Montreal Science Centre

The Montreal Science Centre is the city's leading interactive science museum and the most reliable family attraction in the Old Port, whatever the weather. It occupies a long modern building on the King Edward Pier at the foot of Boulevard Saint-Laurent, where the old port sheds once stood, and is run by the Old Port of Montreal corporation. The centre is built around permanent and temporary interactive exhibitions in which children and adults experiment, build, test and play rather than read labels: past and present galleries have covered technology, the human body, engineering, sports science and the environment, with stations designed for different ages. A major temporary exhibition is usually running, often a touring show developed with international partners, and a separate giant-screen IMAX theatre shows nature and science documentaries; tickets can be bought for the exhibitions, the IMAX film or a combination. Weekday hours are typically 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended schedules during school holidays, and weekday mornings during term are often busy with school groups. Prices are mid-range, with reduced rates for children and family packages. The location is a big part of the appeal: when the visit is done you are steps from the Old Port promenade, the Grande Roue, the seasonal Bonsecours Basin skating rink and the restaurants of Old Montreal.

Why go: Montreal has world-class museums for adults, but the Science Centre is designed first for curious children, and it does that very well. The exhibits are physical and playful, explanations are bilingual, and the staff run demonstrations and activities throughout the day. Teenagers usually enjoy the more technical exhibitions and the IMAX films, while younger children have dedicated areas. For adults, the major temporary exhibitions can be genuinely interesting, and the centre sometimes hosts adult evenings.

How to visit well: check what temporary exhibition is running before you go, as it often decides whether the visit is a two-hour or a half-day outing. Buy a combined exhibition and IMAX ticket if your children are old enough to sit through a documentary; the giant screen is impressive. Weekend afternoons and school holidays are the busiest periods, so arrive at opening. There is food on site, but the Old Port and Old Montreal offer more choice within a few minutes' walk. During the holidays the Old Port and the Science Centre usually programme seasonal activities.

Practicals: the Science Centre is at the corner of Rue de la Commune and Boulevard Saint-Laurent in the Old Port. The nearest metro stations are Place-d'Armes and Champ-de-Mars, each about ten minutes on foot. Paid parking is available on the King Edward Pier, with electric vehicle charging stations. Combine it with the Grande Roue, a walk along the waterfront or, for older children, Pointe-a-Calliere's underground archaeology route a short walk west. In good weather, the waterfront outside gives children space to run off energy between the exhibitions and the film.