Montreal Planetarium facts for kids
| Planétarium de Montréal Planétarium Dow |
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| Established | 1 April 1966 |
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| Dissolved | 11 October 2011 |
| Location | 1000 Saint Jacques Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Type | Planetarium |
| Public transit access |  Bonaventure |
The Montreal Planetarium was a special building where people could learn about space and stars. It used to be called the Dow Planetarium. It was located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This planetarium closed its doors in October 2011. A new, modern planetarium, called the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, opened in Montreal in April 2013. It is located near the Olympic Stadium.
How the Planetarium Started
The Montreal Planetarium opened on April 1, 1966. This was just before Expo 67, a big world's fair held in Montreal. The mayor of Montreal at the time, Jean Drapeau, officially opened it. The very first show, called "New Skies for a New City," started on April 4, 1966.
Work on the planetarium began more than three years before it opened. A person named Dr. Pierre Gendron helped guide the project. He was a former chemistry professor and loved astronomy, which is the study of stars and space. Dr. Gendron was the president of Dow Breweries. He convinced Dow to help build a top-notch planetarium in Montreal. This was part of Canada's 100th birthday celebrations.
Building Design and Cost
The company that designed the building was David-Barott-Boulva. They chose a design that looked like something from space. The outside of the dome looked like the planet Saturn with its rings around it. The Planetarium was built for $1.2 million. It was built on the site of an old train station called Bonaventure Station. This area is near Old Montreal.
Over the years, the Planetarium created more than 250 different shows. Nearly six million people visited it. They saw more than 58,000 presentations in both French and English. The Planetarium was one of Montreal's most popular places to visit.
The Planetarium Closes
On October 10, 2011, the Dow Planetarium showed its last program. The building, which was owned by the city, was later given to the École de technologie supérieure. This is a large engineering school located nearby.
A new planetarium, the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, opened in April 2013. It took the place of the old Montreal Planetarium. This new building is located near the Olympic Stadium and the Biodome. The new planetarium has two different theaters. It also has many exhibits about space and astronomy. The building is very eco-friendly and has a special "LEED Platinum" certification.
See also
In Spanish: Planetario de Montreal para niños
