Montreal Science Center

What Montreal Science Center does

The Montreal Science Centre (Montréal Science Centre / Centre des Sciences de Montréal) is a federally-owned interactive science museum located in the Old Port of Montreal at 2 rue de la Commune Ouest, in operation since 1999. It is owned and managed by Canada Lands Company, a self-financing federal Crown corporation, through the Old Port of Montréal Corporation. The Centre operates six permanent exhibitions — Nanualuk – Northern Expedition, Fabrik² – Creative Challenges, Explore – Life-Sized Science, Signs of Life, Mini Mondo, and Human — alongside the IMAX TELUS Theatre and rotating temporary exhibitions such as Funny Creatures, The Science of Guinness World Records, and Hockey: Faster Than Ever. Its core technology is built around hands-on interactive exhibit design and large-format IMAX 3D cinema projection, with two award-winning exhibitions recognized by the Canadian Association of Science Centres and the Société des musées du Québec.

The Centre generates revenue through a diversified consumer-facing model: tiered individual admission tickets, separate IMAX screenings, annual memberships with ASTC network reciprocity, gift cards (from $20), group bookings for schools/daycares/day camps (15+ participants), corporate brand activations, and foundation donations through the Montreal Science Centre Foundation. The customer base spans families with children, K-12 school groups, daycare and early-childhood centres, day camps, and general public/tourists. Special programs include the annual Women and Girls of Science event (8th edition in 2025) and the institutionalized Peaceful Mornings accessibility program. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the website, onsite box office, call center, and a dedicated group booking system, supported by a multi-channel marketing mix across organic social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), YouTube, blog/email, press, and TripAdvisor referral.

The Centre employs 51–100 people and is led operationally within the Old Port of Montréal Corporation, with no separately disclosed financials. Strategic positioning is anchored in the unique Old Port Montreal catchment, a 25-year operating history, and a broadening corporate partnership roster (TELUS as core; Volvo, Énergir, Pratt & Whitney, Ubisoft Montreal, Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, AWS, La Presse, The Beat, Trottier Family Foundation as supporting). Recent strategic emphasis has been on content refresh cycles, deepened accessibility programming, and earned-media-generating signature events (Guinness World Records slime-making lesson, 491 participants, 2022).

Name

Montreal Science Center

Legal name

Old Port of Montréal Corporation

Website

https://montrealsciencecentre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Montreal Science Centre is a federally-owned interactive science museum in Montreal's Old Port, operated by Canada Lands Company since 1999. It serves families, K-12 school groups, and tourists through six permanent exhibitions, IMAX cinema, and rotating temporary exhibits, with revenue from admissions, memberships, and group bookings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum & Educational Attractions

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Children’s Museums (THAJADAE), Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Interactive science exhibits
• Science museum
• IMAX cinema
• STEM education
• Family attractions

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Revenue from individual and group visit passes to exhibitions, with tiered pricing for children, adults, and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.
2. IMAX Theater Tickets: Separate ticket sales for IMAX documentary films shown at the TELUS Theatre, with discounts for members.
3. Annual Memberships: 12-month membership subscriptions offering unlimited access to exhibitions, 50% discount on IMAX passes, and other benefits. Memberships are recognized within the ASTC network.
4. Gift Cards: Gift cards starting at $20 available for purchase online and at the box office, redeemable for exhibitions or IMAX theater.
5. Group Bookings: Revenue from organized group visits including school groups, day camps, daycare centers, and birthday parties with group rates.
6. Foundation Donations: The Montreal Science Centre Foundation conducts annual fundraising campaigns to support science education and outreach programs.
7. Brand Activations: Corporate partnerships and brand activation opportunities for companies looking to engage with Science Centre visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Montreal Science Centre operates a permanent interactive science museum in Montreal's Old Port, offering hands-on exhibitions (e.g., Nanualuk, Fabrik², Explore, Mini Mondo, Human, Signs of Life), an IMAX®TELUS Theatre showing documentary films, temporary exhibitions, and educational programs for families, school groups, and tourists. It sells admissions, annual memberships, gift cards, and group bookings, and operates a foundation for science education fundraising.

