It's a gallery of our collective creative process! Have a look at candid behind-the-scenes snapshots of the Agents of Change project. We pilot tested lots of ideas - some made the cut, some didn't. (Roll your mouse over a photo for a larger view.)
March 2007 |
March 3, 2007: Project Art officially opens to the public! Artists Steve Mann, Stacy Levy and David Rokeby celebrate in Grand Central with Lesley Lewis, Mark Cohon, and Nancy Lockhart. |
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September 2006 |
September 12, 2006: Paving a new path... "Lotic Meander", a 91-metre stone representation of a meandering river by artist Stacy Levy, is installed on the Level S terrace. |
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August 2006 |
August 25, 2006: Things are looking up! Donna F., Elgin C., and David Rokeby oversee a test-installation of David's sculpture "Cloud", one of the pieces commissioned for the Project: Art initiative at the Centre. |
August 17, 2006: Work continues out front of the Science Centre as we construct the 4590 square metre (51000 square foot) TELUSCAPE, which opened September 2006. |
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July 2006 |
July 26, 2006: Weston Family Innovation Centre - NOW OPEN! Mashing it up are (left to right): student, Ben Santos; President of the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, Galen Weston; DuPont Canada's Judith McKay; student, Genny Clovis; Chair of the Ontario Science Centre, Mark Cohon; and CEO of the Ontario Science Centre, Lesley Lewis. |
July 18, 2006: All hands on deck! Putting final pieces into place in the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
July 7, 2006: Colin H. tinkers with some do-it-yourself robotic joints in the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
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June 2006 |
June 19, 2006: Countdown to completion! Watch the Weston Family Innovation Centre evolve... |
June 15, 2006: Walter S. and Anthony S. are pictured 'serenading the sludge' in the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
June 5, 2006: Pipe Dreams, an art installation by Bruce Shapiro, gets hooked up in the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
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May 2006 |
May 30, 2006: Artist Stacy Levy lays out glass pieces that will be used in the outdoor installation, Lotic Meander. |
May 18, 2006: Native nature! Staff from the Science Centre and the City of Toronto plant trees and shrubs in the new native species garden, part of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
May 12, 2006: Moving day! Staff pack up the Challenge Zone to move it to its new space in the Weston Family Innovation Centre, Phase 2. |
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April 2006 |
April 28, 2006: Pine cones, computer parts, styrofoam peanuts, CDs, magazines, pop cans... they all fit into plexi boxes--future seating for the Weston Family Innovation Centre Phase 2. |
April 21, 2006: Will cola dissolve a tooth? Visitors vote with pennies after observing the experiment in progress in this pilot test for the Weston Family Innovation Centre Phase 2. |
April 12, 2006: Students test-drive a Weston Family Innovation Centre Phase 2 experience by sliding irons down different materials. |
April 3, 2006: Donna F. gets funky at the FUNtain! Staff tested a new aquatic acoustic installation for the Weston Family Innovation Centre, Phase 2. |
March 2006 |
March 30, 2006: Electromagnets sit in the base of an interactive ferrofluid pool being built for Phase 2 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
March 16, 2006: Elgin C. and Hooley M. help to plot the path of Lotic Meander, a future installation that's part of Grand Central. |
March 10, 2006: Homer examines the colourful photosynthetic bacteria he is growing for Material World's organic materials section. |
March 7, 2006: Web designer Elaine C. observes people using our new current science site www.redshiftnow.ca. |
March 1, 2006: Steve Mann begins work on FUNtain, his outdoor interactive installation for Grand Central. |
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February 2006 |
February 15, 2006: Staff participate in a new discussion-game called Decide, where teams problem-solve current science issues. |
February 2, 2006: Artists David Rokeby and Michael Awad are seen testing the motorized mechanisms on their future Grand Central art installation, Cloud. |
February 1, 2006: In a Citizen Science pilot test, visitors are asked to check their complexion under black light to inspect for dark spots, dehydration and other skin flaws. (Condolence moisturizer was offered...) |
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January 2006 |
January 25, 2006: The wall of the Weston Family Innovation Centre Phase 2 is being covered in new and unusual materials including aluminum foam, knitted bamboo & soy yarns, bicicletta (strips of recycled rubber), field turf, memory foam, 3D wallpaper and conductive pom poms. |
January 19, 2006: Liar! Liar! Pants were on fire at the Citizen Science pilot where visitors learned how to detect lies via 'tells' (subtle body language). |
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December 2005 |
December 13, 2005: Colin H. and Dan T. experiment with representing Citizen Science data in three dimensions by blowing up balloons with the flick of a switch. |
