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Biodôme de Montréal
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Museums Arts & Entertainment Botanical Gardens Museums, Botanical Gardens [Edit]
4777 Ave Pierre-De CoubertinMontréal, QC H1V 1B3
(514) 868-3000
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
50 reviews for Biodôme de Montréal
Review Highlights
"The penguins were great to see in person."
(in 18 reviews)
"...time observing the rain forest, woodland forest environment..."
(in 5 reviews)
"...and animals representing the different ecosystems of Earth."
(in 3 reviews)
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49 reviews in English
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Review from jocelyn l.
10/31/2011
I like the concept and the exhibits were well planned and pretty well executed.
But at $17...it was really a tad too expensive.
Not sure i'd recommend it to anyone else -
Review from Seb A.
12/24/2011
I've been to the Biodome a bunch of times. During school trips, while on dates, and while by myself and bored. However, it's kind of a sad place - at least to me. And it became sadder each time I went. When I was 10 years old it was a little exciting, but it has since lost its charm. Probably because I grew up and saw what was actually going on. A lot of the animals in there lead incredibly shitty lives. The last time I went, I saw a capybara mindlessly pacing in circles from lack of stimuli.
As much as the Biodome likes to tout that it hosts an exact replica of the species' different habitats, this is far from a "real" habitat for the animals. A real biodome would be the capybara's real home, for example - for the capybara to actually live in South America and eat its proper diet and be able to engage in its normal behaviour. Animals in the Biodome are not able to follow their natural instincts, to forage, to explore vast open spaces, to hunt for prey. They only exist to bring in tourists and to make profits. The Biodome is a glorified zoo (prison) for exotic animals. This might seem a little harsh or radical of me to say, but take a good look at each animal in there and ask yourself if they are REALLY happy and if they're REALLY living in a carbon copy of their original habitat. They are not free to do what they wish and are constrained. If you don't care about animal rights/welfare and don't care about their happiness (or alternately, if you don't even believe that animals are capable of feeling happiness), then it would be impossible to convince you anyway and by all means, go visit the Biodome. Maybe you'll even get something out of it and learn about some of the animals. However, I would otherwise strongly suggest that you not support the Biodome.
And if you need another reason not to go, it's pretty pricey for what it is. Every time I've gone, I've basically finished the tour in less than 45 minutes, and you're also not allowed (or not supposed) to walk back to a habitat you already visited. Unless you're really set on seeing a golden lion tamarin in person (or about 100 species you could easily find anywhere in rural Quebec), it's kind of a let-down. -
Review from Linh N.
12/22/2011
Ok, I admit I did expected more from Biodome but then I looked at the price again and realized that what you pay for is what you get.
I had student discount offer even though I was just a visitor of Montreal. The climate control of each exhibit was done pretty well. I was sweating like crazy when I was in the rainforest. I liked how the animals were in plain view and it wasn't hard to track them down. Each exhibits were short and before you knew it, it was over. The entire Biodome can be done under an hour which isn't so exciting and a lot of the interactive monitors were either broken or weren't on. So, there were some animals which I have no idea what they were since the info booth was off.
I don't think Biodome was worth the full adult price but if you can get it at a discount you'll be much more happier. I was definitely disappointed, makes me wonder how the Insectarium and Botanical Garden would've been like. -
Review from Steeven L.
Etobicoke, ON
I've been to the Biodome countless times since I was a kid and it's always a fun time. I've been to Montreal twice this year and both times I've visited the Biodome. In the summer, I was disappointed to learn that the arctic/antarctic exhibit was closed, which meant no penguins for me.
But when I went back last weekend with a few people that had never been, the penguins were back!
So essentially, it's an indoor zoo. But unlike regular zoos, the animals aren't caged in. You actually walk through and experience their environment. The first room is the tropical jungle so naturally it's hot in steamy (there's a coat check downstairs if you don't want to carry it around as you won't be needing it!). As you walk through keep your eyes open and TAKE YOUR TIME! There are so many animals just resting high up in the trees and if you don't look for them, you'll miss out.
After the jungle comes the typical north american forest then the St. Lawrence seaway marine environment and finally the PENGUINS!
It costs $16 for adults, unless you go with someone who is a resident or speaks French and can pretend to be a resident, then it's $2 off!
It takes an hour or two to get through it and it's definitely worth it! -
Review from Linh T.
North York, ON
1/24/2012
The location of the Biodome is right outside of Viau station so it's really easy to get to. Inside the Biodome there are many different regions featuring plants and animals from those regions. Although the place is small in comparison to the Zoo, the layout of the place is actually very efficient. I found the Biodome to be a lot more interactive than many Zoos because you can view the plants and animals from up close. They also had this bird running around the place and it would stop and pose for people to take pictures, which was really cool. It is a place that's worth dropping by at least once if you love animals.
