November in Montreal means early darkness, sideways rain and kids bouncing off the walls. The good news: the city’s Space for Life museums are built for exactly this. Here’s what’s on this fall at the Montreal Biodome, the Planetarium and the Biosphère, plus the final days of two Botanical Garden events. Dates were checked on the official Espace pour la vie calendar as of Oct. 26.
At the Montreal Biodome: penguins and seabirds
Lunch with the penguins
The highlight for little ones is À table avec les manchots, a daily animation in the Sub-Antarctic Islands ecosystem. Penguins are fed twice a day, at 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., and a science educator talks about the five species living there and where they come from in the wild, with time for questions while the birds eat. It’s included with Biodome admission and runs until Jan. 3, 2027.
Seabird cliffs of the Labrador coast
In the Labrador Coast ecosystem, a second animation, Les alcidés et les côtes du Labrador, brings visitors near the alcid cliff to learn how to tell the species apart, how they adapt through the seasons and what environmental pressures they face. Also included with admission, it runs through Jan. 3, 2027; times vary by day.
At the Planetarium: three shows under the dome
- Aurōrae is a 25-minute immersive film about the northern lights, travelling from Montreal to Yellowknife and from space to the Earth’s core, set to music by DJ Champion. Last showings Nov. 30.
- Chroniques célestes is a 25-minute guided tour of the current night sky under the 360-degree dome, covering stars, planets, the Moon, constellations and astronomy news. Also until Nov. 30.
- Rencontres dans la Voie lactée is a 24-minute trip through the Milky Way’s past and future, produced by the American Museum of Natural History with major NASA support. It’s recommended for ages 12 and up and runs until May 2, 2027.
All three are included with a Planetarium ticket. Check the Planetarium schedule for showtimes and reserve online before you go.
Between shows, try the Planetarium’s Capsules scientifiques animées: short, interactive sessions led by the animation team on the Solar System, how to recognize constellations, where meteorites come from and the Universe in general. They run all day, work for kids and adults alike and are included with your ticket.
At the Biosphère: climate stories and giant plush
At 160 chemin du Tour-de-l’Isle, the Biosphère has two newer reasons to visit. Câlins installs four giant characters by Montreal artist Pony (Anxiyeti, Dandy, Kinzu and Sponji) at the entrance and on the belvedere, using humour to talk about resilience, empathy and self-acceptance. Part of the installation at the entrance is free; the belvedere requires a museum ticket. It runs until Jan. 4, 2027.
Inside, Chercher Refuge, created with Oxfam-Québec, looks at climate migration and possible solutions. Plan 20 to 40 minutes; it’s included with admission until Jan. 10, 2027. Families should also note that the Biosphère’s Samedi famille returns on the first and third Saturdays of the month from December to April.
The exhibition Bienvenue à la Biosphère! tells the story of the building itself and its geodesic dome, a popular Expo 67 pavilion. It’s included with admission. Good to know if you’re bringing a stroller or wheelchair: the Biosphère’s elevator was listed as temporarily out of service as of Oct. 26.
Last call at the Botanical Garden
Two Jardin botanique events are in their final days. Halloween Shivers, the kids’ programming in the greenhouses and labyrinth, ends Saturday, Oct. 31. Gardens of Light, the evening lantern and projection trail through the Chinese, Japanese and First Nations gardens, ends Sunday, Nov. 1, with timed-entry tickets required. Looking further ahead? Here are 8 November festivals in Montreal.
If you go to Gardens of Light, now in its 14th edition with a new immersive route in the Indigenous Nations Garden, look for the Chinese lantern workshop in the Chinese Garden, where facilitators help you calligraph and light your own traditional lantern (7:30 to 9 p.m., through Nov. 1, reservation on site). For the rest of the week’s final events, see This Week in Montreal, and for costume-friendly outings, our 15 Halloween things to do.
Plan your rainy day
- Pair the Biodome with a Planetarium show the same day for a full morning or afternoon indoors, and time your Biodome visit around the 11 a.m. or 2:45 p.m. penguin feeding.
- The Planetarium’s Milky Way show skews older; Aurōrae, with its DJ Champion soundtrack, is the easier sell for mixed ages.
- Prefer art to animals? Our roundup of 10 museum exhibitions this fall has more indoor ideas.
Bonne visite, and stay dry out there.
More on MTL365
- Alouettes Playoffs: Argos or Bombers? Sizing Up Montreal’s Eastern Final Opponent
- Montreal Food Halls: Your Guide to Time Out Market, Le Central, Le Cathcart and Le Fou Fou
- Flu Shot in Montreal: Who Gets It Free This Fall and How to Book
- More things to do in Montreal on MTL365
Photo: Pierre André / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources: Espace pour la vie calendar, Biodôme penguin animation, Planétarium: Chroniques célestes, Biosphère: Chercher Refuge, Planétarium: Capsules scientifiques, Biosphère: Bienvenue à la Biosphère!, Jardin botanique: lantern workshop, Gardens of Light
