Early in the Harry Potter films, Harry learns that the Ministry of Magic uses Dementors to guard the wizard prison of Azkaban. These gruesome creatures use their unique powers to subdue inmates by draining them of all happiness and hope for freedom. Harry first encounters Dementors in the third film when they come to Hogwarts in search of the escaped prisoner- Sirius Black. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™, Dementors mysteriously attack Harry and his non-magical cousin while Harry is away from the safety of Hogwarts™. And in the two-part finale to the film series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, fans can expect more than one hair-raising confrontation with these foul beings.

Fans who cannot wait for the next film to arrive in cinemas only need to visit Harry Potter: The Exhibition to come face-to-face with the authentic Dementor model used in the films. Those who dare to gaze upon the Dementor will be fascinated by the attention to detail from the soul-sucking mouth on the creature’s eye-less face, to the skeletal arms and hands it uses to reach out for its next victim.

About the Exhibition
Visitors that tour the exhibition will be taken on a journey into the world of Harry Potter through several themed vignettes based on iconic Hogwarts settings. Along the way they will discover some of their favourite props and costumes, all of which were handpicked by GES, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and the filmmakers themselves. Some of the key artifacts on display include Professor Snape’s robes; Professor Trelawney’s crystal ball and exotic wardrobe; costumes and props from Professors Lupin™, Lockhart™ and Umbridge™; props and artifacts from the Yule Ball, including costumes from notable characters such as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley™, Hermione Granger™ and Professor Dumbledore™; and life-size centaurs, a caged dragon, Buckbeak™ the Hippogriff and a giant Acromantula spider. Harry Potter: The Exhibition was created by GES in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. After its run at the Ontario Science Centre, the exhibition will be displayed in other major cultural and entertainment venues, museums and institutions worldwide.

Hours and Ticket Information
The exhibition is a timed entry experience and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. now through August 22, 2010. Friday and Saturday evening hours are extended to 9 p.m. with reduced admission rates starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca, by calling 416-696-1000, or by visiting the box office. Admission to Harry Potter: The Exhibition, which includes general admission to the Science Centre’s exhibition halls, is $27.50 for adults; $23.50 for seniors and youth (ages 65+ and 13-17); $20.00 for children (ages 4-12). For Ontario Science Centre members, admission is $14 for adults; $12 for seniors and youth; and $10 for children.

From July 15 to August 1, Torontonians and visitors to the city are encouraged to join the Science Centre in the excitement. On July 17, children and adults are invited to celebrate Junior Carnival at Yorkgate Mall for a variety of fun and engaging activities that allow everyone to be a scientist. From carnival costume mechanics with K’NEX, to the Aging Machine, the human torso and pinwheel hat making, the Science Centre will host activities to delight and challenge all ages. Find out the winner of the Ontario Science Centre Innovative Costume Award on July 29 at the King and Queen competition at Lamport Stadium. Look for the Science Centre tent on July 31 at Marilyn Bell Park, and on August 1, join in at De Scotiabank Caribana Lime at Ontario Place.

“The Science Centre is excited to partner with Scotiabank Caribana in celebrating Caribbean culture and traditions,” said Dr. Hooley McLaughlin, Vice-President, Science Experience and Chief Science Officer of the Ontario Science Centre. “Many people may not make the direct link between science and the festival, but we want to introduce people to the mathematics and physics that inform the innovative creation of musical rhythms, and the mechanics behind the dynamic costumes.”

Ontario Science Centre Innovative Costume Award

To mark the inaugural year of its participation in Scotiabank Caribana, the Ontario Science Centre Innovative Costume Award will recognize innovation in costume design at the celebration, widely known for its vibrant and dazzling costumes. The Award will shine a light on the intricate art and scientific merit of costume design by honouring the engineers of these creative masterpieces.

