50 Years of Stories

For me, the Ontario Science Centre is where the future really comes to life, in more ways than one. Anyone can be inspired by the wonder of innovation here, and everyone can feel the joy of discovery and learning. My fondest memories of visiting the Science Centre are when it's full of young people and their excited voices fill the halls and exhibits. In these simple moments, I see our future generations confidently finding their own ways to change the world for the better. It is, simply, a wonderful place.

The Ontario Science Centre was truly my second home growing up. My brother Aidan and I would visit weekly. We had a routine of which exhibits we’d run to first, and we learned something new every time. The Centre inspired my love of science, so I was excited when I got the opportunity to speak there on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2018.

During the question and answer period that followed my talk, I was asked if I had ever heard of the Ontario Science Centre's Science School which offers Ontario students a chance to earn their Grade 12 science and math credits in a very unique setting—the Science Centre!

I applied and waited. I wanted more than anything to be accepted to the Science School. What could be more incredible than going to school at the Science Centre?

Then came the good news: I was accepted into Semester 73 in the fall of 2018. For a whole semester, I attended classes at the Science Centre. I met 30 amazing classmates who loved science and math as much as I did, and I had phenomenal teachers. It was hard work, but oh-so-worth-it. My love of chemistry continued to grow, I became more confident in STEM and I’m happy to say that I’ve been accepted to all the universities to which I applied for chemical and physical sciences.

I owe a lot to the Ontario Science Centre for providing me with opportunities for early exposure to science and for giving me the chance to attend the Science School. I’m so proud and honoured to be a graduate of Semester 73!

My family immigrated to Canada from Romania in 1993, when I was eight years old. We settled at Graydon Hall, not far from the Ontario Science Centre. My parents brought me to the Science Centre on one of the free nights, and I was immediately enamoured. As newcomers, we didn’t have a lot of money—certainly not enough for a membership—so every time the free nights rolled around, we were here.

My favourite place was the Space Hall. I wanted to be an astronaut (still do!), and I spent what felt like hours working on my spacewalk. That was closely followed by Sport, where we pretended to be Olympians, and The Living Earth, where we pretended to be cave explorers.

The Science Centre showed me that science is fun, which is a perspective I carried with me throughout school to my post-doc, and eventually led me back to the world of science centres, creating science exhibitions for the public. I am honoured and grateful every day for the chance to inspire other youngsters into a lifelong love of science at the place that first sparked that love for me.

I grew up in Edmonton, so my first experience with the Ontario Science Centre didn’t come until 1998 when I moved here to do grad school at York University. I was studying bats, and the Science Centre was putting on an exhibit on that very topic, called Masters of the Night. So they invited members of our lab to give some talks as part of that. I brought Lydia, a big brown bat from our lab, with me, and we were able to let her fly around inside a huge net on stage. There’s really nothing like a live animal to get kids excited.

Today, I make my living communicating about science on TV and through my books, and those first experiences at the Ontario Science Centre were really important for helping me learn how to do that.

A decade later, when my son was born, the first thing we did was get a Science Centre membership for our whole family and I now bring my three kids here regularly. It’s true that I’m a scientist, and I have a relationship with the Science Centre for that reason, but it’s really my family's relationship that makes it so special to me. Every time we go, we do something different—and the kids all have their favourite places. It’s nice to see that they have their own places they like to explore and play in without having to worry.

Science centres are so important because they give us a fun way to engage with science. As a parent, you try really hard to give your kids experiences that will make them better people. The world is made more beautiful by science, and understanding it gives you more to love about the world. The Science Centre is a way to share the beauty of the world with our kids—like taking them out to the woods to experience nature. When we teach kids about science, we’re giving them all these different things to be curious about, and all these different questions to explore. All of that gives them a life experience that’s richer.

I grew up at the Ontario Science Centre. Now, I know you must be thinking everyone who lived in Toronto grew up at the Science Centre, but I literally grew up there! My dad worked there from 1977 to 1989.

During that time, my mom, sister and I would often come to the Science Centre to pick my dad up from work. On the weekends, if my dad had to work, we’d spend the entire day here. I remember the times when my dad had to pull all-nighters: he’d bring a sleeping bag for me so I could keep him company.

From the time I was a baby until about age 10, the Science Centre was my playground. I knew every nook and cranny. I remember drawing pictures and posting them into the comments kiosks around the Centre, and my dad would actually get them later (I’d see them posted in his cubicle).

I loved how special it made me feel when I’d waltz in and tell the ticket person that my dad worked here. I grew up on the Centre’s exhibits: The Wood Show, Sport, The Food Show (one of my favourites) and China: 7,000 Years of Discovery. Looking back, this place really enriched my life, and my sister’s life, too.

