I’ve been visiting Science World literally for decades. As different as it can feel coming here as a parent all these years later, I still approach the dome with the same kind of wide-eyed wonder as my six-year-old daughter. The newest exhibition at Science World opened its doors this past weekend. With Arctic Voices, you can “enjoy an immersive experience of the fascinating, changing Arctic through its many voices: its people, ecology, wildlife and way of life.”

Feature Exhibit: Arctic Voices

Occupying the Feature Gallery space on the second floor, Arctic Voices was developed by Science North, in partnership with the Canadian Museum of Nature, and presented by RBC. In true Science World fashion, the exhibit offers a combination of interactive elements, fascinating videos, and informative signage.

Arctic Voices, Science World

Unsurprisingly, Addie wanted to watch all the videos.

Understanding the Arctic

We learned about this northernmost biome both in the context of how it exists today, but also in terms of the impact that climate change is having on its delicate ecosystem. From land, sea and ice, we could see how the animals, people, and environment are all interconnected.

“The Arctic may seem like an unfamiliar and distant place but it’s important to realize the impact our actions have on lands near and far. The Arctic has terrestrial and marine ecosystems interdependent on one another, supporting both land and marine animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else. They are feeling the direct effects of climate change. The Arctic is important to all of us and this exhibition makes the connection to help us understand the impact of our actions.” 
 

– Tracy Redies, President & CEO of Science World

Learning about arctic foxes, beluga whales and snowy owls is certainly a departure from the cats and dogs exhibit we visited a couple years ago!

Hands-On and Below the Surface

The interactive elements are really what make Arctic Voices “speak” to younger audiences in particular. It was great comparing the paw and claw sizes of the black bear, brown bear and polar bear, for example. They also had real skulls and jaws for visitors to inspect more closely. To test our knowledge, we played Arctic Animal Adaptations, a multiplayer quiz game. Somehow, she beat me. I guess I’ve got a lot more learning to do!

  • Arctic Voices, Science World
  • Arctic Voices, Science World

The iceberg display was a great educational opportunity for my daughter too. She learned how there’s so much more beyond what we can see at the surface. This serves to reinforce her curiosity and encourage the desire to investigate the world around her even further.

What are icebergs?
Polar bears at Science World

And yes, we even got to see how we’d measure up against a polar bear. That’s me doing my best “rawr” (while she tried her best to keep the camera steady).

The “New” Science World Experience

A big question you may have — it’s certainly one that we had — is, “How safe is it to visit Science World in the middle of a pandemic?” Everyone’s situation is different, just as everyone’s comfort level is different. What I can say is that Science World has several measures and precautions in place to ensure the safety of all guests.

  • All visitors ages 6 and over must wear a mask.
  • They’ve closed certain galleries and spaces. This includes the Wonder Gallery and Peter Brown Family Centre Stage.
  • Guests should maintain a healthy distance of at least 2 meters.
  • Hand sanitizer is provided upon entry, exit and throughout the building.
  • They’re operating at significantly reduced capacity, including timed entry for admission.
Eureka at Science World Vancouver

All said, we felt safe during our visit. Everyone else was being respectful, the spaces are nowhere near as crowded, and there’s hand sanitizer everywhere. You may need to rein in your wild child from time to time, but there’s definitely enough space for everyone to explore and enjoy themselves.

Infrared camera at Science World

The Arctic Voices feature exhibition at Science World is on now. Science World is open 7 days a week, from 10 am to 5 pm. Timed tickets are available for purchase online. Walk-up tickets are subject to availability.

(Disclosure: Science World invited me and my family to experience the Arctic Voices exhibition at no cost to us, except for parking and a gift shop purchase. All opinions are my own.)