Summer Programming – The Science of Steel Pan

The Science Centre will be giving visitors more reasons to jump up this summer. As previously announced, the Science Centre is celebrating Caribbean culture and community as part of its summer programming. On July 23, 24, 25 and 26, children and adults are invited to witness how the innovative steel pan uses science and technology to turn an oil drum into a soul vibe. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in the science behind this distinctive and popular Caribbean musical invention, while enjoying the rhythmic sounds in the Weston Family Innovation Centre. They will be challenged to prototype the next evolution of the E-pan and to create a new instrument that does not yet exist.

In August, the Centre will host interactive demonstrations and workshops about the technologies behind those dazzling carnival costumes and put visitors’ costume creations to the test of the rigours of a carnival parade.

The Ontario Science Centre’s Scotiabank Caribana programming events are free with admission to the Science Centre. The Science Centre is easily accessible via the TTC. Go to www.ontariosciencecentre.ca and click on the “Visit Us” tab for directions.

About Scotiabank Caribana

The Scotiabank Caribana Festival is an exciting three-week cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine, revelry as well as visual and performing arts. Now in its 43rd year, it has become a major international event and the largest cultural festival of its kind in North America. As Carnival is an international cultural phenomenon, the great metropolis of Toronto and its environs will come alive as the city explodes with the pulsating rhythms and melodies of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Hip Hop, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands. The Festival Management Committee oversees the running of North America’s largest outdoor festival.

This year the official launch of the Scotiabank Caribana Festival will take place at noon on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at Yonge-Dundas Square, and the parade will be staged on Saturday, July 31, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For further information please visit www.caribanafestival.com.

Shoppers Drug Mart_® OMNIMAX^® Theatre*:

Legends of Flight Opens Sept. 24, 2010
This visually captivating film explores the relationships between natural flight, advanced design and innovative technologies that have brought us to the dawn of a new era in aircraft design. Legends of Flight takes viewers on the maiden voyage of the world’s most anticipated commercial aircraft, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

Rocky Mountain Express Opens late Jan. 2011
The Empress, a 70-year old steam locomotive, blasts her way across some of North America’s most breathtaking landscapes, on tracks that pulled a nation out of the wilderness. Viewers will be surprised to learn that even today, trains are the most efficient means of transporting massive loads. The Empress herself can move the payload of fifty jumbo jets!
*Please note separate charge for OMNIMAX films.

Featured Exhibitions

Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids Oct. 9, 2010 to Jan. 9, 2011

For thousands of years, fantastical creatures have been embedded in the human experience through legends and fables, ancient art, and even in the accounts of early naturalists. Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids will include spectacular sculptures, paintings and textiles, along with a number of cultural objects ranging from shadow puppets to ceremonial masks and helmets from around the world. This exhibition will bring to light surprising similarities as well as differences in the ways people have envisioned and depicted these strange and wonderful creatures.

Whales/Tohora Nov. 6, 2010 to Mar. 20, 2011

Explore the dramatic undersea world of whales in this magnificent exhibition alive with stories, intriguing objects and interactive science. See a sperm whale hunt giant squid, understand echolocation, hear astonishing whale calls, crawl through a model blue whale heart, build a digital dolphin and see if it can swim, learn intuitively about hydrodynamics, explore whaling history and be amazed by giant skeletons. Learn about the special relationship between whales and the Maori of New Zealand though the Maori culture’s rich whale-riding stories and traditions.

Seasonal Offerings

Dream Machines Dec. 2010

The holiday favourite returns! The world’s largest collection of Emett machines will be on display in the Great Hall. Highlights include the “Humbug Major Sweet Machine” made famous in the film “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”. Get inspired by the fanciful creations of cartoonist Rowland Emett.

Over three years, this initiative will allow the Ontario Science Centre to work with young Ontario learners and their teachers to promote an understanding of science, technology, engineering and math through engaging hands-on learning experiences. The funding will enable the Science Centre to introduce new technology into its studio-based school programs to deepen the level of learner interaction and engagement and further stimulate students’ critical thinking skills.