In the ’80s, the Science Centre wanted to launch an ad campaign that ended up appearing on the sides of buses. I guess since my dad worked here, he volunteered my sister and me to be models.

Remember the little Chinese girl with her hand on the Van de Graaf generator, with the perfect halo of hair? Well, that was me. My dad wanted to have that perfect circle of hair, and this was a time before Photoshop, so I had to cut my long locks of hair and trade it in for a mushroom cut. I remember that being pretty traumatic for me since I looked like a little boy for the rest of that year.

Since then, I have seen postcards, pins and even pictures of my sister and me in science books. It's funny when the subject comes up among people who grew up in Toronto, and they realize that the little girl from those ads is me! It's like I was a Toronto icon of the ’80s. Everyone knows that picture. Even then, the Ontario Science Centre was about diversity.

Fast forward 25 years. I now have two kids of my own, who are one and three. Because of the incredible memories I have at the Science Centre, we got a Membership for our family.

The Science Centre has captivated my daughter, holding the same magic as it had for me. I hope to continue to share magical memories at the Science Centre with my son, too, when he gets a little bit older.

When I was a kid, I loved things that flew. Gliders, helicopters, planes, balloons, zeppelins, rockets. If it flew, I was interested – even obsessed. What really kick-started my fascination with flight was the Apollo moon landing. It was July 20, 1969, not quite 11 p.m., on a remote 20-acre island on Lake Temagami, in northern Ontario. I was nine years old, snug in my sleeping bag on the floor of the main lodge of Camp White Bear with 100 fellow campers and staff. My eyes were locked on a portable black and white television that belonged to the camp cooks. The snowy reception on the screen was as clear as endlessly-adjusted rabbit ears, and half a roll of tin foil would permit. I could just make out the spidery leg of the lunar module.

I watched as Neil Armstrong, with what seemed like questionable control over his arms and legs, climbed down the rungs. Then, on the last step, he paused. “Do it! Step off!” I said to no one in particular. And he did. Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon. For the first time in human history, one of us was standing on another world. Back on earth, back on the floor of Camp White Bear’s main lodge, a space nut was born.

The next year, on a school field trip to the Ontario Science Centre, I discovered in the gift shop a five-volume set of books called Man in Space. I leafed through the first one and never put it down. My mother had given me money for lunch. I spent it on volume one of Man in Space. It cost $2.50. I read it cover-to-cover over the next few days and loved every page. I had to get my hands on the other four volumes. I couldn’t wait until I’d earned enough money to buy all four at once, so as soon as my weekly allowance and babysitting earnings reached $2.50, I’d trek back to the Ontario Science Centre gift shop on the bus to purchase the next volume. The admissions staff took pity on me and allowed me to go directly into the gift shop and right back out again after my purchase, without ever having to pay the entry charge. I made four separate trips to complete the five-volume set. I still have them today.

While I was utterly besotted with the idea of space flight, I was also pragmatic for my age. I figured getting into the air would be easier than making it into orbit. So, I’d start with “flight” and work my way up (literally) to “space flight.” The early flight displays at the Ontario Science Centre, including the model depicting the Wright Brothers’ inaugural flight, had a deep impact on me. Confident we could improve on the Wright Brothers’ early gliders (ha!), a classmate and I proceeded to design and build a full-sized hang glider, inspired by many visits to the Science Centre. We built three gliders in the end, all part of what we called the Falcon Series. (Of course, a cool name was very important.)

Falcon 2 was our most successful. This means that it came closest to getting off the ground, which really wasn’t very close at all. I was 12 when I “piloted” Falcon 2 down the hill at a park in Leaside, never once threatening to take to the air.

Undaunted, my co-conspirator and I made the dubious decision that it would be safer to design and build a full-sized hovercraft, inspired by the air cushion vehicle display at the Science Centre. So we did. We were 15 at this time. In return for shovelling a neighbour’s driveway, he allowed us to construct our twin-engine hovercraft in his garage. It took a year, but we actually did it, and it worked remarkably well for a vehicle built by two teens with very limited carpentry skills.

We tested the GTH1 in the parking lot of—you guessed it—the Ontario Science Centre. George Vanderkuur, Chief Scientist at the Science Centre in the mid-1970s, was very supportive and arranged to have our hovercraft stored there for several months as we tinkered and tested.

In hindsight, the Ontario Science Centre helped shape my early life and nourished an interest in science and engineering that remains with me today. Without the Science Centre, the hang gliders and hovercraft might never have been attempted, and I might never have earned an engineering degree. In tribute, I included a scene in my third novel, Up and Down, set at the Science Centre. The Science Centre was, and remains, a very special place for me.

