Montreal Planetarium
Encyclopedia
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
located in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the oldest surviving public planetarium in Canada. It is also Canada's largest, with a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of approximately 375.
History
The planetarium was opened in advance of Expo 67Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
, located at 1000 Saint Jacques Street
Saint Jacques Street
Saint Jacques Street is a major street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The street has had two official names: St. James Street in English after St. James's, London; and its current appellation, rue Saint-Jacques, in French. Both names are sometimes used in English, though Saint-Jacques is the most...
. It was inaugurated on April 1, 1966 by then-Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986...
. Its inaugural show, "New Skies for a New City", premiered on April 4, 1966.
Work had commenced on the project more than three years before, under the guidance of Dr. Pierre Gendron
Pierre Gendron
Pierre Raoul Gendron, was a Canadian academic who was the first dean of the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences at the University of Ottawa from 1953 until 1962....
, a former professor of chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and founding Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, who was an avid amateur astronomer
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. President of the board of directors of Dow Breweries
Dow Breweries
Dow Breweries was a brewing company based in Quebec, Canada. It was formed in 1952 in the facilities formerly used by the Boswell Brewery in Quebec City. It was acquired by Carling O'Keefe and stopped its activities on March 31, 1966...
, Gendron convinced Dow to create a world-class planetarium in Montreal, as part of the Canadian Centennial
Canadian Centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a year long celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1. 1967 coins were different from previous years' issues, with animals on each...
celebrations.
The architects
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
on the project were David-Barott-Boulva. The chosen design had an astronomical theme, and the exterior of the dome resembles Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
surrounded by its rings. The Planetarium was built at a cost of $1.2 million on the site of the historic Bonaventure Station
Bonaventure Station
Bonaventure Station is the name of several railway stations located in Downtown Montreal, Quebec.-Grand Trunk Railway:Named for its location on Saint Bonaventure Street, now Saint Jacques Street, the first Bonaventure Station was built in 1847 as the main terminal for the Montreal and Lachine Railway...
on Chaboillez Square near Old Montreal
Old Montreal
Old Montreal is the oldest area in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, dating back to New France. Located in the borough of Ville-Marie, the area is bordered on the west by McGill St., on the north by Ruelle des Fortifications, on the east by Berri St. and on the south by the Saint Lawrence River...
.
Past and present
Since 1966, the Planetarium has produced more than 250 shows, been visited by nearly six million spectators, and more than 58,000 presentations have been given in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in its "Star Theatre". The Planetarium is one of Montreal's most popular tourist attractions.
Future
Plans are underway to move the Planetarium from its central location to Maisonneuve ParkMaisonneuve Park
Maisonneuve park is an urban park in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie borough.Established in 1910, it is 118 hectares in size, with 38 hectares occupied by the Montreal Botanical Garden and Montreal Insectarium, 55 hectares by a nine-hole public golf course and the...
in the eastern part of the city, near the Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
. The logic behind this decision is that it would make more sense for the Planetarium to be close to other science-themed attractions like the Biodome
Montreal Biodome
The Montreal Biodome is a facility located in Montreal that allows visitors to walk through replicas of four ecosystems found in the Americas. The building was originally constructed for the 1976 Olympic Games as a velodrome. It hosted both track cycling and judo events...
, the Insectarium
Montreal Insectarium
The Montreal Insectarium is a museum located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, featuring a large quantity of insects from all around the world. It is the largest Canadian insectarium and among the largest insectariums worldwide. It was founded by Georges Brossard and opened on February 7, 1990. Its...
and the Montreal Botanical Garden, which are already in this area. The move would cost an estimated $31 million. Rio Tinto Alcan would contribute $4 million, with the three levels of government (city, province and federal) splitting the rest.
Heritage conservation group Heritage Montreal
Heritage Montreal
Heritage Montreal is a Canadian non-profit organization that is dedicated to the protection of the architectural, historic, natural and cultural heritage of Greater Montreal. It was founded by architectural activist and Canadian Centre for Architecture founder Phyllis Lambert in 1975...
has listed the Planetarium as a "threatened emblematic site," stating that such a move would "result in the loss of the primary function of the planetarium structure and could serve as a pretext for its demolition. This would deprive Montreal [...] of an exceptional facility, one that could contribute to the cultural revitalization of this part of downtown that borders the commercial centre of the city, the École de Technologie Supérieure
École de technologie supérieure
Founded in 1974, the École de technologie supérieure is part of the Université du Québec system. Specialized in applied teaching in engineering and technology transfer to companies, it teaches engineers and researchers who are recognized for their practical and innovative approach...
and the Cité du Multimédia."