Pilot testing and evaluation conducted by the Science Centre last year shows that new technologies introduced into its educational programs are powerful tools in increasing student engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Ontario Science Centre is proud to be an early-adopter of these technologies in informal science education, and will share our learnings in this field.

“PromoScience supports hands-on learning experiences for young students and their science teachers, which mirrors the Science Centre’s approach to encouraging students and teachers to explore science outside the classroom in creative and engaging ways,” said Catherine Paisley, Vice-President, Science Education, Ontario Science Centre. “We are thrilled to receive this grant which will go a long way to enhance our Technology Integration Project.”

The NSERC PromoScience program offers financial support for organizers working with young Canadians to promote an understanding of science, engineering, mathematics and technology. Organizations funded through these grants include universities, non-governmental organizations, museums, science centres and other groups from across the country.

“Training is one of the most important parts of NSERC’s mandate,” said Suzanne Fortier, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. “By making science interesting and accessible, these organizations offer a very valuable service. They provide the spark that can inspire people to choose careers in science and engineering.”

The Ontario Science Centre is Ontario’s most visited cultural attraction welcoming almost 1.3 million visitors last year, including 200,000 students and teachers who participated in curriculum correlated programs that foster science literacy and encourage lifelong learning in young people. As a major cultural organization, the Ontario Science Centre plays a vital role within its community.

About NSERC: The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is a federal agency whose vision is to help make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports some 28,000 students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. The agency promotes discovery by funding more than 11,800 professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,500 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.

“We want to give these students a chance to explore and discover what they’re interested in”, said Paul Kortenaar, the Ontario Science Centre’s Director of Education and Weston Family Chair of Innovative Education.

Each semester, Science School students are immersed in an enriched environment where Grade 12 chemistry, biology, math and physics are taught through group work, real-life problem solving and lots of lab time. "At the Science School you can actually apply your love of learning and interest in science with a group of people who are equally eager to learn and discover," said Reilly Ische, whose home school is Toronto’s Metropolitan Preparatory School.

Launched 28 years ago, the program is supported by the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board. In addition, Biovail Corporation was lead sponsor for the 2009-2010 school year. The School recently won an award from the Canadian Association of Science Centres for Best Onsite Program.

Students have the opportunity to see new exhibitions before the public and team up with staff to interact with visitors. “By volunteering as a host during March Break, I gained new respect for the public’s curiosity in science,“ said Jeremy Dabor, of Saint John’s College in Brantford. “It also helped me get over my fear of public speaking”.

Four teachers are seconded from the two Toronto school boards each year. Participants come from any school in Ontario. Applicants provide their grades, two teacher references, a list of extra-curricular activities and a short personal essay. Selection isn’t based on grades alone. Candidates must show they are confident and mature enough to handle studies in this unconventional setting. There are no tuition fees. Further details can be found at www.tinyurl.com/oscss

“G8 and G20 visitors are encouraged to join Torontonians and discover the most visited cultural institution in Ontario, the Ontario Science Centre,” said Lesley Lewis, CEO of the Centre. “We offer visitors of all ages an unforgettable experience, igniting their curiosity and encouraging them to explore and engage with science.”

The noise surrounding the G20 will be left behind as visitors enjoy the tranquility of outer space with IMAX Hubble in the Shopper’s Drug Mart® OMNIMAX^® Theatre. Summits of all kinds are avoided by travelling to the depths of the ocean with the IMAX^®  film Under The Sea. At Toronto’s only public planetarium guests can forget world leaders and see the real stars.

Visitors can enter a world of magic at Harry Potter™: The Exhibition by pulling Mandrakes from their pots, sitting in Hagrid’s chair and playing a game of Quidditch™. This special exhibition is complemented by summer programming, Spellbinding Science, including Science Magic, a twice-daily magic show and Meet the Curator of Curious Creatures, a daily live animal presentation. Youngsters can even learn as they play in KidSpark, specially designed for kids under eight.

On Sunday, June 27 the Science Centre is holding a special event, Science Redux: The Video Workshop. Youths can try their hand at filmmaking and race against the clock to create a short video. No experience is necessary but enrolment is limited and fast legs are an asset. This event takes place in the Weston Family Innovation Centre and is free with admission.