My husband Peter and I have special memories of the Ontario Science Centre in its early days.

On March 15, 1974, as young adults, we went on a date to the Science Centre. After a pleasant evening exploring all the exhibits, we returned to Peter’s car in the parking lot, but he didn't start the motor right away.

That’s when he proposed to me—and of course, I accepted! We have now been happily married for over 44 years, and it all started on that night.

My best memory at the Science Centre was visiting the Body Worlds exhibition in 2009. As a biology teacher, this exhibition brought so much of what I teach to life, and it was very exciting to see. I hope to see it again sometime so that I can plan a field trip and share this amazing experience with my students.

Our family’s first few winters in Canada were tough—they were long, dark and cold. So, our dad started bringing us to the Science Centre on weekends.

From the rocks teaching us about different geological areas to learning about space, we were hooked. Soon, it felt like home. Science and space are now part of our everyday conversations. Through its interactive exhibits, science talks, demonstrations and maker space, the Ontario Science Centre has always encouraged us to stay curious and keep asking “why.” This is the place where ideas, inspiration and courage are born—and where we always feel welcome.

Oh, Ontario Science Centre—how do I love thee? My first memory of the Ontario Science Centre is of developing a picture taken with a homemade pinhole camera in the Great Hall during a Saturday morning program in 1985. I was about five, and I remember having this amazing sense of awe at the vast emptiness of the Great Hall.

I also got my first “job” volunteering at the Science Centre’s Recreation Programs when I was 13. I was technically a year too young to volunteer, but they accepted me anyway. I remember baking away the summer days in the Solar House on the patio. While at university, I returned to Recreation Programs during the summer—this time as a camp counsellor. After graduating with an engineering degree, I landed my dream job as a Host, turning down a free trip to Japan to accept the position!

I met some amazing people and loved every day of it. I think we were the last group to do a Star Lab with the original Zeiss projector.

It was while I was working there that I was introduced to the Science North Science Communication Program. I thought, “What? I can make an entire career of this!” After that, I went on to get a science communication diploma, which led me to meet my husband, who was also working at a science centre in Denmark.

Even though I no longer work there, the Ontario Science Centre just feels like home to me now. The place and its programs are so intertwined with my personal memories and experiences. Today, nothing makes me prouder than bringing my kids here. It really feels like things have come full circle. Happy birthday, Ontario Science Centre! 

Growing up in Markham in the 1980s, my parents took me regularly to the Science Centre. I probably first went when I was five or six, even before school field trips. 

For my friends and me, the architecture and design of the building were as important as the exhibits. We imagined journeying to the centre of the Earth and disappearing into different dimensions—with each floor, we descended by escalator. 

I particularly remember the Apollo 11 capsule, Moon lander simulator, mission control and The Planetarium. Space was really my primary interest and the Science Centre was the ultimate playground for an aspiring astronaut. The freedom to explore on your own terms is what made the difference for me. The Science Centre taught me that science could be fun. I never even thought about it as “science” until later in life when high school pressures and grades made science feel like work.

There is no understating the impact of the Science Centre on my early development. It remains a magical place that fostered my sense of wonder about the world, even all these years later, after I’ve made a career making films for museums and science centres across the globe. 

Ultimately, the Science Centre fulfils a vital role in the community as a safe and respected environment where the free exchange of ideas is encouraged. I experienced this firsthand when I launched the film Jerusalem in 2014, which presented the city from divergent viewpoints. There are few better contexts to have discussions about polarizing subjects and ideas, where respect, tolerance and critical thinking are encouraged and even pre-conditioned by the Science Centre.  

As a child, the Science Centre allowed me to explore worlds and ideas I never could have otherwise explored in such an interactive and visceral way. Now, as an adult who visits to launch new IMAX® films every few years, I have a very different relationship with the place. I’m experiencing firsthand the impact it has on different generations and grasping the idea of lifelong learning as I watch my own kids wander the halls and exhibits with that same sense of wonder I had at their age.
 
There is clearly a link between my career as a giant screen documentarian and my early connection with science that was fostered at the Science Centre. Only in my professional life visiting hundreds of science museums around the world did I come to realize that the Ontario Science Centre was such a pioneer and opened the door to so many other interactive institutions. 

Coming back to Toronto to launch an IMAX film is a thrill for me, a way of connecting with my younger self and giving back to an institution that has given so much to me over the years. The personal and professional debts I owe the Science Centre are tremendous, and I hope to continue “paying it forward” for years to come. 

My first memory of the Science Centre really comes more from family lore rather than my own recollection. I visited as a kid with my father, who was an electrical engineer. While we were walking around, he stopped at the big laser and told me, “Donna, lasers are the way of the future. You want to see this.” 

