Science North

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Science North
Science Nord
Science North Logo.svg
Science north building in 2007.jpg
The Science North main building
Science North
Established19 June 1984 (1984-06-19)
Location100 Ramsey Lake Road
Sudbury, Ontario
P3E 5S9
Coordinates 46°28′14″N80°59′47″W / 46.4706°N 80.9963°W / 46.4706; -80.9963
Type Science centre
DirectorAshley Larose, CEO
Architect
Owner Government of Ontario
Website www.sciencenorth.ca

Science North is an interactive science museum in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. [1]

Contents

The science centre, which is Northern Ontario's most popular tourist attraction, consists of two snowflake-shaped buildings on the southwestern shore of Ramsey Lake, just south of the downtown core, [1] and a former ice hockey arena which includes the complex's entrance and an IMAX theatre. [2] The snowflake buildings are connected by a rock tunnel, which passes through a billion-year-old geologic fault. [1] This fault line was not known to be under the complex when the site was originally selected, and was discovered only during the construction of the building in the early 1980s. Where the walkway reaches the larger snowflake, the Vale Cavern auditorium is frequently used for temporary exhibits, press conferences, film screenings, and other gala events by Science North and the wider community. [3]

Inside the main building, a 20-metre fin whale skeleton, recovered from Anticosti Island, hangs from the ceiling. [4]

The complex also features a boat tour, the William Ramsey, which offers touring cruises of the scenic Ramsey Lake. [5] Formerly known as the Cortina due to its corporate sponsorship by the city's Cortina Pizza restaurant chain, it was renamed the William Ramsey in 2014 in memory of the surveyor for whom the lake was named. [5] The Jim Gordon Boardwalk also extends from the facility to the city's Bell Park along the western shore of the lake. [6]

Opened in 1984, [7] the facility was designed by architect Raymond Moriyama of Moriyama & Teshima Architects. [8] Local architecture firm Townend, Stefura, Baleshta and Nicholls also contributed to the project. [9] It had its official opening in October 1984, at a ceremony presided over by Queen Elizabeth II during her royal visit. [10]

An agency of the provincial government of Ontario, Science North is overseen by the provincial Ministry of Culture.

Facilities

First level

Second level

Third level

The exhibits on the third floor are divided into four main areas:

Fourth level

Object theatres

Special film and video exhibits which change over time; current exhibits include

Outdoor grounds

Other activities

Science North, which was opened in 1984, also owns and operates Sudbury's Dynamic Earth facility, an earth sciences exhibition which is home to the Big Nickel, one of the city's most famous landmarks. From January 22, 2001, to May 10, 2003, the Big Nickel was temporarily located on the primary Science North grounds while Dynamic Earth was under construction.

The Science North Production Team produces object theatres, multi-media presentations and large format film productions for science museums and educational facilities around North America. The team's most noted production to date has been the 2023 documentary film Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope , [11] which won several national awards including a special Canadian Screen Award for sustainable production at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024. [12]

Science North's former science director, Alan Nursall, later became a correspondent for the Canadian science newsmagazine series Daily Planet , which aired on Discovery Channel and CTV. [13] The institution's first science director, David Pearson, returned to the position in 2007. [14] He was succeeded by Jennifer Pink from 2008 to 2017, [15] and Julie Moskalyk from 2017 to 2024. [16]

Science North has also worked extensively with the city's Laurentian University on scientific and environmental research and as a partner in the university's graduate program in science communication.

Science North runs science education day camps for children in the summer, autumn, and winter. [17]

COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Science North engaged in several programs to promote COVID-19 vaccines to youth, families and young adults. [18]

The museum received a $50,000 CAD grant in July 2021 from the Government of Canada for a project titled “Promoting Vaccine Confidence across Northern Ontario.” [19] It was awarded through a grant program called “Encouraging Vaccine Confidence in Canada” jointly administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). [20]

Science North also received a $500,000 grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada's Immunization Partnership Fund to target vaccine hesitant individuals through virtual and in-person activities including podcasts, webinars, digital content and events, museum exhibits and workshops. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Helga Loverseed, "Impressive science museum symbolizes the new Sudbury". The Globe and Mail , May 9, 1987.
  2. "Sudbury IMAX". The Globe and Mail , May 4, 1994.
  3. Pam Hobbs, "Face to face with nature at Science North". The Globe and Mail , August 11, 1984.
  4. "Museum to show whale skeleton". The Globe and Mail , September 29, 1983.
  5. 1 2 "Sudbury's Cortina cruise boat now called 'The William Ramsey'". CBC Northern Ontario, May 29, 2014.
  6. Laura Stradiotto, "Boardwalk is Sudbury's 'piazza'". Sudbury Star , June 23, 2005.
  7. Wallace Immen, "Science centre an open laboratory". The Globe and Mail , June 20, 1984.
  8. Wallace Immen, "Canadian North to be centre theme; Nickel mine, wildlife to be shown". The Globe and Mail , May 9, 1987.
  9. Gilhula, Vicki (February 17, 2021). "Memory Lane: From predicting your height to the trading post, Science North is written on our brains". Sudbury.com . Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  10. Zena Cherry, "Queen opens Science North at Sudbury fete". The Globe and Mail , Octobe 5, 1984.
  11. Craig Lemoult, "Despite environmental challenges, Jane Goodall says there are reasons for hope". WGBH, October 3, 2023.
  12. Etan Vlessing, "Devery Jacobs, Lamar Johnson to Receive Honorary Canadian Screen Awards". The Hollywood Reporter , April 4, 2024.
  13. Brian Gorman, "Nursall takes science to the street". Sudbury Star , May 20, 2010.
  14. "Pearson returns to Science North". Sudbury Star , August 25, 2007.
  15. "Long-time Science North Director to retire next year". Sudbury.com , November 23, 2016.
  16. "Longtime Science North bluecoat Julie Moskalyk retiring". Sudbury.com , March 1, 2024.
  17. "Discovery Camp coming". Timmins Daily Press , July 10, 1999.
  18. "Sudbury series to discuss COVID-19 misinformation". Sudbury Star , January 12, 2021.
  19. "Encouraging vaccine confidence in Canada - Competition Results". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). 2021-07-26. Archived from the original on 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  20. "NSERC - Encouraging vaccine confidence in Canada". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada . 2021-03-03. Archived from the original on 2022-11-05. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  21. Public Health Agency of Canada (2022-10-12). "Immunization Partnership Fund". Government of Canada . Archived from the original on 2022-11-04. Retrieved 2022-11-04.