The Ontario Science Centre’s summer hours begin on Sunday, June 27. The Science Centre will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the summer. The hours for Harry Potter: The Exhibition will be extended on Friday and Saturday until 9 p.m. with the last ticket sold at 7:30 p.m.

The Ontario Science Centre is conveniently located just a short drive from downtown at 770 Don Mills Rd with paid parking available on site. It is also easily accessible via TTC. See the website at www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/directions for more details.

In September, the Science Centre launched its newest access program, Adopt-a-Class, to help schools in Toronto’s most underserved neighbourhoods. In the pilot year of the program, through corporate and individual support, the Science Centre was able to secure funding for a number of classes to visit its exhibition halls, participate in educational programs and have transportation to and from the Centre at no cost to the school or families.

This program targeted 109 schools within the Toronto District School Board’s Model Schools for Inner Cities initiative for the 2009-2010 school year. The response was overwhelming: more than 30,000 students, teachers and supervisors visited, demonstrating the need for such access programs, and for continued support from sponsors and donors.

“We approached the TDSB to find ways of reaching more children through our community access initiatives”, said Catherine Paisley, Director of Science Education. “The Model Schools project provided us with the perfect opportunity to invite schools in underserved communities, at no cost to the schools or families.”

Students have the opportunity to participate in a 45-minute program linked to the Ontario Science and Technology curriculum and spend a day of hands-on learning and fun among the Science Centre’s exhibits.

“Through this opportunity, many students were able to attend the Science Centre for the first time.” says Vicky Branco, lead principal for the Model Schools for Inner Cities program. “This allows us to give them a learning experience as well as a life experience, which further allows us to level the playing field for inner city children."

Through the Science Centre’s many community access initiatives, another 70,000 people were able to visit. This commitment to make exhibition halls and activities accessible to young people and underserved groups is demonstrated through a variety of programs, including:

• Community Access Coupons
• Free memberships and camps admissions to neighbourhood families in need
• Cultural Access Pass
• Museum Arts Pass

· Relax, Recharge & Renew Program

Adopt-a-Class is supported by Founding Partner Procter & Gamble and Sponsor Amgen Canada Inc. The Science Centre is committed to expanding the program with the help of corporate and individual sponsors.

Honorary Co-Chairs Joe Natale and Melissa Martin led the unforgettable evening that revolved around the thrilling world of magic and sorcery. They were joined by over 1100 of Canada’s style makers and influencers including Master of Ceremonies, Ben Mulroney.

“The LG Innovators’ Ball is an inspired event and it was an honour for Melissa and me to co-chair this unforgettable evening,” said Joe Natale, TELUS Chief Commercial Officer and Honorary Co-chair of the Ball. “Innovation is at the heart of our business at TELUS because corporations like ours depend on young, hungry minds, and feeding kids’ minds is what the Ontario Science Centre is all about. With the outstanding support of our partners, sponsors and guests, we are providing a greater number of children in our communities with access to the Ontario Science Centre, lighting the spark of interest and imagination and fuelling their passion for science and technology.”

Guests experienced a truly decadent evening, tasting the culinary concoctions of celebrated Toronto chef Jamie Kennedy, imbibing potions, tonics and Malivoire wines, and enjoying an exciting magical act from Greg Frewin, one of Canada’s top Illusionists. The party continued into the evening with entertainment from a trio of Toronto’s top DJs as mystical clocks struck midnight.

In addition to the special entertainment, guests toured Harry Potter™: The Exhibition throughout the evening. They were able to be sorted into their favorite Hogwarts™ house by the magical Sorting Hat™, toss a “quaffle” or pull a screaming mandrake from its pot in Herbology.

“Besides being a fantastic party, the LG Innovators’ Ball is about supporting Ontario’s next generation of innovators and leaders,” said Lesley Lewis, CEO of the Ontario Science Centre. “The tireless efforts of our volunteer committee, the generosity of our sponsors, corporate leaders and guests along with the Science Centre’s staff create this remarkable event year after year.”

