For many East Coast residents, Montreal is a day's drive. This fabulous city provides the opportunity to experience international travel without crossing the Atlantic - I feel the same way about quaint Quebec City. Wandering its cobblestone streets is like spending time in a small European town.
Bienvenue!
Fresh air, natural beauty, science, and plenty of creativity can be found at the Montreal Space for Life (Espace pour la Vie). Its Botanical Garden, Insectarium, Biodome, and Planetarium form the largest natural science museum in Canada, and it is overflowing with playful and interactive activities for everyone. C’est magnifique!
- The Botanical Garden, one of the world's finest, includes gardens, exhibition greenhouses, an arboretum, presentations and numerous workshops for adults and children.
- The Insectarium, a favorite of children, is the largest museum devoted to insects in North America with 160,000 living or naturalized specimens.
If you have young children (infant – age 5) they will enjoy the interactive discovery area – The BuzzGround.
- The Biodome’s 5 ecosystems highlight 4,500 animals from 250 species and 500 plant species all under one roof!
- The Planetarium includes two shows: one a visual and musical representation of space and the other an informative planetarium show.
If you visit before September 29, don’t miss the spectacular Mosaicultures Internationales living sculptures exhibit. The Botanical Garden features 50 of these beautiful art forms - all made from plants. Wow! Visiting these sculptures is like walking through a peaceful outdoor art preserve right in the heart of Montreal.
If you’d like to cultivate some of the Montreal Botanical Garden’s creativity in your own backyard, link to Cornell University’s Dig It! Cultivating Creativity in the Garden. This helpful project guide integrates gardening with the arts. Projects include painted leaf print casting, gourd birdhouses, seed jewelry, clothes dyeing, time lapse video, and much more.