Ontario Science Centre

Construction and opening

Planning for the Science Centre started in 1961 during Toronto's massive expansion of the late 1950s and 1960s.^[10] In August 1964, Premier of Ontario John Robarts announced the creation of the Centennial Centre of Science and Technology as a Centennial Project.^[11] 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.^[12]

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.^[13] The official opening was held on the morning of September 27 and attended by VIPs, and was followed by opening to 30,000 invited guests in early afternoon.^[11] It opened to the general public on September 28, drawing 9,000 visitors.^[11] Its advertising slogan at launch was "Come see what would happen if Albert Einstein and Walt Disney had gotten together."^[11]

The buildings and design were part of a broader change in Canadian architecture,^[14] and remain an example of the brutalist style.^[3]

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 about 250,000 students on field trips annually.^[15]: 82

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.^[16] The Ontario Science Centre later amended the contract to specify that all goods sold to Oman would be produced in North America.^[17] The centre's Director General Mark Abbott was later fired for knowingly signing the original contract.^[18]

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 2007, culminating with the opening of the Weston Family Innovation Centre and the Teluscape plaza.^[19]

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.^[20]

Facility decay, replacement plans, and closure

Due to structural decay, which required 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 main exhibit area at the bottom of a ravine.^[21][22] 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 closure.

On April 18, 2023, Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, announced the provincial government's plan to replace the existing Science Centre with a new facility on the Toronto waterfront. This location would be on the grounds of Ontario Place, a former theme park.^[2][23][3] The relocation plan has triggered widespread backlash from many community and professional groups.^[2][3][4] The proposed new location would be substantially smaller than the current one, requiring the Science Centre to downsize^[23] and potentially remove certain exhibits.^[5] Moreover, the relocation would force Line 5 Eglinton's yet-to-be-opened Science Centre station to change its name.^[24]

Toronto City Council strongly opposes the Ontario provincial demolition plans, and is investigating alternative ways to continue museum operations in the current location.^[5] The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) and Toronto Society of Architects (TSA) have issued separate statements opposing the demolition of the original buildings.^[25] A grassroots group called Save Ontario's Science Centre has held rallies and launched a letter campaign for the Ontario government to reverse its decision.^[26]

In December 2023, the Auditor General of Ontario concluded that the government's relocation 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".^[27]

On June 21, 2024, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced that the Science Centre's Don Mills location was to be closed effective immediately. An engineering report^[28] made public the same day had concluded that 2-6% of the buildings' roofs had been compromised due to water ingress. The report included a recommendation to restrict access to occupied spaces below the compromised roof panels, followed by reinforcement or replacement by October 31. In addition to the emergency repairs, a full repair to the roofs would require at least two years of additional repairs at a minimum budget of $22 million.^[29] Safety concerns about the roof material in question, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which constitutes 57% of the Science Centre's roof,^[30] had caused the temporary or permanent closure of hundreds of buildings in the United Kingdom in 2023.^[29] Approximately 400 public buildings across Ontario contain the material; the OSC buildings are the only buildings in the province that have been closed over such concerns to date, and no other closures were anticipated at the time of the OSC announcement.^[31]

Instead of repairs, the Ford government said it would focus on its previously-announced plans to relocate the centre to Ontario Place, with a scheduled opening date of 2028, and thus close the Don Mills facility immediately. The province said it would seek a temporary location to host the centre, with a current target opening date of January 2026.^[8][32] The decision to close the Don Mills site instead of repairing it was met with significant opposition by community leaders, Moriyama Teshima Architects (the architectural firm founded by the Centre's designer), and Ford's political opponents.^[7] At least three donors with connections to science and technology, including Geoffrey Hinton, have made donation offers of up to $1 million to cover the costs of the emergency repairs, while Moriyama Teshima Architects offered to provide consulting services related to the repairs at no charge.^[33][34][35] As of July 2, 2024^[update], the province had yet to directly respond to these offers, but released a report on July 11.^[36]

As of the October 31st vacancy deadline, most of the exhibits had been packed up and moved to storage facilities in Northern Toronto and Guelph, with some now open at a pop up location at the Sherway Gardens mall and a soon to open one at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre. Exhibit animals had been re-homed to the Toronto Zoo and Black Creek Pioneer Village. According to workers, repairs are underway at the original building, with heating systems repaired and roof fixes ongoing. With many items still remaining and repairs ongoing, the future of the building and potential for a reopening remains unclear.^[37]

In December 2024, the Auditor General of Ontario's annual report concluded that any cost savings in moving the OSC to a smaller location at Ontario Place had already been balanced out by increased relocation costs that year. The Ford government's business plan analysis had estimated savings of $257 million over 50 years if the OSC was relocated. However, the AG found that increased relocations costs would cost approximately $400 million.^[38] In mid January 2025, all signage was removed from the building exterior, including the electronic welcome sign at the entrance. The parking lot has become utilized for construction work related to the under construction Ontario Line.

Building

Designed in the early 1960s, the original buildings are of Brutalist designs The building complex is made up of three main buildings connected by a series of bridges and escalators set in a parkland of over 40 hectares (100 acres).^[15]: 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".^[15]: 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.^[39]

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.^[40]

For most of the time since opening in 1969, the Science Centre has hosted a demonstration amateur radio station.^[41] Formerly located in the Hall of Space, the station has since been relocated to Level 4 of the Centre, next to the elevator.^[42] The station has the call sign "VE3OSC",^[43] and licensed amateur radio operators volunteer there daily from 10 am to 3 pm.

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  Buildings connected by escalator
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  Front entrance lobby
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  Valley Restaurant with large windows
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  Amateur radio in level 3
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  The Great Hall enclosed Cloud, a kinetic sculpture by David Rokeby; this installation has been removed.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[44] 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.^[15]: 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 also 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 one of the 57 water jets in the fountain forces the water across 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 130 US gallons per minute (8.2 L/s), each by way of a 3 inches (7.6 cm) diameter water line. Air is supplied from three Ingersol Rand four-cylinder air compressors, each having a 25 horsepower (19 kW) 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 frolic in 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^[update], the hydraulophone has not been operational, due to algae buildup, leaks, and pump problems.

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.^[55]

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.^[56] The exhibit also features a climbing wall.^[55]

KidSpark

KidSpark is a designated space for children eight and under to explore and learn through play. The exhibition was opened in 2003.^[57] The exhibition also has a rolling ball machine built by George Rhoads, and a music studio.^[55]

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.

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.^[55] The Weston Family Innovation Centre houses Pipe Dreams by Bruce Shapiro, a bubble art installation.^[58]