Over the previous three years, the LG Innovators’ Ball has raised almost $1 million in net proceeds to support the Ontario Science Centre’s community access and outreach initiatives which keep programs affordable and accessible to all members of the community. This year, a number of new fundraising initiatives became part of the event. CIBC Children’s Foundation challenged dinner guests to donate $1,000 each to the Adopt-A-Class program, announcing it would match funds raised at the event up to $15,000. To further its commitment of reaching out to young people Title Sponsor, LG Electronics Canada purchased 300 tickets for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto to attend Harry Potter™: The Exhibition, which opened to the public on April 9, 2010.

"To honour the work of our event Chair Amoryn Engel, I am very pleased to announce that we are bringing ten classes from the surrounding Flemingdon Park neighbourhood schools to the Centre," said Mark Cohon, Chair, Ontario Science Centre Board of Trustees. “For the fourth consecutive year, the LG Innovators’ Ball has captivated guests and inspired their imagination, while raising funds to ensure programs and feature exhibitions are accessible to all members of our community. Amoryn’s vision and dedication have made this one of the most talked about events of the year, and it is fitting that we recognize her efforts in her final year as Chair.”

May 8, 2010 is set for a day-long science fair viewed through an artistic lens. Harbourfront Centre, along with the Ontario Science Centre, is proud to host events on May 8, 2010 from 12 - 4 p.m. that highlight the connections between art and science.

Art and science events at Harbourfront Centre include:

TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL ART & SCIENCE FAIR: The Too Cool For School Art & Science Fair is an interdisciplinary event at which people from diverse fields share art and information and engage in friendly competition. The event is structured just like a school science fair – participants will display their projects on rows of tables and will be on hand to discuss their work with the public. The difference, however, is that this event is as much about art as it is about science.

The Too Cool For School Art & Science Fair was invented to showcase amazing acts of imagination and invention that might never otherwise see the light of day. It recognizes that there is a little bit of art and a little bit of science in everyone. Society encourages us to separate the two and often our true creative energies are buried due to the requirements of our chosen disciplines.

On May 8, 2010, the Too Cool For School Art & Science Fair will showcase 50 participants, chosen from an open call for submissions in early 2010. Harbourfront Centre and the Ontario Science Centre have announced a groundbreaking partnership that will extend the Too Cool For School programme into the autumn; both institutions will make selections from the fair for public exhibition.

Too Cool for School Art & Science fair is part of Fresh Ground new works, Harbourfront Centre's national commissioning programme. Fresh Ground new works is made possible by the generosity of several major individual donors who have actively assisted in the creation of new Canadian artworks: Peter Allen, William J. S. Boyle, Lionel F. Conacher and Joan Dea, Margaret and Jim Fleck, John Kazanjian and Susan Soloway, Michael and Sonja Koerner, Judy and Wil Matthews, George E. Myhal, Sonja Smits and Seaton McLean, and grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the J.P. Bickell Foundation.

ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTRE: The Ontario Science Centre will launch the K'NEX Bridge Building Challenge. Participants try to build the lightest K'NEX bridge that holds the greatest weight while spanning an 18" gap. The bridges will then be load-tested to destruction by Science Centre hosts armed with the Bridge-Crusher! Participants receive an Ontario Science Centre certificate with their bridges’ load-to-weight ratio.

In addition, Science Centre hosts will amaze and impress visitors with a variety of interactive on-the-spot science activities.

SCIENCE RENDEZVOUS: Also on May 8, Science Rendezvous will present exhibits from XEROX, Subtle Technologies and Ontario College of Art and Design at Harbourfront Centre. Science Rendezvous is a unique initiative held at partnering university and college campuses and at select research hospitals, cultural and public sites across Ontario.

