Science North

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.

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

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

• Science museum exhibits
• STEM education programs
• IMAX film production
• Traveling science exhibitions
• Science festival events

Headquarters

HQ city

Sudbury

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Revenue from general admission tickets to Science North and Dynamic Earth attractions, including combined passes and special events.
2. Membership Program: Annual and multi-year membership subscriptions providing unlimited access and member discounts.
3. IMAX Films and Planetarium Shows: Revenue from film screenings and planetarium presentations included with admission or as add-ons.
4. School Programs and Camps: STEM-based educational programs for schools, summer camps, and workshops generating fees from families and school boards.
5. Corporate Events and Facility Rentals: Venue rentals for corporate events, weddings, and celebrations; corporate membership program.
6. Traveling Exhibits and Film Production: Science North develops and sells traveling exhibitions internationally and produces IMAX films for global distribution.
7. Government Funding: Core funding as an agency of the Government of Ontario, supplemented by federal (FedNor) and provincial grants for specific projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Greater SudburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner supporting local tourism and community development with logo displayed on partners page.
• TD Bank GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate 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.
• ValecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMining company sponsor with logo displayed. Partner for Dynamic Earth mining attraction and community initiatives in Sudbury.
• EpiroccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMining equipment company sponsor with logo displayed. Partner for Dynamic Earth's Epiroc Theatre supporting mining education exhibits.
• IMAX CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationIMAX Corporation provides laser projection technology license for Science North's giant screen theater, Northern Ontario's only IMAX with Laser.
• Laurentian UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for science communication graduate program and Northern MedTalks collaboration. LU students gain real-world experience producing healthcare speaker events.
• NOSM UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Ontario School of Medicine University as partner for Northern MedTalks healthcare speaker series, bringing healthcare expertise to Northern Ontario communities.
• Health Sciences NorthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal healthcare institution as partner for Northern MedTalks, connecting healthcare research with public engagement.
• BioScript SolutionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for Northern MedTalks 2026 'The Future of Health' event series, supporting healthcare education outreach.
• Cambrian CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create new exhibit called 'Gravity Chairs' opening at Science North, combining educational expertise with hands-on learning.
• Indigenous Tourism OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership celebrating success of traveling exhibition 'Indigenous Ingenuity' and promoting Indigenous tourism experiences.
• Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch digital mining game across Canada and support Dynamic Earth mining education exhibits.
• Canadian Museums AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational museum association member providing professional development and industry standards alignment.
• Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal economic development corporation supporting tourism and business development initiatives.
• Centre des sciences de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership 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

Others

• 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

• Xx.com/ScienceNorth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ScienceNorth
• Facebookfacebook.com/ScienceNorth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/science-north
• Instagraminstagram.com/sciencenorth
• TikToktiktok.com/@sciencenorth

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Science North