-1.7242810, title=Ontario Science Centre to close immediately: province, accessdate= June 21, 2024 , date=June 21, 2024{{cite web, url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/science-centre-smaller-rfp-1.7247183, title=Ontario seeks much smaller home for temporary science centre, first=Allison, last=Jones, agency=The Canadian Press, work=CBCNews.ca, date=June 26, 2024, access-date=July 3, 2024 This drew further criticism, including from Moriyama Teshima Architects, the firm founded by the Science Centre's designer.{{cite web, url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-science-centre-rally-1.7244064, title=Rally held as community angered by Ontario Science Centre closure, first=Ryan Patrick, last=Jones, work= CBCNews.ca, date=June 23, 2024, access-date=June 24, 2024 Private donors, including Geoffrey Hinton, offered up to $1 million to fund the repairs of the existing facility, but the province has not responded to these offers.

By October 31, 2024, most of the exhibits had been moved to storage facilities in Northern Toronto and Guelph, while the animals and plants had been transferred to the Toronto Zoo and The Village at Black Creek. Temporary pop-up exhibits have since opened at Sherway Gardens and Toronto's Harbourfront Centre.{{Cite web , last=Casey , first=Liam , date=Nov 14, 2024 , title=Ontario Science Centre workers say goodbye as repairs continue , url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/workers-say-goodbye-ontario-science-centre-1.7383016 , access-date=Nov 17, 2024 , website=CBC News

In December 2024, the Auditor General of Ontario questioned the financial prudence of the relocation. Contrary to the Ford government's business plan analysis, which projected $257 million in savings over 50 years, the AG found that relocation costs have already exceeded the anticipated savings, reaching approximately $400 million.

In May 2025, ''Canadian Architect'' magazine reported that draft versions of the structural engineering report relied on by the Ontario government to close the centre – obtained via the freedom of information process – recommended routine repairs and not closure up to May 2024.{{Cite news , last=Lam , first=Elsa , date=May 16, 2025 , title=New documents reinforce that Science Centre closure was not supported by engineers , url=https://www.canadianarchitect.com/draft-engineering-reports-didnt-suggest-closure-of-ontario-science-centre-new-documents-reveal/ , access-date=May 17, 2025 , work=Canadian Architect Combined with earlier reporting from Global News about Infrastructure Ontario was in frequent communication with Rimkus in the leadup to the report being publicly released in June 2024, led the magazine to conclude that language about the consequences of not doing the routine repair that was later used to justify the closure was inserted after political pressure.

Grounds

Building

Designed in the early 1960s, the original buildings are in the Brutalist architectural style. The building complex is made up of three main buildings connected by a series of bridges and escalators set in a parkland of over {{convert, 100, acre, order=flip.{{rp, 78 The buildings were constructed while avoiding removal or damage to the mature trees in the area, so that "the buildings seem to fit naturally into their environment".{{rp, 78 They follow the natural contours of the Don River ravine, into which the Centre descends. Ontario's only IMAX Dome theatre opened in 1996.

The Great Hall is an event venue at the Ontario Science Centre and is home to ''Cloud'', a massive, computer-controlled kinetic sculpture by Toronto installation artist David Rokeby, which consists of an array of blue and transparent squares that rotate in various ways to simulate the three states of matter: solid, liquid and gas.

For most of the time since opening in 1969, the Science Centre has hosted a demonstration amateur radio station. Formerly located in the Hall of Space, the station has since been relocated to Level 4 of the Centre, next to the elevator. The station has the call sign "VE3OSC", and licensed amateur radio operators volunteer there daily from 10 am to 3 pm.

Ontario Science Centre Level 6 Forest Lane 2023.jpg, Buildings connected by escalator
Ontario Science Centre Front Entrance lobby 2023.jpg, Front entrance lobby
Ontario Science Centre Valley Restaurant 2023.jpg, Valley Restaurant with large windows
Ontario Science Centre Level 3 Amateur Radio 2023.jpg, Amateur radio in level 3
Ontario Science Centre event space.jpg, The Great Hall enclosed ''Cloud'', a kinetic sculpture by David Rokeby; this installation has been removed.{{cn, date=April 2024

Plaza

''Lotic Meander'' by Stacy Levy is an outdoor installation in polished and blasted granite and cast glass set into the solar terrace of the Ontario Science Centre. The work depicts the patterns of water as it moves through a stream bed. In 2007, the Ontario Science Centre unveiled the Teluscape Exploration Plaza, providing several interactive exhibits adjacent to the science centre's exterior main entrance.

FUNtain Aquatic Play

As originally built, the Science Centre had a large fountain area directly in front of the entranceway, located to create a traffic roundabout. The fountain virtually screened views of the building from the street, and provided cooling for the building.{{rp, 78 The original water fountain has been rejuvenated to provide a more welcoming and accessible entrance to the Science Centre. The new plaza, named "Teluscape", was designed by Reich + Petch Architects and EDA Collaborative. It opened to the public on September 20, 2006, and is accessible 24 hours a day.