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Review from Michael Z.
Montréal, QC
1/6/2012
Perfect place to bring your kids in the middle of winter when it's too cold out to do anything... Winter bonuses include: no tourists + the tropical dome is like taking a mini holiday in the Caribbean.
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Review from Leean O.
1/29/2012
nice zoo and decent animals, nothing extraordinary though.
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Review from Eric M.
10/12/2011
For the limited space available, Biodome de Montreal does a wonderful job of displaying some amazing open exhibits. And in contrast to aquariums/zoos in the U.S., these exhibits seem much more open in terms of being able to see the animals at a much closer distance.
The layout is efficient, as you're basically led through one direction with different sections for tropical, forest, and marine animals. For the price, you can't really beat it for the entertainment value you get. And of course, you're supporting a great cause as with most wildlife exhibits.
I'd come back -
Review from Brian T.
9/7/2011
If you don't mind sharing your day with large numbers of families with children, this might be an acceptable way to spend the afternoon. A cross between the Rainforest at the Cleveland Zoo (which is, admittedly, probably an imitation of THIS) and an aquarium, this is a fun display of wildlife and botanical gardens. But the sheer number of children (and their annoying parents) makes this a potentially trying experience.
I recommend you buy a combo ticket over at the Observation Tower, rather than waiting on line at the Biodome. -
Review from Jeff O.
7/28/2011
Better than a zoo because you are pretty much with the animals, though smaller in every aspect except the gift shop. After the wonderment of the rain forest with monkeys, alligators, and some birds flying by you, walking by you, saying hello, it gets a little slow with the more temperate climates. The other highlight is the arctic, where you'll have fun watching the penguins and puffins. My advice is to watch the penguins for as long as possible. They are really cute, and do fun things. I want to be a penguin.
It's definitely a worthy thing to do for a tourist, and even a local.Listed in: Canada!
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Review from Anne K.
8/28/2011
I know this place is for kids, but I loved it! We purchased the Nature Package, which gives you access to the Biodome, Insectarium and Botanical Garden. If you're a college student and have your ID on you, it's only $21 for all three, which I think is a pretty good deal.
I wish they could add more ecosystems over time (they only have 5 at the moment - Tropical Rainforest, Laurentian Maple Forest, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Labrador Coast, and Sub-Antarctic Islands), but I don't know if that would be feasible.
The Tropical Rainforest section really reminded me of the Tropical Rainforest exhibit in the National Aquarium in Baltimore. My favorite exhibit would have to be the Sub-Antarctic Islands though! The penguins and puffins were ADORABLE.
I didn't get to see the "Room of Death" that other reviewers talked about - and that's probably a good thing. -
Review from Pete J.
5/31/2011
The biodome is not a zoo, and it's not quite a botanical gardens.
We came this past weekend and found the longest line I have ever seen in my life. There were people everywhere. The line went all the way around the biodome, to the theater, then back again. We had paid for a taxi there, so we had little choice but to wait in line. It moved fast-ish though, I'd say we were outside for about an hour.
Once we got in I realized why there were so many people there - it was free day. So the good news was that there was no charge, the bad news was that because it was free there were thousands upon thousands of people there. Many more than I am sure is normal.
Antarctic area was closed, so that congested the people even more and it was not at all an enjoyable experience. We were just a body of smelly humanity that surged forward en masse. There was no space or time to enjoy any of the exhibits.
But what am I going to do? Ask for my money back?Listed in: Vive Montreal
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Review from Kathleen H.
5/14/2011
If you aren't able to travel from antarctica to canada to brazil in one day, you might wish to consider a trip to the biodome instead.
You enter through the rainforest - it is humid, and hot, and buzzing with life. Brilliantly colored birds, caimans, and. . . monkeys. I'm not a fan of monkeys so much, I worry about poo-flinging . . . but they were well-behaved. They also had ROUSes, which did not seem to pose any particular danger. They seemed happy and had kind of smiley little faces. I've heard they are called capybaras in these parts.
Other highlights in some of the other habitats were the otters, lynx, penguins and puffins, and the marine shore exhibit had an amazing number of birds, seemingly able to not fly into the walls and stuff. If I were a bird in that habitat, with that wall painted to look exactly like the ocean and horizon. . . well, I'd be in the veterinary rehabilitation area.
Nice interactive info stations. Really, a trip through is fairly quick. You aren't meant to linger for ages. So - going through with younger kids, it's perfect. As an adult, I was a little frustrated at lack of more in depth info at a few stations - but if I'd gotten it, I probably would have held up the flow.
Tip - wear layers. The rainforest is HOT. They don't let you feel the sub-zero chill of the arctic, but other areas are much cooler.