Something obviously stuck about that, because I went into laser physics and helped develop a technique called chirped pulse amplification, which paved the way for laser eye surgery and other applications, in medicine and other industries. 

It’s not a surprise that the story about my dad and I walking the halls here really stands out in my family.

I can’t remember my first visit to the Science Centre, but I do remember always feeling at home there. I’ve always been curious about the world, and I could feed my curiosity at the Science Centre. As a kid, I can remember watching people use the static electricity ball; it was honestly the most exciting thing I’d seen at the time. I even remember feeling comfortable exploring the insect exhibits, even though I generally don’t like those types of critters.

For me, the Science Centre stands out because it’s a place that encourages curiosity. There aren’t a lot of places where anyone can come through the door and interact with science in a personal, tangible way. The Centre actively works to provide an open space for intersectional science education. It’s open to historical interpretations of scientific learning and gives a platform for diverse communities, including Indigenous peoples, to express and share their learnings. 

When I bring family and friends who don’t work in science like I do, we are all able to enjoy our visit. There really is something for everyone—regardless of educational background. Science is about society, which is something the Science Centre understands.

During the summer of 1984, I was 11 years old. The multimedia exhibition The Artist as a Young Machine was on at the Ontario Science Centre, and I took the bus there by myself. I loved the exhibition and couldn’t get enough! I spent every day of the entire summer at the Science Centre, and it never got boring. I fell in love with the Commodore 64, learned to use MacPaint on the original Apple Macintosh, got a taste of UNIX on a DEC Alpha and discovered the magic of LOGO turtle graphics—with a side order of LISP programming, which came in amazingly handy a decade later during an artificial intelligence course in university!

I remember “Night Flight,” a computer-animated short film with the most haunting soundtrack. There was computer-assisted choreography, real-time video special effects for dance and synthesizer keyboards for music. Using the money I earned delivering the North York Mirror newspaper, I would occasionally treat myself to freeze-dried astronaut ice cream from the gift shop.

The staff were amazing, kind and patient. I would describe my time at the Science Centre during that summer as one of the most formative experiences of my life because the interest I developed there has always stayed with me (I’m an engineer today). It was seriously fun hands-on learning, and I like to think that another generation of young minds is being exposed to the intersection of art and technology the way I was that summer. 

Thirty-five years later: I’m still geeking out to science.

During my early science communication and education career in the U.K., I spent time facilitating hands-on exhibits in Belfast, Edinburgh, London and Glasgow.

Along the way, I learned about the Ontario Science Centre, which had moved away from the classic museum “look-but-don’t touch” model, paving the way for changes in how science was communicated through interactive, hands-on exhibits in science centres.

My first experience at the Science Centre was conducting research as part of the Research Live program.  I was impressed to see how the Science Centre was engaging families with up-to-date content.

The Science Centre has been a key collaborator for my career as a scientist. The Spit for Science project, which collected 17,000 DNA samples to identify genes associated with psychiatric disorders in children, laid a core foundation for my research. Through this collaboration, the team (Drs. Schachar, Arnold and Burton) and I have collected one of the largest pediatric data sets in the world that includes genetics, cognition and health information. Our newest project at the Science Centre, Spit for Science 2, will collect 30,000 more samples and provide a new opportunity to explore how our genes interact with our environment and their impact on our health and mental health.  With permission from the participants, the Spit for Science 2 data will be stored in Healthy Kids Biobank at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to create a resource for other researchers at SickKids and around the world. 

Today, I spend time at the Science Centre with my own children. It is wonderful to see children of all ages from all over the world engaging in the incredible content that the Science Centre provides.

My experience with the Science Centre had the greatest impact on how I think about  “knowledge translation” – how we take findings from the research we do in the lab and make it interesting and accessible to children and families.  This is particularly important when we are asking children and families to participate in our studies.  Families need to understand what we are asking and why it is important.

At the Science Centre, children and youth get to see science in action and are encouraged to try things out for themselves.   The hands on activities are a small example of what researchers do; we have an idea, we try it out, and if does not work, we make some changes and try it again and until we figure out the answer.  That is what makes doing research exciting and also what makes going to the Science Centre fun. This kind of exploration is how we inspire the next generation of researchers and scientists.  

In 1972, when we went to the Science Centre, we noticed bird decals on the window that look out onto the valley next to the escalators. We noticed that the birds depicted on the decals were also outside on the feeders.

As we rode the escalators, it became apparent that there were birds on the feeders that were not represented on the decals. This piqued our curiosity enough to go to buy a bird identification book.

By the time we got home, after looking at the book in the subway, we were hooked. We have been avid birdwatchers ever since, with a very satisfying life list—all because of the bird decals. It would almost certainly never have happened without the curiosity the Science Centre stirred.