The new fountain is a hydraulophone, designed by installation artist Steve Mann. It is a hydraulic-action pipe organ which can be played by anyone walking into the space. Blocking the flow of any of the 57 water jets in the fountain redirects the water to a corresponding organ pipe, where it makes a loud sound as the water is forced out through the speaking mouth of the pipe. The lowest 12 notes in each pipe division of the organ are visible as pipes arranged in a circle. The North Division consists of stopped ''hydrapasons'' (similar to diapasons but running on water rather than air), whereas the South Division pipes are open at both ends (sound emerges from the ends rather than from a mouth as with the North pipes). The North organ console consists of 12 water jets, whereas the south console consists of 45 water jets.

The organ is supplied with water from three Pentair pumps, supplying water at a rate of {{convert, 130, gal/min, each by way of a {{convert, 3, in, cm diameter water line. Air is supplied from three Ingersol Rand four-cylinder air compressors, each is equipped with a {{convert, 25, hp motor. Since the instrument runs on both air and water, it may be regarded as a hybrid hydraulophone and pneumatophone, but because it is played by blocking water jets rather than air holes, it is principally a hydraulophone.

The fountain must be shut down and drained to avoid freezing damage during the cold season. On November 21, 2007, the aquatic play facility was temporarily switched from water operation to air operation, effectively becoming perhaps one of the first pneumatic-play facilities, where visitors can play among a fountain of air jets. In this mode of operation, the fountain becomes a wind instrument. The hydraulophone may not be operational during the winter months.

{{As of, 2023, the hydraulophone has not been operational, due to algae buildup, leaks, and pump problems.

Exhibitions

The Science Centre has hosted many travelling exhibits since its opening. In 1982, the exhibition ''China: 7,000 Years of Discovery'' broke all attendance records and attracted more than 1.5 million visitors.{{Cite web, url=https://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/WhoWeAre/MajorMoments, title=Major Moments, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310201827/https://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/WhoWeAre/MajorMoments/, archive-date=10 March 2020, url-status=dead, website=Ontario Science Centre

In 2003, the ''Strange Matter'' exhibition opened, and the ''Body Worlds 2'' exhibition attracted almost half a million visitors over five months when it came to the Centre in 2005. The exhibition ''Facing Mars'' ran in 2008. The Centre hosted '' Harry Potter: The Exhibition'', a collection of props from the film series in 2010. ''Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop'' (2011) featured physical models of da Vinci's inventions, built from drawings in his Codices. It also included interactive touch-screen digital reproductions of his Codices, the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. ''Circus: The Exhibition'' ran in 2012. ''Game On 2.0'', a video game history exhibition, ran March 9 to September 2, 2013.

In June 2014, the Centre welcomed ''The Science of Rock 'N' Roll'', which explores how advances in science and technology have revolutionized music. The exhibition features eight areas that comprise different interactive components, historical artifacts, informational walls, documentary videos and more. The exhibition was followed by ''In Knowledge We Trust'' (October 4 to December 7, 2014), which explored the role trust plays in making us willing to share or use the knowledge we receive.

During summer 2015, the Centre hosted ''MythBusters: The Explosive Exhibition'', based on the popular television series ''MythBusters''. On June 4, 2016, the Centre hosted a one-day exhibit promoting the Nintendo 3DS game '' Kirby: Planet Robobot'', which also featured activities pertaining to the ''Kirby'' video game series and a visit by a performer in a full Kirby costume. In 2017, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada, the Centre opened the exhibition ''Canada 150: Discovery Way'', featuring Canadian stories behind transformational inventions and innovations.

Permanent galleries and exhibits

The science centre has several hundred interactive and passive permanent exhibits, featuring geology, the science of nature (in the west wing), astronomical science, how to play music and technology in the south wing, human anatomy, communication and bias, and some miscellaneous artifacts of science.

''A Question of Truth''

''A Question of Truth'' is an exhibit that explores the methodologies, biases, and beliefs of scientific research setup in 2000. The exhibit provides visitors an opportunity to test controversial theories.{{cite web, url=https://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/permanentexhibits/, title=Permanent Exhibit Halls, year=2019, publisher=Ontario Science Centre, access-date=September 29, 2019

AstraZeneca Human Edge

The AstraZeneca Human Edge replaced the original human anatomy gallery, opened in December 2013 with sponsorship from AstraZeneca. In addition to detailing anatomy, the exhibit explores the possibilities of the human body with activities to simulate the experiences of adventure-seekers, elite athletes, and extreme-sports enthusiasts. There are more than 80 exhibits in the hall, which were all developed and built by the Science Centre's staff with input from more than 120 neuroscience, physiology, bio-mechanics and sports medicine experts. The exhibit also features a climbing wall.