· ONTARIO COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN: Inspired by the magnificent worldviews revealed by the lens of science, students from the Ontario College of Art and Design create art that responds to the microscopic realm of particle physics, through to the macroscopic realm of relativity.

XEROX RESEARCH GROUP: A peek into the Xerox Labs and the science inside Xerox products. Learn about the innovative research being carried out at Xerox’s Canadian research centre.

SUBTLE TECHNOLOGIES: See a selection of the best from our past 12 years, and a taste of what's to come at this year's festival on the theme of sustainability.

For full event listing and more information about Harbourfront Centre, the public can call the Information Hotline at 416-973-4000 or visit harbourfrontcentre.com.

Entries were judged on the degree to which they demonstrate the characteristics of innovation: inspiration, creativity, collaboration, risk-taking and real-world problem-solving.

“The Weston Youth Innovation Award recognizes young people who are already making positive changes in our world,” said Geordie Dalglish, Chairman of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation. “Kimberly’s project not only raises awareness of environmental issues, but explores potential solutions.”

Kimberly Gulevich’s winning project explores the use of methane capture as a way to provide energy to small rural households that use sewage lagoons. A clean form of energy and a renewable resource, capturing methane could potentially help reduce the carbon footprint of these households. The study concluded that larger municipal and agricultural sewage lagoons would be better targets for methane capture.

”Kimberly’s project demonstrates how science is a process of continually asking questions,” said Hooley McLaughlin, Director, Visitor Experience, Ontario Science Centre. “And not only has Kimberly been tenacious in testing her theories, she has also been able to gather significant support from local business and community leaders.”

For the past five years, environmental issues have held Kimberly’s attention. Through her science-related activities, she has been able to develop innovation and research skills.

“This project has not only allowed me to research alternative, renewable fuel sources, but also bring awareness of environmental issues to my community,” said Ms. Gulevich.

I have also been able to promote the use of waste materials as energy sources.”

Kimberly will be awarded the $2000 prize at an event at the Ontario Science Centre April 30th. In addition, she will work with a multimedia team to create a short animation showcasing her project to be displayed in the Weston Family Innovation Centre. Details of her project are posted at www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca/innovationaward

The finalists for the 2010 Weston Youth Innovation Award included:

• HONOURABLE MENTION: Meredith Drieseberg and Kathleen Skyvington for ICCommit, a youth movement to fight climate change
• Sophia Coulter English and Gillian Walczak for “The Perfect Plastic”, a project to develop bio-degradable plastic from simple household products
• Katrine Masters and Cynthya Peloquin for “Suivi de population de poissons dans le ruisseau Cacouna”, a project to assess the health and outcome of a trout-stocking program in Drummondville, Quebec

The Weston Youth Innovation Award was established to encourage and recognize young Canadian innovators and was named in recognition of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation’s $15 million lead gift to the Ontario Science Centre’s Agents of Change initiative, and to honour the Foundation’s support and commitment to education.

“The Science Centre seeks out temporary exhibitions that will appeal to our traditional audience and attract new visitors who may never have visited a science centre,” said Lesley Lewis, CEO, Ontario Science Centre. “Harry Potter: The Exhibition holds just such crossover appeal. Our visitors will be inspired by the creativity, technology and attention to detail behind the artifacts and themed settings in this wonderful exhibition.”

In a 1,300 square metre exhibit space, Harry Potter: The Exhibition features authentic film artifacts displayed in immersive settings inspired by the film sets—including the Great Hall, Hagrid’s hut and the Gryffindor™ common room. Visitors will also be able to try their hand at some of the activities experienced by students at Hogwarts™ such as pulling a screaming mandrake from its pot or tossing a Quaffle through a Quidditch™ goalpost.

“We are truly excited to unveil the exhibition and its incredible offerings to so many loyal Canadian fans,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President, Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “The magical and immersive settings bring the films to life and the Ontario Science Centre is the perfect location for the exhibition’s debut outside the U.S.”