December 9, 2005: Elgin C. and Hooley M. shuffle through the snow along the preliminary path of Stacy Levy's Grand Central art installation Lotic Meander. |
December 8, 2005: Grand Central announcement -- Artists Steve Mann, Stacy Levy and David Rokeby gather after the press conference that announced their artworks as the final selections. |
December 5, 2005: In a Citizen Science pilot test, visitors were asked to indicate their feelings in colour. |
December 1, 2005: Citizen Scientist and avid birder Jeff H. goes for a nature walk with Researcher Sara P. (Kathy N. is taping the chat for broadcast on the OSC's Citizen Science program with TVOKids!) |
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November 2005 |
November 30, 2005: Danger Will Robinson! Citizen Science designer Daniel T. sports part of a 'glove box' created for a water testing pilot. |
November 25, 2005: Citizen journalists! Visitors have fun as on-air personalities in a space weather report for a Citizen Science pilot test. |
November 18, 2005: Researcher/programmer Donna F. makes beautiful music by triggering the sensors on this Media Studios prototype. |
November 17, 2005: Are you a poet and don't know it? Touching the water in this Media Studios prototype makes words slide across its surface. |
November 14, 2005: Researcher/programmer Colin H. works on a Media Studios experience prototype in the machine shop. |
November 4, 2005: Homer H. tests out a Citizen Science pilot that asks visitors to consider correlation and causality of sleep and exercise patterns. |
November 4, 2005: Work crews install a lift for wheelchair access to the Challenge Zone. |
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October 2005 |
October 24, 2005: A beautiful new view. Three porthole windows look out to a future Citizen Science garden. Native species will be planted in spring 2006. |
October 21, 2005: Weston Family Innovation Centre Phase 2 in the final weeks of construction. (The caution tape marks off new terrazzo flooring.) |
October 21, 2005: Ontario Science Centre Science School students test our new website www.redshiftnow.ca with visitors. |
October 21, 2005: This is what brainstorming looks like. Sara P. and Nikki M. discuss StarWatch, a Citizen Science initiative dedicated to light pollution awareness. |
September 2005 |
September 29, 2005: Researcher/programmer Erika K. and Project Snapshot-taker Elaine C. are actually standing side by side in this Media Studios video experience pilot test. |
September 19, 2005: New views on the Weston Family Innovation Centre, Phase 2... construction continues on windows and walls. |
September 9, 2005: Under construction -- a future wet lab / classroom in the Youth Exchange for Science School students and Science Centre visitors. |
September 7, 2005: Laura Z. and Laura M. inspect the construction of a future window in Phase 2 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre, opening summer 2006. |
August 2005 |
August 23, 2005: Cathie and Alex hand out pedometers, digital cameras, decibel meters and other gadgets to visitors in a Citizen Science pilot. The visitors were asked to answer their own research question by gathering data using their gadget. |
August 18, 2005: The Challenge Zone continues to take shape! This addition will open in summer 2006 along with three other new experience areas within Phase 2 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
August 18, 2005: Researcher/programmer Colin H. tests a Material World exhibit prototype. |
August 18, 2005: Researcher/programmer Erika K. explains the prototyping process to summer campers investigating behind-the-scenes at the Science Centre. |
June 2005 |
June 29, 2005: Cathie and Alex operate a new Media Studios pilot test where visitors can create their own stop-motion animation short film. |
June 22, 2005: Science Centre staff set out old computers and stereos for visitors to dismantle in a Material World pilot. |
June 8, 2005: Our new green roof! As part of Agents of Change, we're creating an outdoor terrace complete with patio and an evergreen rooftop garden. |
June 3, 2005: Work is underway to transform the Science Centre's main entrance and former fountain area into TELUSCAPE. |
June 3, 2005: Media Studios team members watch themselves using a makeshift 3D video system. |
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May 2005 |
May 19, 2005: Don't try this at home! Science Centre trained professionals test out friction levels in a Material World prototyping session. |
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April 2005 |
April 27, 2005: Devon and Elgin discuss future plans for the TELUSCAPE, opening in 2006. As part of its $10.1 million sponsorship, TELUS will receive naming rights to the new experience area. |
April 22, 2005: Bridge work... Making way for Phase 2 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
April 15, 2005: Homer's head is not to scale! Why? The lens in front of his face bends light to the same angle as if it were coming from farther away. |
April 11, 2005: Ontario Science Centre Science School students were challenged to create fashions out of cheese cloth and aluminum foil in a Material World pilot. |
April 8, 2005: A student from Marshall McLuhan school models a 3D collage he helped to create during a Challenge Zone session. The students developed a concept model for the Marshall McLuhan Multimedia Festival exhibition which opens May 13 at the Science Centre. |
