Science North, Science museum in Greater Sudbury, Canada
Science North consists of two snowflake-shaped buildings on the southwestern shore of Ramsey Lake, connected by a rock tunnel that passes through a geological fault. The main building rises from a rocky slope with white panels and a curved glass curtain wall, and a 20-metre fin whale skeleton hangs inside the main stairwell.
The facility opened in 1984 with architect Raymond Moriyama designing the structure to integrate with the Canadian Shield landscape. The building was conceived from the start to work with rather than against its natural surroundings and geological features.
The center features living animals native to Northern Ontario, allowing visitors to observe and learn about regional wildlife in their carefully designed habitats. This focus on local species helps people understand the natural world they live in and the importance of conservation.
The two snowflake-shaped buildings are linked by a rock tunnel cut through a geological fault, so allow time to pass between them. The Jim Gordon Boardwalk runs from the site to Bell Park along the western shore of Ramsey Lake, and the William Ramsey cruise boat departs from the boardwalk dock between June and September.
The rock tunnel linking the two buildings passes through a geological fault that was unknown when the site was chosen; workers only found it during construction. The fault cuts through rock roughly a billion years old, so the connection between the buildings runs through a feature nobody knew was there.
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