Since opening its doors in' 1969, the Ontario Science Centre has attracted more than 35 million visitors from around the globe. Every year, one million people, including about 200,000 Canadian school students, explore 800 hands-on exhibits and enjoy wide-ranging demonstrations and ever-changing school and public programs. The Centre also welcomes high school students selected from across Ontario to study for a semester in the dynamic atmosphere of its own Science School.

The Science Centre reaches out to millions more outside Toronto by marketing its exhibits and expertise internationally, from Trinidad to Turkey to Thailand.

In December, 1996, Ontario's first OMNIMAX theatre premiered at the Science Centre. The Shoppers Drug Mart® OMNIMAX® Theatre envelops its audience in a giant dome of pictures and sound. Films take visitors diving into the deepest oceans, soaring through limitless space or standing in the centre of spectacular movie-making special effects; an exciting complement to the exhibitions in the Centre. The theatre is a major component of a revitalization project that includes the 'introduction of new permanent exhibits, restaurant and banquet facilities and a new glass-walled public entrance.

Directions:

By ear: Only l0 minutes from downtown Toronto. Take the Don Valley Parkway and follow signs from Don Mills Road North. From Hwy. 401, go south on the Don Valley Parkway and exit at Wynford Drive. By public transit: From downtown Toronto, take the Yonge Street subway north to Eglintofi Station and take the no. 34 Eglinton East bus. Get off at Don Mills Road. Or take the Bioor Street subway east to Pape Station and take the no. 25 Don Mills bus. Get off at St. Dennis Dr., in front of the Science Centre.

Mission: to open minds to science by creating environments which excite curiosity, inspire insights and motivate learning in science and technology.

Shoppers Drug Mart® OMNIMAX® Theatre

Since it opened in December, 1996, The OMNIMAX® Theatre has thrilled ever a million visitors with its high-fidelity motion picture system. Film-goers enjoy a totally involving experience engulfed by 13,000 watts of sound from 44 speakers and images on a 24-metre (80-foot) dome screen that puts them right in the middle of the action. With the tremendous response of Science Centre visitors, the Theatre now ranks among the ten most successful domed cinemas in the world.

The Theatre's premiere film, Special Effects, revealed the behind-the-scenes story of how movie-makers create their magical effects. In the following years audiences thrilled to films such as Alaska: Spirit of the Wild, Wolves and Everest, which took viewers on a spellbinding ascent of the world's tallest mountain. In June, 2000, audiences thrilled to spectacular performances amidst straggle and triumph in Olympic Glory, the official large format film of the Olympic Winter Games.

Developed in Canada, the 70 mm OMNIMAX film format is the largest in motion picture history - ten times the size of standard 35 mm frames. Over 600 million people around the world have enjoyed the IMAX experience pioneered by Imax Corporation of Toronto.

Award-winning architect Eberhard Zeidler designed the new theatre and glass-walled reception area that form a dramatic new entry to the Ontario Science Centre. The $15 million construction project began in March, 1995 with a $7.5 million loan and grant from the Ontario Government and $7.5 million raised from the private sector durifig a capital campaign.

The lobby of the OMNIMAX Theatre brings active displays to the front of the building and visitors can see the OMNIMAX projection system in its glass compartment. At show-time, the projector rises on rails to the middle of the seating area to beam a 160 degree, wide-angle image above the audience.

Shoppers Drug Mart® OMNIMAX® Theatre Presentations*

Daytime shows on the hour, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Evening shows on Friday & Saturday

Extended hours: March Break & July-August. (Call Info Line for details)

* Times subject to change

Group rates: Call (416) 696-1000 Parking: $7.00 (free after 4:00 p.m.)