A family destination that can be enjoyed over and over: Espace Pour La Vie

For 11 years, we’ve been bringing our son to the museums and sites that make up Espace Pour La Vie. We celebrated his first birthday by visiting all the incredible animals at the Biodôme, we celebrate his grandmother’s July birthday with a picnic at the Botanical Gardens (her favourite place in the city), and almost yearly we stop by both the Planetarium and the Insectarium to see what’s new and check out our favourite permanent exhibits (the ants carrying leaves across the branch of two trees is something everyone should see!). And there’s nothing like standing in the iconic Biosphere, a true Montreal landmark.

Espace Pour La Vie is the sort of family destination that can be enjoyed over and over. Depending on the season, you can have different experiences, whether you visit it in the summertime and spend the day enjoying the surrounding greenspaces and having a meal at one of the food trucks, or you go in the wintertime and cross-country ski or birdwatch in the gardens, which becomes an entirely new landscape in the snow. There’s something for all ages and all interests, and it’s the perfect destination to enjoy some much-needed family time this holiday season. Here are a few things to check out.

There are two new features taking place at the Biodôme: A Close-knit Nature and Mégaceta. A Close-knit Nature is the Biodôme’s all-new permanent exhibition, and it takes visitors into the world of keystone species to better understand how they maintain the balance of ecosystems. Included in the exhibit are naturalized specimens carefully selected from the Biodôme’s natural history collection: a collection of hummingbirds that are nearly a hundred years old, a cyanobacteria fossil, and an impressive series of birds of prey. The immersive Mégaceta experience allows visitors to discover the behaviour of humpback whales through incredible life-sized digital projections. You’ll enjoy an unprecedented view of whales while developing a greater appreciation of these magnificent animals.

On the first Saturday of the month until April, the Biosphere invites families to discover its exhibitions from a new perspective, which is created by artists, scientists, and citizens who care about the environment. There are different themes each month including aquatic ecosystems, belugas, and more, with specially curated activities and animators who are there to answer questions.

At the Planetarium, check out ROUGE 2100, an all-new immersive exhibition imagined by Cirque Éloize. You’ll hop aboard the interplanetary shuttle and set off on an odyssey to Mars to a not-too-distant world. The exhibit is included in the price of a ticket for a film or film duo, and playing now is Beyond The Sun: In Search of a New Earth, where little Celeste wants to explore the universe and find exoplanets. It’s presented with a second film, We Are Stars, where you’ll learn about the origins of the cosmos and see how life on earth is linked to the evolution of the universe.

At the Insectarium, there’s always something new to discover. The one-way path will guide you through the worlds of insects and arthropods, naturalized as well as living. From Tuesday to Sunday, every hour, you can take part in “A Special Encounter,” where a nature expert will be on-hand to meet and become more comfortable with these little critters.

And while the greenhouses at the Botanical Gardens may be closed for winter, the outdoor spaces are still open to those who want to experience a beautiful snowy landscape. Accessible free of charge until April, enjoy the variety of trees and shrubs that are visible from the walking and cross-country skiing paths. You may even see some furry friends along the way!

Visit https://espacepourlavie.ca/en n