Biosphère
| Address: | 160 Chemin Tour-de-l'Isle Montreal, QC, H3C 4G8 |
| District: | Île Sainte-Hélène |
| Phone: | (514) 283-5000 |
| Built in: | 1967 |
| Height: | 62.8 meters (205.984 ft) |
| Email: | info.biosphere@ec.gc.ca |
| Web Site: | www.biosphere.ec.gc.ca |
| Hours: | Jun 1 through Oct 31 Mon-Sun: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Nov 1 through May 31 Tue-Sat: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Mon: closed |
Profile
Built by Buckminster Fuller for the World Expo of 1967, the sphere became the symbol of an epoch in Montreal - a logo of sorts, representing the optimism of the "new" Quebec and "new" Montreal. It is, without a doubt, an important contemporary architecture landmark. Today, the Biosphère houses the museum of water and the environment.
Access
The Jean-Drapeau station on the yellow line.
Trivia
- The largest spherical building in the world
- It actually consist of two spheres, one inside the other, with about one meter between them.
- Built as the United States pavilion during for Expo '67.
- A 1976 fire set off by repair work destroyed the acrylic skin of the structure. (It only took about 20 minutes).
- Rebuilt in 1994 with the original structure intact
Information last updated: 13/Nov/2008
