Photos by Emily Cordonier
The official opening of the new Canada Science and Technology Museum is less than a month away. It is a fabulous structure that has been three years in the making, ever since a leaky roof and mold forced the museum to close back in September 2014. After extensive repairs and renovations, the revamped museum will finally open its doors to the public in just a few weeks.
The museum will feature about 80 000 square feet of new exhibition space in five main galleries, and this past weekend some lucky families got the chance to check out one of the exciting new exhibits. ZOOOM is an innovative and interactive play area at the new Science and Technology Museum. It is designed for kids aged 0-8 years old. Children can play, touch and learn in a safe and engaging space. The ZOOOM exhibit is colourful, bright and open. The design allows for great sight lines which make it easy to keep an eye on your kids as they buzz around trying out the different areas.
ZOOOM includes an ultra-sensory play structure, where kids can touch, see, hear and smell different objects and try to identify what they are encountering. There is also a building station with oversized foam blocks, a light and sound console and a wind vortex with a large circular path and animated features.
Kids of all ages will love the challenge of the climbing wall at the ZOOOM exhibit. It was easy enough that younger kids could try it out without assistance, but it also provided a challenge for older, more agile climbers too. For example – climbers were challenged to try using only the black climbing holds, and then try using only the red. Then kids were asked the question of which path they found the most difficult.
The most popular part of the ZOOOM exhibit at the Science and Technology Museum proved to be the vehicle building station and the test ramps. Here, kids get to build their own vehicles out of foam pieces and wheels and then test them out and race them down four different ramps. It's an excellent feature that keeps the kids busy and engaged as they try building both big and small vehicles, to see which ones can navigate the ramps the fastest.
The ZOOOM exhibit also features an exciting addition for parents of little ones – a designated baby and toddler area. It is soft and entirely contained, with plenty of bright colors and different objects for babies to touch and explore. The toddler area also gives parents full view of the rest of the exhibit, which is a huge help if you have older children ripping around.
In addition to all of the new features, visitors to the museum can look forward to seeing some familiar and popular past exhibits as well. In particular, the Crazy Kitchen and giant steam locomotives will take center stage in the new building. So, mark your calendars, because the fabulous new Canada Science and Technology Museum will officially open its doors to the public on November 17.