Cohon Family Nature Escape

The Cohon Family Nature Escape is an outdoor exhibit, situated within the Don River valley to the rear of the science centre. The exhibit features a giant Baltimore oriole nest, concrete wall canvas for moss graffiti, and a playground slide made from a fallen 125-year-old eastern white pine.

Forest Lane

Forest Lane houses a number of trees and tree trunks from across Canada. The exhibit includes a 464-year-old Douglas fir, with markings on its growth rings denoting notable world events during the tree's lifetime.

KidSpark

KidSpark is a designated space for children eight and under to explore and learn through play. The exhibition was opened in 2003. The exhibition also has a rolling ball machine built by George Rhoads, and a music studio.

Living Earth

The Living Earth hosts simulated environments around the world, including rainforests, coral reefs, and caves, including live animals. It was opened in 1993.

Science Arcade

The Science Arcade is amongst the oldest exhibits at the science centre, having been a permanent fixture in the building since its opening in 1969. The Science Arcade houses a number of "arcade-styled" games.

Space Hall and the Planetarium

The Space Hall was refurbished in the late 2000s and features meteorites from Mars and one of the few Moon rocks on public display in Canada. The Ontario Science Centre also holds Toronto's only operating public planetarium, since McLaughlin Planetarium was closed in 1995.

Weston Family Innovation Centre

The Weston Family Innovation Centre is an exhibit designed to encourage experimentation, and features exhibits that allow visitors to prototype a new type of shoe, and to test their aviation abilities. The Weston Family Innovation Centre houses ''Pipe Dreams'' by Bruce Shapiro, a bubble art installation.

Gallery

Ontario Science Centre Level 6 Rock Paper Science Hall 2023.jpg , Rock Paper Science Hall (Level 6)
Ontario Science Centre Level 6 The Living Earth 2023.jpg, The Living Earth (Level 6)
OSC 10 - Mapaches 05 (14072486317).jpg, A raccoon at the Cohon Family Nature Escape. The outdoor exhibit is located behind the science centre, within the Don Valley.
ShergottiteFromMorocco-OntarioScienceCentre-June21-08.png, Shergottite, a Martian meteorite

Science School

The Ontario Science Centre Science School (OSCSS) offers grade 12 University Preparation courses in STEM subjects: physics, biology, chemistry, calculus, and advanced functions. All students also complete an interdisciplinary studies credit in science communication while enrolled with the OSCSS. The credits are issued by either the Toronto District School Board or the Toronto Catholic District School Board, which also fund the program so it is available at no cost to students from anywhere in Ontario. While at the Science Centre, students earn practicum hours through volunteering and interacting with visitors.

Governance

As a Crown agency (Crown corporation) of the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Science Centre is overseen by trustees appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, who selects not fewer than sixteen and not more than twenty-six trustees, and designates one of them as chair and another as vice-chair. Meetings are held four times a year, and trustees serve for a term not exceeding three years but may be reappointed for one or more terms.

Affiliations

The Ontario Science Centre is affiliated with the Canadian Museums Association (CMA), Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), and Virtual Museum of Canada. The Ontario Science Centre is a member of the international Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC).

Cultural references

Ontario Science Centre was used by David Cronenberg as a location for his 1970 film '' Crimes of the Future''.

Media

The Ontario Science Centre was featured on the '' Rick Mercer Report'' in 2016. In his CBC news satire program, Rick Mercer visited numerous scientists' exhibits, took part in a wildlife conservation show, and partook in a psychological fear study during a workshop there.

The Grand Hall of the centre was used as an airport terminal in episode 5 of the miniseries '' Station Eleven.''The creative team of the series expressed their desire for the building to be saved in the aftermath of its closure.

The controversy surrounding the closure and politics behind it would be portrayed in a May 2025 episode of ''Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent'', with mention of the closure of an in show Science Centre called ''"The Toronto Centre of Science."''{{Cite web , first=Save OSC , date=May 12, 2025 , title=Ripped from the headlines, the closure of the Toronto Centre for Science , url=https://x.com/SaveOSC/status/1922107754832859475

See also

* List of science centers

References

{{Reflist, 30em

External links

{{Commons category, Ontario Science Centre
*{{official website, ontariosciencecentre.ca
Opening of Teluscape, 2006 Sept. 20th, including audiovisual recording of the water pipe organHow to play in/on the Science Centre's South fountain"Ontario Science Centre", part of ''Centennial Ontario''
online exhibit on Archives of Ontario website

{{Toronto landmarks
{{Museums and galleries in Toronto
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Brutalist architecture in Canada
Canadian Centennial
Crown corporations of Ontario
Museums in Toronto
North York
Science museums in Canada
Raymond Moriyama buildings
Museums established in 1969
Science and technology in Toronto
Association of Science-Technology Centers member institutions
Amateur radio
1969 establishments in Ontario