Montreal Aquarium facts for kids
The Montreal Aquarium, also known as the Alcan Aquarium, was a special place where people could see marine animals. It was located on St. Helen's Island in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This aquarium was built for the big World's Fair called Expo 67 in 1967.
It had two main buildings and was part of the La Ronde amusement park. The aquarium was open for almost 25 years before it closed in 1991. The main building was taken down in 1997. However, the building that held the dolphin pool is still there today. After being used briefly as a video game center, it has been empty for a long time.
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History of the Aquarium
The Montreal Aquadome (1967–1991)
The aquarium was first called the Alcan Pavilion. It was a project supported by Alcan Aluminum Ltd., the City of Montreal, and the Zoological Society of Montreal. The site had two buildings. The main aquarium building had areas for penguins, other animal exhibits, and a gift shop.
The other building was called the Alcan Marine Circus. This building had a large auditorium with 900 seats. It also featured a show pool for dolphins and tanks where they were kept.
In 1988, the city thought about moving the aquarium to the Old Port. This was a more popular area. However, this plan did not happen. The city faced money problems in the early 1990s.
The Montreal Aquarium officially closed its doors on September 15, 1991. Many of its animals and exhibits were moved to the Biodome. The main aquarium building was later demolished. Only the former dolphin pool building remained.
Challenges Faced by the Aquarium
The aquarium faced some difficult times. In February 1980, workers went on strike for 41 days. During this time, the dolphins were not properly cared for. Sadly, some dolphins died because of this neglect. The dolphins that survived were later sold to a place in Florida. This event brought negative attention to the aquarium. It also meant Montreal was no longer allowed to keep dolphins in captivity.
After the aquarium closed in 1991, more sad news came out. The media reported that the aquarium could not sell its sharks. Because of this, a decision was made to kill them. This news caused even more negative feelings for the city and the province.
Nintendo Mégadôme (1995–2006)
In 1995, the former dolphin pool building found a new purpose. It became the Nintendo Mégadôme. This was a video game center sponsored by Nintendo. It offered the newest Nintendo video games and attractions.
The Nintendo Mégadôme operated for over ten years. It finally closed in 2006. Today, the building that once housed the dolphin pool and then the video game center belongs to La Ronde. It remains empty and closed off from the public. A small part of the original main aquarium building is still used. It is now a Pass Building called "Zone Groupes - Route 67."