April 5, 2005: Joe Natale, president of TELUS Business Solutions, Grade 3 students from Grenoble Public School, and Lesley Lewis, CEO, Ontario Science Centre at the TELUS Press Annoucement event April 5, 2005. |
April 5, 2005: University interns have developed a computer kiosk survey to solicit anecdotes from visitors who have taken part in Citizen Science pilot projects. |
April 1, 2005: Visitors have contributed their birdwatching observations and data to Bird Studies Canada's Project FeederWatch for the past 5 months. True citizen science! |
March 2005 |
March 10, 2005: Opening day at the Weston Family Innovation Centre, Phase 1. (The vote is in: it's ter-WFIC!) |
March 4, 2005: Less than one week to the official opening of the Weston Family Innovation Centre Phase 1! |
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January 2005 |
January 25, 2005: Pat the Bunny! In a Citizen Science pilot project, we asked if pets reduce stress. We monitored staff members' blood pressure and heart rates before and after patting the friendly rabbit, Otis, and found that many saw positive results. (A public pilot test takes place on Feb. 12 & 19.) |
January 14, 2005: In a brainstorming session for Citizen Science, staff generate and test research questions and pilot projects for visitor input. |
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December 2004 |
December 21, 2004: Staff are busy creating and developing new visitor experiences. Here, Merika, Aylin and Cathie experiment with create-your-own natural cosmetics. |
December 15, 2004: Can you dig it? By spring 2005 this space will transform into a new outdoor terrace, patio, living green roof and exits to the great outdoors. |
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November 2004 |
November 24, 2004: KidSPARKs are flying! Currently under construction, KidSpark will expand to double its current size by early 2005. |
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October 2004 |
October 19, 2004: Workers pump concrete into the Science Centre through a flexible pipe to create a new floor in the Weston Family Innovation Centre Phase 1. |
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September 2004 |
September 8, 2004: More than 100 Science Centre staff members took part in a Citizen Science pedometer (step-counter) pilot study looking into workplace activity levels. Collectively, almost 250,000 steps were taken in one day -- that’s the distance one person would have to walk from the Science Centre to Huntsville! |
September 1, 2004: CONSTRUCTION ZONE! Here's a view from behind our temporary hoarding walls -- these aren't new skylights in our roof, they're holes we've cut so we can install new steel beams for Weston Family Innovation Centre Phase 1. (Cross your fingers that it doesn't rain.) |
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August 2004 |
August 30, 2004: Old science equipment, aircraft parts and surplus mechanical devices are transformed into a "Question of the Day Machine" for Phase 1 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
August 17, 2004: In a Citizen Science pilot test, we asked our visitors to gather data on birds in our wetland to contribute research to Cornell University’s Birds in the City study. |
August 3, 2004: Summaries of the latest science news cycle on a plasma screen in the Technology hall in a pilot test for Phase 1 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
July 30, 2004: A pilot Challenge Zone hosts daily problem-solving workshops in the Communication hall all summer. |
July 2004 |
July 15, 2004: Researcher / Programmer Colin H. and Agents of Change Project Lead Julie B. prepare to present their exhibit ideas during a Media Studios Rapid Idea Generation session. |
June 15, 2004: Canadian architect Jack Diamond and Science Centre director of Visitor Experience Jennifer Martin present architectural renderings to the media. |
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June 2004 |
June 14, 2004: Researcher / Programmer Colin H. models the interactive sensor coat he built for Media Studios. |
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May 2004 |
May 19, 2004: Researcher / Programmers Kris W. and Homer H. prepare a Material World mural to which visitors can contribute. |
May 17, 2004: Researcher / Programmer Kris W. shows off a Material World prototype that lets visitors assemble their own fashions using Velcro®. |
May 10, 2004: A mural painted by young visitors decorates the temporary wall separating Communication from construction on Phase 1 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
May 6, 2004: Science Centre staff explore a prototype exhibit for Phase 1 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
April 2004 |
April 16, 2004: The Valley Information area on Level D is cordoned off in preparation for construction on Phase 1 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
April 7, 2004: Researcher / Programmer Homer H. tests digital music mixing equipment for Media Studios. |
April 7, 2004: Researcher / Programmer Colin H. wires up a prototype exhibit for Media Studios. |
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March 2004 |
March 31, 2004: A graffiti mural livens up the temporary wall separating the Technology Hall from construction on Phase 1 of the Weston Family Innovation Centre. |
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