The Ontario Science Centre has been part of my story since I was a child. When visiting Toronto from out of town, the Science Centre was the one place I couldn’t wait to visit. The Science Centre is an outlet for creativity when it comes to science and engineering, with so many opportunities to explore at your own pace.

After moving to Toronto for graduate studies, I worked at the Science Centre as part of the Recreation Programs team, facilitating sleepovers and birthday parties. Participating in these programs inspired my passion for science outreach. Since then, I have spoken at several events, including the RBC Innovators’ Ball, a Star Party and a Spotlight on Women in Science.

One of the most important things I learned at the Science Centre is the scientific method. To me, the scientific method is about curiosity, discovery and communication. It all begins with a question and then coming up with a hypothesis based on an initial line of questioning. From there begins a journey of discovery – following facts, evidence and reason to prove or disprove that hypothesis. But in my opinion, the most important part of the journey is sharing—not just the result, but the process, the learnings—everything along the way.

It's critical that everyone have some understanding of science—it’s present in almost everything we do. Building science-literate communities—encouraging people to question, to think critically and to evaluate information—is how we are going to solve some of the most pressing problems of our time and create positive change in our communities.

In January 1992, Roberta Bondar became the first Canadian woman and first neurologist in space, aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.

The Science Centre’s Challenger Learning Centre, a two-room space simulator, was chosen as the backdrop for a live congratulatory chat between then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in Ottawa and Roberta Bondar in space.

On the day of the scheduled communication, the Great Hall was full of invited guests, who were there to watch the transmission on a large projection screen.

It was a really big deal.

To join Dr. Bondar in space, the connection went from Ottawa to the Science Centre to Houston and finally an uplink to Discovery.

I was asked to help with the uplink the day before the event. My role was to conduct a live, on-camera, NASA-scripted audio check with Discovery commander Ronald Grabe. So, for 20 or 30 seconds, I got to talk to an astronaut in orbit.

After the audio check—a highlight of my 32-year career—I went back to the Great Hall, crossing in front of the projection screen. Imagine my surprise when a young boy jumped out of his seat and said “What are you doing here? I just saw you in Houston!” I couldn’t help but smile. What an incredible day.

I was raised in Toronto, and my friends and I would go to the Science Centre often. We loved to explore. I was always fascinated by the exhibits because they were entertaining and really showed me about the world.

Today, in our clinic at the Toronto Western Hospital, my colleagues and I are trying to make the world better. We’re researching and developing treatments for mental illness, major depression, PTSD and more. All of our efforts are based on how the brain works. We’re trying to get better at emotion regulation, for example.

The impact that the Science Centre has had on me has become clearer as an adult. Learning the scientific method early has helped shape the work I do every day.

We have made exceptional progress in the world because of science. To continue to make progress, we need to understand our world better and put our knowledge to work. The hands-on learning experiences at the Science Centre are built for that.

One of my earliest memories is of sitting in the OMNIMAX® Theatre at the Ontario Science Centre, watching the stars whiz by and feeling like I was being transported in a rocket ship through outer space. As an immigrant with little means, I didn't get many enrichment opportunities, so that field trip to the Ontario Science Centre with my grade five class was my first exposure to the fun and enchantment of science. 

My experiences in science classes were unfortunately dull—nothing like the thrilling feeling of running through the halls and exhibits at the Science Centre, where I learned through hands-on exploration. I’ve always loved science, but I thought that so many students must get turned off learning about science because, at school, they are made to think that science is just memorizing information from a textbook. Hoping my passion for science would be infectious, I became a teacher so I could share my enthusiasm with students. 

Shortly after becoming a teacher, I found out that there is a high school at the Science Centre; I knew I had to teach there! The Ontario Science Centre Science School (OSCSS) is amazing. Students from all over Ontario apply to attend for a semester to take their core Grade 12 science and math courses. It’s also completely free. Oh, how I wish I had known about the OSCSS when I was in high school. 

Not only did I get to teach biology and chemistry at the OSCSS with the most enthusiastic students, but I also had the privilege to work with a group of educators who truly love science. All my colleagues were passionate about creating “Aha!” moments for visitors. Our lunchtime conversations were about the most fascinating science topics: artificial intelligence, blockchain, space travel and even poop! 

I’ve worked at a lot of different places over the years, but I have never come across a group of people who cared as much about their work as the employees of the Science Centre. They eat, sleep, breathe and love science. I was so fortunate to be a part of it. 

Now, my four-year-old son is lucky to have the Science Centre in his life, too. Whenever I ask him what he'd like to do today, his first response is, “Go to the Science Centre!” One of my fondest recent memories is sitting next to my son on his birthday in the OMNIMAX Theatre and seeing his face light up as the stars whizzed by. Pure magic. Well actually, pure science!

