Montreal Science Center
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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).
Montreal Science Center firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Montreal Science Center industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Montreal Science Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Montreal Science Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- IMAX Theater Tickets: Separate ticket sales for IMAX documentary films shown at the TELUS Theatre, with discounts for members.
- 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.
- Gift Cards: Gift cards starting at $20 available for purchase online and at the box office, redeemable for exhibitions or IMAX theater.
- Group Bookings: Revenue from organized group visits including school groups, day camps, daycare centers, and birthday parties with group rates.
- Foundation Donations: The Montreal Science Centre Foundation conducts annual fundraising campaigns to support science education and outreach programs.
- Brand Activations: Corporate partnerships and brand activation opportunities for companies looking to engage with Science Centre visitors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Admission - Individual Tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership - Unlimited Access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Group Rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Montreal Science Center product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Montreal Science Center
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Montreal Science Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Montreal Science Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TELUScoreTELUS 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.
- VolvominorCorporate partner supporting Science Centre initiatives and programming.
- ÉnergirminorEnergy company partner supporting Science Centre programming and initiatives.
- The BeatminorLocal radio partner (The Beat 92.5) supporting Science Centre events and promotions.
- La PresseminorMedia partner providing news coverage and content collaboration.
- Ordre des ingénieurs du QuébecminorProfessional engineering order partner supporting science education and engineering-focused programming.
- Trottier Family FoundationminorMajor donor foundation supporting the Science Centre's mission and educational programs through philanthropy.
- Canada Lands CompanycoreCanada 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 MontréalminorCollaborated 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
Montreal Science Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Montreal Science Center social profiles
Digital presenceMontreal Science Center compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Montreal Science Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Montreal Science Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Montreal Science Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Montreal Science Center 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 Montreal Science Center
What does Montreal Science Center do?
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.
Is Montreal Science Center a public or private company?
Montreal Science Center is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Montreal Science Center founded?
Montreal Science Center was founded in 1999. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Montreal Science Center based?
Montreal Science Center is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Montreal Science Center make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Admission Tickets are the primary driver. The others are IMAX Theater Tickets, annual Memberships, gift Cards, group Bookings, foundation Donations and brand Activations.
Who are Montreal Science Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ontario Science Centre, Exploratorium, Science World (TELUS World of Science), Liberty Science Center, Adventure Science Center, TELUS World of Science – Edmonton, Discovery Place and Canada Science and Technology Museum. CN Tower is listed as a broad incumbent. Space for Life (Biodôme, Planetarium, Insectarium, Botanical Garden) is listed as a regional player.
Does Montreal Science Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Montreal Science Center.
What industry is Montreal Science Center in?
Montreal Science Center's product category is Science Museum & 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 7121 and its SIC code is 7900.