Attraction
Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
Gothic Revival basilica on Place d'Armes in Old Montreal, known for its deep blue, star-studded vaults, its 1891 Casavant organ and the AURA evening light show.
Biosphère
Buckminster Fuller's geodesic dome on Île Sainte-Hélène, built as the US pavilion for Expo 67 and now an environment museum run by Space for Life.
At a glance
- Type
- Environment museum
- Area
- Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal, Canada
- Official site
- espacepourlavie.ca
Good to know
- Geodesic dome
- Environmental exhibitions
- Family activities
Why we recommend it
The Biosphère is the great steel sphere on Île Sainte-Hélène, in Parc Jean-Drapeau. It was designed by R. Buckminster Fuller with Shoji Sadao as the United States pavilion for Expo 67, the world's fair that ran from 27 April to 29 October 1967. The geodesic dome measures 76 metres across and 62 metres high, a double-layer lattice of steel, and it remains one of the best-known structures left from the fair. Cambridge Seven Associates designed the interior structures and exhibits for the American pavilion.
Originally the frame was covered in an acrylic skin. On 20 May 1976, a fire started by welders during renovation destroyed that covering, but the steel lattice survived, which is why the dome now stands open to the sky. Nearly two decades later, it reopened as an environment museum on 6 June 1995, and since 2021 it has been part of Space for Life, the City of Montreal's network of nature museums.
As an environment museum, its exhibitions deal with the natural world and environmental questions, which makes it a thoughtful stop for older children and adults. Because Space for Life also runs the Botanical Garden, the Insectarium, the Biodôme and the Planetarium, the Biosphère fits naturally into a wider programme of the city's nature museums if you are staying several days. Space for Life runs family Saturdays at the Biosphère from December to April, which are worth looking at if you visit in winter with children.
Even without going inside, the dome is worth the trip. It is especially photogenic from the surrounding paths of the island, and the views back across the river to the Old Port and the downtown skyline are good. Combine it with a walk around Parc Jean-Drapeau, which also takes in other Expo 67 sites.
Allow about an hour and a half for the exhibitions, more if you explore the island. Opening hours are set week by week by Space for Life, so check them before you travel. The nearest public transport stop is Jean-Drapeau, and the site makes a natural half day with the Old Port, which faces the island across the St Lawrence.
Biosphère FAQs
What is the Biosphère?
An environment museum inside the geodesic dome built as the US pavilion for Expo 67.
Who designed it?
R. Buckminster Fuller, with Shoji Sadao.
How big is the dome?
It is 76 metres in diameter and 62 metres high.
Why is the dome open?
A fire in 1976 destroyed its acrylic skin, leaving the steel frame.
Who runs it?
Space for Life, the City of Montreal's nature museum network, since 2021.
Are there family activities?
Yes. Family Saturdays run from December to April.
How do you get there?
Travel to Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène.
How long should you allow?
About an hour and a half for the exhibitions, longer to explore the island.