Science North
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersSudbury, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Science North does
Science North, founded in 1984 and headquartered in Sudbury, Ontario, is an agency of the Government of Ontario and a registered charity (#10796 2979 RR0001) that operates Northern Ontario's most prominent science center network. The organization runs two primary physical attractions — the main Science North building at 100 Ramsey Lake Road (featuring interactive exhibits, IMAX with Laser, and a planetarium) and Dynamic Earth at 122 Big Nickel Road (an underground mine tour attraction home to the 13,000 kg Big Nickel replica) — plus a regional hub in Thunder Bay. It serves multiple customer segments including families, K-12 schools and educators, general tourists, Indigenous communities (who receive permanent free admission), corporate clients, and underserved populations through the Science for All fund.
The business model blends consumer-facing revenue (admissions, annual memberships, IMAX/planetarium tickets, school programs, summer camps, corporate events, facility rentals) with institutional revenue (Ontario government core funding, federal grants from FedNor/CanCode/ESDC/Creative Export Canada/NOHFC, corporate sponsorships from TD Bank Group, Vale, and Epiroc, and philanthropic fundraising via the annual Bluecoat Ball gala). It also generates international licensing revenue through proprietary IMAX film production (e.g., Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope, which won four Giant Screen Cinema Awards in 2024) and the global sale/rental of traveling exhibitions such as Indigenous Ingenuity and Our Climate Quest (co-developed with Montreal's Centre des sciences).
Science North operates with 51-100 employees and extends its reach through Summer Science Camps (now in 39 Ontario communities as of 2025), annual science festivals across multiple Northern Ontario cities, and digital educational resources via schools.sciencenorth.ca. Recent strategic priorities include modernizing exhibits (Woven by Water, Earth Works), launching new B2B programs (Leading Blue leadership development, Northern MedTalks healthcare speaker series with Laurentian University), expanding traveling exhibitions internationally, and deepening Indigenous knowledge integration in partnership with First Nations and Indigenous Tourism Ontario.
Science North firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Science North
- Legal name
- Science North
- Website
- https://sciencenorth.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Science North industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Science Museum and Educational Attractions
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Science & STEM Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAH), STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL)
Keywords
Where Science North is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sudbury
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Science North business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Admission Tickets: Revenue from general admission tickets to Science North and Dynamic Earth attractions, including combined passes and special events.
- Membership Program: Annual and multi-year membership subscriptions providing unlimited access and member discounts.
- IMAX Films and Planetarium Shows: Revenue from film screenings and planetarium presentations included with admission or as add-ons.
- School Programs and Camps: STEM-based educational programs for schools, summer camps, and workshops generating fees from families and school boards.
- Corporate Events and Facility Rentals: Venue rentals for corporate events, weddings, and celebrations; corporate membership program.
- Traveling Exhibits and Film Production: Science North develops and sells traveling exhibitions internationally and produces IMAX films for global distribution.
- Government Funding: Core funding as an agency of the Government of Ontario, supplemented by federal (FedNor) and provincial grants for specific projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | General Admission |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership Program |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group Tours |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Science For All Fund |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Science North product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Science North operates a science center in Sudbury, Ontario featuring interactive exhibits, an IMAX with Laser theater, a planetarium, and the Dynamic Earth mining attraction. The organization delivers STEM educational programs (school curricula, summer science camps), produces and distributes IMAX films internationally, develops traveling exhibitions, and runs community science festivals across Northern Ontario. Revenue is generated primarily through admissions, memberships, educational programs, corporate sponsorships, and government grants.
Product overview
Science North operates as a science center and museum network in Northern Ontario, comprising multiple attractions and educational programs. The core offerings include the main Science North building and Dynamic Earth (home of the Big Nickel) in Sudbury, plus IMAX with Laser and Planetarium facilities. The organization delivers educational programs including Summer Science Camps (since 1987), Northern MedTalks, Leading Blue leadership development, and Science Festivals across multiple Northern Ontario communities. Recent major exhibitions include Earth Works (featuring Benjamin Von Wong photography), Phenomena (illusions), and the traveling Indigenous Engineering exhibition. The product portfolio is unified under a mission to inspire curiosity about science, with offerings ranging from physical attractions and exhibits to school programs, community outreach, and accessibility initiatives like the Science for All fund.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dynamic Earth: Science North attraction featuring the Big Nickel, underground mine tour, geological exhibits, and outdoor science park.
- Leading Blue
- Bluecoats
- Northern MedTalks
- Science for All
- Earth Works
- Give Vaccines a Shot!
Products and services
- Science North (Main Centre)
- Dynamic Earth
- IMAX with Laser
- Planetarium
- Summer Science Camps
- Earth Works Exhibition
- Northern MedTalks
- Leading Blue
- Science Festivals
- Membership Program
- School Programs
- Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope IMAX Film
- Traveling Exhibitions
- Give Vaccines a Shot!
- Facility Rentals
- William Ramsey Boat Cruise
- RoboKids
- Northern Nature Exchange
- Climate Action Show
Quantifiable outcome
- Served 39 communities with summer science camps across Ontario
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Science North
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Science North technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Science North partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of Greater SudburycoreMunicipal government partner supporting local tourism and community development with logo displayed on partners page.
- TD Bank GroupcoreCorporate sponsor supporting Indigenous access initiatives including the TD Toddler's Treehouse and Indigenous Knowledge Ways project, providing free admission for Indigenous visitors and supporting community engagement programs.
