Montreal Biosphère, Environmental science museum in Saint Helen's Island, Canada.
The structure consists of a geodesic dome measuring 250 feet (76 m) in diameter and rising 203 feet (62 m) high, formed from steel struts and transparent acrylic cells creating a complex geometric pattern.
Buckminster Fuller designed the pavilion as the American contribution to Expo 67, with a 1976 fire destroying the original acrylic skin and enabling its transformation into an environmental museum in 1995.
The museum presents rotating exhibitions about the Saint Lawrence River, the Great Lakes, and global water systems, with visitors learning through hands-on stations and digital simulations.
The museum sits on Île Sainte-Hélène and is accessible via Jean-Drapeau metro station on the Yellow Line or seasonal ferry from the Old Port, with free parking available nearby.
Fuller's construction principles inspired the naming of buckminsterfullerene carbon molecules and influenced the design of Spaceship Earth at Florida's EPCOT Center.
Location: Montreal
Inception: 1967
Architects: Buckminster Fuller, Shoji Sadao
Official opening: 1995
Architectural style: high-tech architecture
Made from material: steel, acrylate polymer
Website: http://biosphere.ec.gc.ca
GPS coordinates: 45.51409,-73.53149
Latest update: December 17, 2025 09:58
Expo 67 left a lasting mark on Montreal, with several architectural structures still standing decades after the World Fair closed. The exhibition, held on islands in the Saint Lawrence River, attracted more than 50 million visitors and marked a turning point in the city's development. Many of the...
Postmodern architecture emerged in the 1970s as a response to the rigid principles of modernism, reintroducing color, ornament, and historical references into contemporary building design. The movement evolved over decades, producing structures that challenge conventional forms and experiment with...
Quebec provides varied photographic settings across a province that combines French colonial heritage with extensive natural landscapes. In Quebec City, the stone buildings of Old Quebec, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, and Montmorency Falls with its 83-meter drop form key subjects. The historic...
Montreal combines historic sites and cultural institutions along the Saint Lawrence River. The city displays its religious past in structures like Notre-Dame Basilica, whose neo-gothic facade dates to the 1820s, and Saint Joseph's Oratory, a Catholic pilgrimage site on Westmount. Mount Royal rises...
La Ronde
975 m
Casino de Montréal
1 km
Jacques Cartier Bridge
799 m
Parc Jean-Drapeau
601 m
Saint Helen's Island
451 m
Le Monstre
1.2 km
Montreal Clock Tower
1.1 km
Le Vampire
1.1 km
Cobra
1 km
Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène
370 m
Ednör – L'Attaque
1.4 km
Man, Three Disks
564 m
Czechoslovakia Pavilion at Expo 1967
545 m
Pont de la Concorde
1.1 km
Stewart museum
672 m
Parc de Dieppe
1.3 km
Restaurant Hélène-de-Champlain
156 m
Clock Tower Beach
1.1 km
Venezuela Pavilion of Expo 1967
474 m
Salvador Allende Monument, Montreal
967 m
Courant Sainte-Marie
830 m
Place des Nations
787 m
Belvédère du Chemin-Qui-Marche
1.3 km
Pont des Îles
669 m
Casino de Montréal
1.1 km
Maison Marguerite-Hay
1.5 km
Maison Antoine-Ste-Marie
1.1 km
Maison Patenaude
1.1 kmVisited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
Discover hidden gems everywhere you go!
From secret cafés to breathtaking viewpoints, skip the crowded tourist spots and find places that match your style. Our app makes it easy with voice search, smart filtering, route optimization, and insider tips from travelers worldwide. Download now for the complete mobile experience.
A unique approach to discovering new places❞
— Le Figaro
All the places worth exploring❞
— France Info
A tailor-made excursion in just a few clicks❞
— 20 Minutes