My first visit to the Ontario Science Centre was on a school trip when I was in Grade 4. On the way out, I remember thinking “Wow, I wish I worked here.”

Since 1986, I’ve seen thousands of students come to the Science Centre and have the same experience I had all those years ago. I love that I’m contributing to inspiring our future scientists. My two kids, now 22 and 25, also grew up loving the Science Centre.

I’ve worked here for more than three decades, and I still love my job. How many people can say that? Where else can you work, have fun and make a difference—and even sing along with astronaut Chris Hadfield, live from the International Space Station?

I grew up in the Detroit area, and my family used to come to Toronto every year on vacation. My brother and I insisted on visiting the Science Centre every time, and I have very fond memories of our visits back in the ’80s.

Fast forward 30 years. My wife and I were considering a move to Toronto. On our scouting visit in November 2014, we visited the Science Centre with our two-year-old daughter. She loved the museum, and for me, it brought back many great memories.

Since then, our son was born, and we moved to Toronto in October 2015. We became members of the Science Centre shortly after. Our children love the museum, and it is one of our go-to weekend activities.

The Science Centre inspires our kids to love science, and our whole family learns something new every time we visit the museum. We love that that the Science Centre is constantly evolving, yet it stays rooted in its mission to inspire passion for the human adventure of discovery.

Thank you for everything you do. Here's to another 50 years of the Ontario Science Centre!

My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in August 2018. It would not have been possible if we hadn’t met at the Ontario Science Centre Science School in 1988. Needless to say, the Science School changed our lives. I recently told our 17-year-old son that that the first time his father came to my house was to work on a chemistry project. We were processing chocolate from cacao nibs and needed a kitchen, and therefore couldn’t complete the work at the library. It had to be love, because he accepted my mom’s invitation to stay for our supper of seaweed and snail soup. We remained a couple throughout university and got married after I graduated from the Faculty of Education, and he was in the middle of medical school. There have been many ups and downs since that first day, but none of it would have been possible if a couple of high school students from opposite ends of the city hadn’t thought to apply to the Science School for the experience of a lifetime.

The Science Centre has always been a special place for me. Growing up, I could see the building from my grandparents’ balcony. I’d go at least two or three times a year.

Like most kids, I was very inquisitive. Every time I visited, I contemplated the building and grounds, wondering “Where does the balcony beside the down escalator by the cafeteria lead to?” and “How far down do the ravines go?”

But the question to which I most wanted an answer was “What would it be like to sing in the Great Hall?” I hoped that one day I’d have the chance to find out.

I’ve sung in choirs since I was a kid, and I’ve gotten used to hearing how sound works in different acoustic room types. I was always in awe of how the sound bounced off different elements of the Great Hall—from the floors to the windows to the concrete balconies.

In April 2012, I finally got my chance. As a member of the Amadeus Choir, I was part of a choral performance with the Elmer Iseler Singers, in conjunction with the Science Centre and the Roberta Bondar Foundation, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Dr. Bondar’s space mission. As soon as I arrived at the Science Centre for the sound check, the childhood memories instantly flooded back.

I was in awe as soon as we rehearsed our first number. The sound reflected beautifully in the Great Hall. In addition to voices, other innovative sounds were added to the performance: animal, rocket and—finally—applause from the audience the night of the performance.

The concert won the 2014 National Choral Award for Outstanding Innovation. I still occasionally visit the Science Centre and get choked up a bit when I walk into the Great Hall.

I finally have the answer to my childhood question—and it’s absolutely awesome.

I like to think of myself as a lifelong learner and approach the work I do with the same mentality.

I remember being amazed at my first visit to the Science Centre. Everything was new to me! Being able to touch and explore on my own allowed me to interact with science in a way that wasn’t possible in the classroom. It made learning fun, and I realized immediately that I had a deep passion for science.

Since then, I’ve made it my mission to ensure that science is accessible to everyone. I’m now the proud CEO of Visions of Science Network for Learning, which runs STEM programs for more than 500 youth in low-income neighbourhoods. My goal is to help make a long-lasting positive impact in communities through STEM engagement and, in-turn, allow youth to unlock their potential.

The directive from Premier John Robarts for the design of Ontario’s new science and technology museum was straightforward—and daunting: “Design an institution of international significance.”

In addition to the physical building, I was also tasked with the museum’s overarching vision and program. I was inspired by the Confucianist principle that holds that people learn better by doing than by watching.

Those in the industry thought my hands-on approach lacked substance, deeming it was more suitable for an amusement park. They continued to mock me until September 26, 1969. The day the Ontario Science Centre opened, the insults stopped.