“The exhibition has enjoyed great success at the first two venues in the United States, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this one-of-a-kind experience to Toronto,” said Eddie Newquist, Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Global Experience Specialists, Inc. (GES). “We have some wonderful surprises in store for guests at the Ontario Science Centre, and we look forward to seeing all the Harry Potter fans in Canada.”

About the Exhibition

As visitors tour the exhibition, they will be taken on a journey into the world of Harry Potter through several themed vignettes based on iconic Hogwarts settings, and come face-to-face with some of their favourite props and costumes, all of which were hand-picked by GES, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and the filmmakers themselves.

Some of the key artifacts on display include Professor Snape’s robes; Professor Trelawney’s crystal ball and exotic wardrobe; costumes and props from Professors Lupin™, Lockhart™ and Umbridge™; props and artifacts from the Yule Ball, including costumes from notable characters such as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Professor Dumbledore™; and life-size centaurs, a caged dragon, Buckbeak™ the Hippogriff and a giant Acromantula spider.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition was created by GES in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. After its run at the Ontario Science Centre, the exhibition will be displayed in other major cultural and entertainment venues, museums and institutions worldwide.

By combining incredible IMAX footage with images taken by the Hubble Telescope and advanced computer visualization, Hubble’s detailed data becomes a series of scientifically realistic flights that unfold on screen like a guided tour of the universe, through time and space.

“This is star travel, you’re right out there moving in space”, said Director, Toni Myers. “The Hubble Telescope has amassed a monumental amount of data from the distant reaches of the cosmos, the birth of solar systems and ultra deep field galaxies beyond our own.”

In May 2009, the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched a mission to make vital repairs and upgrades to the Hubble Space Telescope, the world’s first space-based observatory, 563 kilometers above the Earth. On board was an IMAX camera, operated by the Shuttle astronauts. It captured stunning sequences of the intricate spacewalks required to make those repairs, as well as close-up images of the effort to grasp the orbiting telescope with the shuttle’s mechanical arm at 28,200 kph.

The Shuttle could not accommodate a traditional film crew, so in addition to their day jobs, the STS-125 astronauts did some moonlighting as camera operators. To prepare, Director of Photography James Neihouse put the astronauts though an eight-month course of basic cinematography. “Part of my job was showing them how to use an IMAX camera in space –how to shoot, how to frame, how to take exposures, the whole nine yards”, said Neihouse.

Amid the aerial action and dazzling space-scapes, HUBBLE also touches upon the life story of the Hubble Space Telescope, from its inception to this latest dramatic chapter; the fifth and final Shuttle visit intended to ensure its viability for years to come.

HUBBLE is an IMAX and Warner Bros. Pictures production, in cooperation with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, the film reunites the Space Station filmmaking team, led by Producer/Director Toni Myers. James Neihouse, Director of Photography, also doubles as the Astronaut Crew Trainer. Judy Carroll is Associate Producer, and Graeme Ferguson, Co-founder of IMAX and pioneer producer of many IMAX space films, is Executive Producer.

Admission prices for Shoppers Drug Mart_® OMNIMAX^® Theatre are $12 for adults, $9 for youth (13-17) & seniors (65+) and $8 for children. Please check the website for specific times, www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca.

Panellists in Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, London and Moscow engaged in a thought-provoking discussion, describing the biggest challenges facing their respective countries and their ideas on how to tackle them. Members of live audiences at each site challenged panellists with questions, and proposed some of their own solutions. Hundreds more watched the sessions live online.

High school student and human rights activist Nishin Nathwani of Fergus, Ontario moderated the event from Toronto. “The fact that youth were given a platform in an international venue to show their insights and expertise is an acknowledgement that youth are going to spearhead change for the future,” said the 17-year-old.

Participants also identified the need to shift public attitudes away from unbridled consumerism and development towards an enhanced appreciation of nature and the environment.

“To find a way forward we need to look beyond the science,” said Martin Rose, director, British Council Canada. “These young leaders will help set the cultural climate in which decisions will be made in the future.”