- ValecoreMining company sponsor with logo displayed. Partner for Dynamic Earth mining attraction and community initiatives in Sudbury.
- EpiroccoreMining equipment company sponsor with logo displayed. Partner for Dynamic Earth's Epiroc Theatre supporting mining education exhibits.
- IMAX CorporationcoreIMAX Corporation provides laser projection technology license for Science North's giant screen theater, Northern Ontario's only IMAX with Laser.
- Laurentian UniversitycoreAcademic partnership for science communication graduate program and Northern MedTalks collaboration. LU students gain real-world experience producing healthcare speaker events.
- NOSM UniversitycoreNorthern Ontario School of Medicine University as partner for Northern MedTalks healthcare speaker series, bringing healthcare expertise to Northern Ontario communities.
- Health Sciences NorthcoreLocal healthcare institution as partner for Northern MedTalks, connecting healthcare research with public engagement.
- BioScript SolutionscorePresenting sponsor for Northern MedTalks 2026 'The Future of Health' event series, supporting healthcare education outreach.
- Cambrian CollegeminorPartnership to create new exhibit called 'Gravity Chairs' opening at Science North, combining educational expertise with hands-on learning.
- Indigenous Tourism OntariocorePartnership celebrating success of traveling exhibition 'Indigenous Ingenuity' and promoting Indigenous tourism experiences.
- Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)corePartnership to launch digital mining game across Canada and support Dynamic Earth mining education exhibits.
- Canadian Museums AssociationminorNational museum association member providing professional development and industry standards alignment.
- Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC)minorLocal economic development corporation supporting tourism and business development initiatives.
- Centre des sciences de MontréalcorePartnership to launch traveling climate action exhibition 'Our Climate Quest' combining resources and expertise for national impact.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Science North competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- IMAX Corporation: Technology licensor providing the IMAX with Laser projection system used at Science North. Comparable as a key strategic partner/infrastructure provider enabling Science North's premium giant-screen offering and film distribution channel.
- Vale Base Metals: Mining company and corporate sponsor of Dynamic Earth attraction. Comparable as a key content/sponsorship partner providing mining expertise, exhibits, and capital tied to Sudbury's mining heritage focus.
Direct peers
- TELUS World of Science - Edmonton: Edmonton's science centre featuring an IMAX theatre, planetarium, and interactive exhibits. Closely comparable operating model with IMAX, school programs, and community outreach in a regional Canadian city.
- Ontario Science Centre: Toronto-based science centre offering interactive exhibits, IMAX/OMNIMAX theatre, and school programs. Directly comparable as a Canadian science museum with IMAX, school field trips, and traveling exhibitions, though serving a much larger urban market.
- Montreal Science Centre: Quebec-based science centre already partnered with Science North on the Our Climate Quest traveling exhibition. Directly comparable as a Canadian science centre producing traveling exhibitions and operating IMAX/film programming.
- Science World British Columbia: Vancouver science centre with iconic geodesic dome, interactive exhibits, IMAX-style theatre, and OMNIMAX films. Comparable as a Canadian non-profit science centre producing original content and operating school programs and traveling exhibitions.
- Royal Tyrrell Museum: Drumheller, Alberta paleontology museum operated by Alberta Government. Comparable as a Canadian government-affiliated natural science museum with traveling exhibitions, school programs, and a strong specialty content focus (mining/geology at Dynamic Earth mirrors this specialization).
- Discovery Centre: Halifax-based science centre offering interactive exhibits, dome theatre, and educational programs. Comparable non-profit science museum serving a regional Canadian market with similar programming portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Canadian Museum of Nature: National natural history museum in Ottawa offering exhibits, educational programming, and traveling exhibitions. Comparable as a federally-affiliated Canadian museum with broader scope and scale, but overlapping mission in natural science engagement.
- Royal Ontario Museum: Toronto-based major natural history and world cultures museum. Comparable as an Ontario museum offering exhibits, school programs, and traveling exhibitions, though with a much broader cultural scope and significantly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Science North social profiles
Digital presenceScience North compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Science North financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Science North leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Science North subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Science North funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Science North M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Science North
What does Science North do?
Science North operates a science center in Sudbury, Ontario featuring interactive exhibits, an IMAX with Laser theater, a planetarium, and the Dynamic Earth mining attraction. The organization delivers STEM educational programs (school curricula, summer science camps), produces and distributes IMAX films internationally, develops traveling exhibitions, and runs community science festivals across Northern Ontario. Revenue is generated primarily through admissions, memberships, educational programs, corporate sponsorships, and government grants.
Is Science North a public or private company?
Science North is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Science North founded?
Science North was founded in 1984. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Science North based?
Science North is headquartered in Sudbury, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Science North make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Admission Tickets are the primary driver. The others are membership Program, IMAX Films and Planetarium Shows, school Programs and Camps, corporate Events and Facility Rentals, traveling Exhibits and Film Production and government Funding.
Who are Science North's main competitors?
Others on record are IMAX Corporation and Vale Base Metals. Direct peers are TELUS World of Science - Edmonton, Ontario Science Centre, Montreal Science Centre, Science World British Columbia, Royal Tyrrell Museum and Discovery Centre. Broad incumbents are Canadian Museum of Nature and Royal Ontario Museum.
Does Science North have an API?
No public API is recorded for Science North.
What industry is Science North in?
Science North's product category is Science Museum and Educational Attractions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAD, Science & Technology Museums, with a secondary code of EDAMABAA, Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs). Its NAICS code is 712110 and its SIC code is 7830.