The entire process in creating the Science Centre is a testament to believing in the future, having faith in imagination and blending cultural ideas.

The Ontario Science Centre opened in 1969, the year of the first Moon landing, and we took a school field trip there. One of the Moon rocks that Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin had picked up was on display, and I could reach up with my finger and reach toward a piece of another orbiting body. It shifted my perceptions of what might be possible for a little kid like me. The Science Centre was pivotal in helping me to integrate science into how I visualized the rest of my life.

As a kid, I grew up going to the Science Centre. Every time I went, I was always filled with wonder at all the knowledge of things on our planet and in the universe. Now, I'm excited to launch an innovative project that merges my passion for science and art in these very same walls. The Science Centre truly taught me that there's a world of possibilities ahead.

In 1985, my family drove across Canada, from Saskatoon to Halifax. When we stopped in Toronto, we visited the Science Centre. My parents knew it would be a perfect fit for me, their young biologist. I vividly remember tasting candy in the Food Hall, tracing a star in the Science Arcade and being chosen as the first Van de Graaff volunteer during the Electricity Demo. At the end of the day, my grandparents asked about our visit to the Science Centre. In typical seven-year-old form I responded, “I saw a raccoon eating a peach in the garbage can!” Years later, my family was thrilled when I landed a job at a place I had loved so much as a child. As a Science Educator, I love sharing my passion for science with students. I am so grateful for this challenging and supportive workplace that has enabled me to grow and learn so much.

I knew very early on in my life that I wanted to be an astronaut. I remember coming across images of Neil Armstrong’s Moon landing and immediately wanting to understand what it took to get to where he was. I was on a mission to find out more. And as a curious young boy, I drove my poor parents nuts by asking tons of questions about space.

Naturally, they brought me to the Ontario Science Centre to help fuel my curiosity (and give themselves a break!). I still remember my first visit: watching the host demonstrate the static ball and laughing as his hair stood up; feeling the excitement of the freedom to run around and interact and explore the different exhibits.

As a parent now myself, I fully understand the value that hands-on learning has for kids. They’re naturally curious beings and fanning those curiosity flames in a fun, carefree environment is so critical to their growth.

Without a doubt, the Ontario Science Centre has made an impact on my life and my career, and I’m so appreciative of what it continues to do to inspire the next generation of astronauts.

When I was fifteen years old, I turned my lifelong love of science into a life-changing device for people living with ALS. Inspired by a friend who had ALS and was unable his voice or hands to communicate, I created the Tongue-Interface-Communication (TiC), a $10, non-invasive, tongue-operated, customized and programmable USB-HID (Human Interface Device) keyboard with interface circuitry. The prototype comprises a mouth guard, similar to a sport mouth guard, with five pressure-sensitive switches across the front that correspond to up, down, left, right and enter. For this invention, I was awarded the 2016 Weston Youth Innovation Award by the Ontario Science Centre, and my life hasn’t been the same since. But my experience with the Science Centre goes back even further than that.

At six years old, I took my first trip to the Science Centre, along with a busload of my eager and excited first-grade peers. I still remember the feeling when my friends and I touched the Van de Graaff electrostatic generator for the first time and erupted into giggles as our hair stood on end. I instantly wanted to understand the mechanics of that giant silver globe. My sense of playful curiosity was piqued, and there began a never-ending thirst for knowledge.

When you introduce kids to science the way the Science Centre does, they don’t focus on the educational benefits or get discouraged for not immediately understanding outcomes; they have fun and learn to question and think critically. Building on children’s natural curiosity and instilling that side of science early is the best way to create future change-makers and powerful leaders. The Science Centre taught me to love science before I even knew what science was.

Now I study physics at McMaster University and have just received funding to continue to build the TiC, which is still in the prototype stage. Because of the recognition I received for the Weston Youth Innovation Award, I was able to share the message of TiC with a massive audience, including on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon (a dream come true!). But the best part of receiving the Weston Youth Innovation Award is being a part of an exhibition at the Science Centre—one of my favourite places. Who knows, maybe a six-year-old little girl will walk by the exhibit on her first visit to the Science Centre and be inspired to use science to make someone’s life better.

Carter became a Science Centre member with his family at age two. A year later, he dressed up as a mad scientist for Halloween, using a Science Centre lab coat for his costume. After that, he thought it would be fun to wear the lab coat whenever he visited the Science Centre. All of the Hosts loved his enthusiasm and would give him buttons to add to his lab coat.

