Weston Family Innovation Centre

On July 26, 2006, the Weston Family Innovation Centre – the cornerstone of the Ontario Science Centre’s $47-million Agents of Change initiative – was opened to invited guests and the public.

"The Centre’s vision and the commitment of our donors and partners allowed this dream of a new kind of facility to become a reality," said Lesley Lewis, CEO, Ontario Science Centre.

Named in honour of the Weston Family who made an exceptional $15 million lead gift to Agents of Change through The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, the project was also supported by a significant $16.5 million contribution from the Government of Ontario, and by "knowledge partner" DuPont Canada, the Department of Canadian Heritage, national media partner The Globe & Mail and other generous donors. These important contributions have enabled the creation of a groundbreaking 25,000-square foot (2325-square metre) facility and new visitor experiences both on-site and on-line.

Galen Weston, President of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation put it this way: "Innovation powers our world, but it takes inspiration, experience, and creativity to stimulate true innovation."

Designed in-house by Ontario Science Centre staff, the dramatic new environment will inspire visitors to take on and find practical solutions to current world problems; merge art with science; and work with a variety of materials. Visitors will be challenged to think differently about themselves and the world. The architecture of the new space was designed by the renowned firm of Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated.

"Instead of creating exhibits for visitors, this is a cool new space where we work with young people, inspire them, give them confidence and equip them to innovate at an earlier age. In effect, the experiences are releasing their ‘inner innovator’." said Mark Cohon, Chair of the Ontario Science Centre Board of Trustees.

The Agents of Change initiative also includes four other areas: KidSpark opened in November 2003 and expanded in December 2004, phase one of the Weston Family Innovation Centre opened in March 2005, followed by phase two in July 2006 and TELUSCAPE, an outdoor exploration plaza opened in September 2006 and major art installations that include works from David Rokeby, Steve Mann and Stacy Levy opened in March 2007.

The Ontario Science Centre uses science as the lens to inspire and actively engage people in new ways of seeing, understanding and thinking about themselves and the world. The Centre is also a leading developer of interactive exhibitions for science centres around the world. The Ontario Science Centre is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

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