Montreal Biodôme

The Biodôme occupies one of the most unusual buildings in Montreal. Roger Taillibert designed it as the velodrome for the 1976 Olympic Games, with seating for 2,600 spectators, and in June 1992 it reopened as a living museum of nature. It is part of Space for Life, the City of Montreal's nature museums, and stands beside the Olympic Stadium.

Inside, visitors follow a route of about 500 metres through five recreated ecosystems of the Americas, passing through small airlocks between climates. The Tropical Rainforest, the largest zone at about 2,600 square metres, is warm and humid and home to capybaras, the Laurentian Maple Forest shows the woodland of Quebec, with porcupines among its residents, and the Gulf of St Lawrence section reproduces the estuary. The Labrador Coast and the Sub-Antarctic Islands complete the loop with the coldest climates of the visit. Between them they hold about 4,800 animals from 229 species, not counting invertebrates, and around 750 species of plants.

The Biodôme closed in April 2018 for a major renovation costing around 37 million Canadian dollars and reopened on 31 August 2020, after delays caused partly by supply shortages and the pandemic. Before that work it was already drawing around 950,000 visitors a year, and the Gulf of St Lawrence zone alone covers about 1,620 square metres. A themed programme on the auks and the Labrador coast runs from 22 September 2026 to 3 January 2027.

It is one of the best rainy-day or winter options in the city, since the whole visit is indoors, and it works well for families with young children who can move between climates in a single loop. The Naturalia room is designed for children. Allow around two hours. Dress in layers, as the tropical room is warm and the polar sections are kept cool.

Opening hours vary through the year and are published week by week by Space for Life, so check before you go and buy tickets in advance at busy times such as school holidays. A combined day with the Botanical Garden and the Insectarium across Sherbrooke Street is straightforward, and the Olympic Park's esplanade and stadium are right next door.