Product overview

The Montreal Science Centre is an interactive science museum offering a diverse portfolio of permanent and temporary exhibitions, an IMAX®TELUS Theatre, and special programs. Its permanent exhibitions include Nanualuk (Northern Expedition), Fabrik² (Creative Challenges), Explore (Life-Sized Science), Signs of Life, Mini Mondo (for ages 0-7), and Human. The Centre also hosts rotating temporary exhibitions and documentary films, alongside special programs like the annual Women and Girls of Science event and Peaceful Mornings accessibility program. The IMAX®TELUS Theatre screens documentary films in both English and French.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMAX®TELUS Theatre: The Centre's large-format cinema showing documentary films in IMAX format, partnered with TELUS
• Montreal Science Centre Foundation
• Women and Girls of Science

Products and services

• Nanualuk – Northern Expedition Interactive permanent exhibition that takes visitors into the Great Canadian North, opened to mark the Centre's 25th anniversary.
• Fabrik² – Creative Challenges

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4 million visitors annually to the Old Port area
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TELUScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTELUS is a major partner for exhibitions including the Funny Creatures exhibition. They sponsor the IMAX TELUS Theatre and provide technology and innovation partnership support for the Science Centre.
• VolvominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting Science Centre initiatives and programming.
• ÉnergirminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnergy company partner supporting Science Centre programming and initiatives.
• The BeatminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal radio partner (The Beat 92.5) supporting Science Centre events and promotions.
• La PresseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing news coverage and content collaboration.
• Ordre des ingénieurs du QuébecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional engineering order partner supporting science education and engineering-focused programming.
• Trottier Family FoundationminorOthersMajor donor foundation supporting the Science Centre's mission and educational programs through philanthropy.
• Canada Lands CompanycoreOthersCanada Lands Company is a self-financing federal Crown corporation that owns and manages the Montreal Science Centre. They oversee operations and investments in the attraction.
• Polytechnique MontréalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with the Science Centre on the Guinness World Records slime-making event, providing chemical engineering expertise.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ontario Science Centre: Major interactive science museum in Toronto offering permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational programs, and an OMNIMAX theatre. Closest Canadian direct peer by mission, audience (families, K-12 school groups), and product mix including large-format cinema.
• Exploratorium: San Francisco's renowned hands-on science museum. Direct peer by interactive STEM learning mission, family audience, and museum-based exhibition model. Differentiates via deep research ties and an older-skewing adult audience component.
• Science World (TELUS World of Science): Vancouver-based interactive science centre featuring the OMNIMAX theatre, permanent galleries, and rotating exhibitions. Directly comparable by mandate, family education focus, and large-format cinema — and shares a TELUS sponsorship connection to the Montreal Science Centre.
• Liberty Science Center: New Jersey-based interactive science centre with IMAX Dome theatre, K-12 school programming, and award-winning exhibitions. Closest US direct peer by product mix and family/school audience targeting.
• Adventure Science Center: Nashville interactive science museum with IMAX theatre, school programs, and rotating exhibits. Comparable scale and product mix; also runs a major Guinness-style world records analogue content strategy.
• TELUS World of Science – Edmonton: Edmonton's interactive science centre with IMAX theatre, permanent galleries, and rotating exhibitions. Direct Canadian peer sharing the TELUS-brand association and a similar combination of interactive science exhibits and large-format cinema.
• Discovery Place: Charlotte-based science centre with IMAX theatre, hands-on exhibitions, and K-12 programming. Direct US peer with very similar permanent exhibition + IMAX + education model.
• Canada Science and Technology Museum: National science and technology museum in Ottawa operated by Ingenium. Directly comparable by science/technology mission, hands-on exhibits, and family/school audience; differs as a federal museum rather than Crown corporation attraction.

Broad incumbents

• CN Tower: Sister Canada Lands Company attraction. Both are tourist attractions owned by the same Crown corporation; CN Tower is broader tourism rather than science-focused but shares corporate overhead, visitor catchment, and government ownership profile.

Regional players

• Space for Life (Biodôme, Planetarium, Insectarium, Botanical Garden): Montreal-based cluster of natural science attractions including a planetarium (overlapping IMAX-style documentary cinema) and family education programming. Regional peer competing for the same Montreal family/school market.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/centresciences
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/centredessciences
• Facebookfacebook.com/centredessciences
• Instagraminstagram.com/centredessciences

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Montreal Science Center