Going to the Science Centre got him comfortable talking to new people at a young age. In early 2016, when Carter was five, his natural love of science and interacting with others led to the creation of the Curious Kid Professor blog and YouTube channel. It was an opportunity for him to interview people and learn more about science and other interesting topics. At just six years old, he visited the Wild Weather exhibition at the Science Centre and interviewed storm chaser George Kourounis.

More importantly, the Curious Kid Professor has been an opportunity for Carter to share knowledge and a love of learning with other kids his age.

I’ve always loved space, science and learning about new innovations. At a young age, I landed my dream job at the Ontario Science Centre as a Host. As part of the second round of students ever hired, it was an amazing time—we got to work in a brand-new building and communicate science in a hands-on way, which was unique to the Science Centre.

One of my fondest memories is related to an exhibit that was meant to demonstrate the force of magnetic repulsion. There were two magnets set up on sliding mounts in the Science Arcade. Visitors were encouraged to try to push them together to better understand how much force it would take. After a few years, the wear and tear on the metal began to show because of how hard the kids were working to bring those magnets together. I realized in that moment how much fun and impactful the exhibits are for visitors. It was a real example of just how involved visitors can get!

As a young girl, I remember buzzing with excitement as I descended the escalator into what felt like a doorway to exploring a new world. My siblings and I could run free to interact with the exhibits that were teaching us about important topics in science. It felt like a carnival full of fun activities. I recall walking up the ramp into the room full of optical illusions that made me feel dizzy and remember putting my ear close to the large speaker that carried my sister’s voice from across the exhibit hall. The hands-on exhibits sparked a joy of discovery learning, where each of us could have our own unique experience. Experimentation was encouraged rather than the “pass or fail” system that seemed so important in school. Learning was carefree and fun.

The lessons I learned in those early childhood interactions served me well. Today, I am the inaugural Explorer-in-Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. I am an underwater explorer who dives into submerged caves and icebergs around the world. As an underwater cinematographer, writer and collaborator, I work with scientists, engineers and educators to share the wonders of the world of inner space. Discovery learning is my methodology, and today, I pass that message along to the next generation through school visits across Canada. 

The Ontario Science Centre creates a lasting foundation for exploration, and it will always carry treasured memories for my family and me.

During a high school trip, we tried every exhibit, and one particularly stood out—the brachistochrone. Picture this: two tracks side by side. One is a straight slope and the other an inverted helix that bows. Both tracks begin and end at exactly the same points. The object is to simultaneously release a ball on each track and predict which will reach the end first.

I remember thinking, I’m no fool. The shortest distance between two points is the fastest. It’s obvious! Until it wasn’t. How could the longer route get you there faster? I was gobsmacked.

Momentum—that was my takeaway. Investing early and building momentum produces a better outcome.

It wasn’t a science lesson I learned that day—it was a life lesson that I take with me every day.

I’ve always been a science geek. When I was a kid growing up in Toronto, I thought the Science Centre was the coolest place in the world—I still do! I’d spend every free weekend and summer breaks at the Science Centre with my brothers.

As I was finishing high school, I decided to go into engineering. But I was nervous because, even though I had a passion for science, I really had no idea what to expect.

The summer before going to university, I got a job at the Science Centre as a host. Biology, lasers, physics—I got to demonstrate it all and share the experience with visitors. When I started university that fall, I felt good about my decision to pursue engineering; I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do. Working at the Science Centre as a host gave me the confidence to know I was making the right decision.

I have to admit that even today I’m envious of Science Centre hosts when I see them in their lab coats interacting with visitors. Being a host was such a privilege, and I have such fond memories of that summer.

In my current role at Hatch, I use science and technology to create a better world—it’s my passion—and I have the Science Centre to thank for helping to cultivate my innovative spirit. The Science Centre made me—a geeky kid who loved science—feel right at home. Most importantly, it brought science to life, making it so much fun. That’s the beauty of the Science Centre.

I worked at the Science Centre from 1972 to 1981, starting as a student host. From the day it opened, the Ontario Science Centre has never been a typical museum. The Science Centre is a place where visitors actively engage in the exhibits. I loved helping them interact.

I met my husband at the Science Centre, and we’ve been married for 43 years. And we aren’t alone—we know of many couples who met there.

It’s not just special for this reason, though. Thanks to the shows I presented at the Science Centre, I was able to audition for TVO. A few years later, I was offered a job as weather anchor at Citytv because I had worked in the weather station as a host.

At 43, I left TV, got a science degree, and a Masters of Teaching, and began teaching science in Toronto. Almost every job I’ve ever had has been because of the Science Centre in some way. As a teacher, I believe in hands-on learning. This approach gives kids the ability to figure things out for themselves. The Science Centre has always made that possible.

The Science Centre has also taught me that you’re never too old to keep learning. All you have to do is stay open to opportunities.