While the young activists agreed that even small efforts such as conserving water at home and volunteering in local programs are important, they stressed that it will take larger-scale efforts, legally-binding regulations and deep societal changes to make significant steps towards reducing carbon emissions.

The electronic forum linked countries on four continents with different climates and socio-economic conditions, each hosting Olympic Games this decade.

“The remarkable young people we have heard from over the past two days are true agents of change, “ said Lesley Lewis, CEO, Ontario Science Centre. “They are responding to a real global environmental challenge and challenging us to develop solutions.”

The real-time dialogues (10 am – 12:30 pm EST each day) will link countries in four continents with different climates and socio-economic conditions. The countries are Canada (2010 Winter Games), the United Kingdom, (2012 Summer Games), Russia, (2014 Winter Games) and Brazil, (2016 Summer Games).

Participants will be students in high school and university, including a core group of British Council International Climate Champions. The young people will discuss the biggest challenges facing their countries and their ideas about how to tackle climate change. The dialogues will be linked by video-conference and largely based at science museums, including the Science Museum in London and the Museu da Vida in Rio de Janeiro.

In Toronto, sessions will be moderated by Nishin Nathwani a dynamic 17-year old human rights activist from Centre Wellington District High School in Fergus, Ont. and a panellist at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“The Ontario Science Centre is a place for young people – our future leaders -- to learn, to voice ideas and opinions, and to engage in new ways of thinking about themselves and the world around them,” said Lesley Lewis, CEO, Ontario Science Centre. “This event will encourage youth from around the world to share ideas, and strive to find solutions to current and future climate change issues.”

The Canadian panellists are:

• Julie D’Aoust, Marianopolis College, Montreal
• Thamy Giritharan, Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, Toronto
• David Lawless, undergraduate student, University of Guelph, Guelph
• Edmonton-born Allan Luk, University of Toronto Schools, Toronto

“These young leaders are vectors of change,” said Martin Rose, director British Council Canada. “They will set the cultural climate in which decisions are taken over the next few years and their leverage over Canada and the world’s future will grow and grow,” he says.

The event can be viewed live at:

http://www.snwebcastcenter.com/event/?event_id=810

Seniors & Youths $13.50 (Science Centre ONLY)

$9 (OMNIMAX^® Films ONLY)

The Science Centre is TTC accessible; check out www.ontariosciencecentre.ca for directions.

Parking at the Science Centre is $8 CASH ONLY.

This year’s March Break is sponsored by Family Channel.

Lots of new experiences in the Procter & Gamble Great Hall, Level 2:

• Be the first to try a new exhibit: the Science Centre’s designers and fabricators have developed prototypes of two Winter Olympic Sport experiences: Curling (using humans as rocks!) and Biathlon. Learn how the exhibits are built and tested, give them a spin, and give us your feedback. The final product will become part of a future permanent exhibition.

• In honour of Black History Month, the exhibition Northern Lights: African-Canadian Stories will be on display. Curated by historian Dr. Sheldon Taylor, the exhibition features a collection of photographs and artifacts celebrating more than 10 generations of African-Canadian heritage in Toronto.

• Watch the Stouffville Steppers, a performance jump rope team representing the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Jump Rope for Heart program. After their spectacular skipping demonstrations they’ll teach visitors some of their steps. Performances take place hourly from noon to 3 p.m.

“The Great Baldini” brings his magic show The Science of Perception to the Imperial Oil Auditorium. Be amazed and mystified by how your brain interprets magic. Show times are 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. each day. The hours of operation for Family Day weekend are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The best way to buy tickets is online at www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca .

Interactive demos that promote healthy living will be going on throughout the Science Centre all weekend, and they’re free with admission: $18 for adults, $13.50 for seniors and youth and $11 for children aged 4-12. Children under three get in free.

Time is running out for BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart, closing at the end of February. Book your tickets online at www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca Tickets can also be purchased by calling the box office at 416-696-1000. Admission is $28.50 for adults, $24.50 for seniors and youth and $18.50 for children aged 4-12, and include general admission to the Science Centre.