Definitely worth the trip if you are in Montreal. -
Review from Steve S.
6/2/2011 1 photo
So we arrive at the Biodome which is probably 5 miles outside the city and located next to the Olympic Stadium. There is a line outside that just seems to go on for ever and ever. We wait patiently in the line for 1 hour as it circled back and forth. Finally, as we got to the front, there were some signs saying that the Antarctica area with the penguins and puffins was out of service. Maybe they walked North for the summer. No problem, I told my friends that I am sure that there would be a discount.
There was, and it explained the line. It was museum day in Montreal, so the entire thing was free. This would have been fine if not for all the wild children running around with the wild animals. The other problem was that as we walked through the rain forest, mountain area, ocean, and other live animal areas, you do really see too much. The animals are either sleeping of hiding and want nothing to do with all the screaming kids that are there.
Probably the best part about this place was the gift shop. They had some neat stuff. It was hyped up in the brochures as a must see in Montreal. I would certainly skip it I went back. Oh well, at least the price was right. -
Review from John A.
5/27/2011
The concept of the Biodome is great, but the execution is faulty...I really thought it would be bigger.
The Biodome is marketed somewhat as a Zoo, it's just not what I expected after visiting many quality Zoo's elsewhere. I mean, you can literally walk this place in an hour, which includes stopping and taking pictures of elusive animals, and yet it costs $17 per person. The limited engagement at a high price yields a lower rating. However, I do agree that for Montreal it's nice for some because there is nothing else like it around. Perhaps if I had children I'd be more inclined to return.
It really is easy to get to, as it's located right outside the Viau metro stop on the green line In the old olympic village. You can group your tickets to other attractions for a slight discount, for example you can add the olympic tower for an extra $10 per person.
At the end of the day, I can think of better things to do with $60 instead of 2 hours for 2 people in the old olympic village in Montreal. -
Review from Sam H.
8/8/2011
The Biodome is a nice example of repurposing an otherwise unused structure and making it useful again.
the Biodome is basically an enclosed collection of plants and animals representing the different ecosystems of Earth. a Desert scene would have been cool but otherwise, we had a nice time. There were plenty of hands on displays and some intereactive elements all over the place. The deomonstrations are in French and English to accomodate the visitors. Watch out for the sections that have birds flying around. you are liable to get pooped on.
The gift shop is nice, kind of pricey but that's to be expected and the snack bar had the usual offerings.
if you've got an AAA or CAA membership, they give you a 25% discount on admission for up to 2 adults and 2 children.
Parking in the lot was $10 for the day which isn't bad but it isn't good either.
All in all, it's worth a visit. -
Review from Emmalee F.
Montréal, QC
5/28/2011
The penguin section was not available for viewing. This was a huge disappointment.
I'd like to know why it is about $2.50 more for Non-Quebec residents than it is for Quebec residents. I even paid LESS than what the price sign said. I paid $12.00 to get my ticket and the sign said $14.00 for a Quebec Resident, yet I was with my cousin and her husband from Cornwall Ontario, and they had to pay the full price of about $16.25 x 2 + $8.25 for their daughter of 9 yrs. It was an expensive trip for them and we toured it first so quickly that we did a second tour (for no extra charge).
What saved the Biodome from a total failing grade is the fact that on the second time around, we were lucky enough to see animals that we actually did not see on the first tour. We were able to get amazing photos of the monkeys, fish, crocodiles, and beaver. My 9 year old cousin had a great time. I would return, but only if ALL of the sections are open so I'd would probably have to call first or visit the website for this information.
I want to remark how I am a member of an animal welfare group. These animals look well cared for and I believe that they are. Their living ecosystems are huge. The 'sub-ecosystems' such as the otter area could be bigger, but that otter has been living there happily for many years. The beaver has more space to swim than it looks from the glass viewing area. That part is NOT the only space he has to swim.
Thanks for reading! -
Review from Calvin H.
10/5/2011
I've been to the Biodome twice, and I absolutely love it. A short ride on the Métro, it gives you a nice walk through a few different ecosystems and a good look at the life in each. My biggest gripe is that in the rainforest section I couldn't wear my glasses for part of it without them fogging up to the point that I could see just as much with them on as with them off, but that aside it was a great experience.
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Review from Alan A.
6/26/2011
I was not all that overly impressed with Biodome. Being that I'm an animal and nature lover this is one of the places that my fiance and I wanted to visit while in Montreal.
The diversity of their animals, enclosures, and how the animals were displayed did not overly impressive my fiance and I; hence, whenever my fiance and I usually visit a new place, we almost always visit their local zoos and aquariums.
Being that we have been to many different zoos and aquariums, the bar that we have for judging places like this are pretty high. It was interesting to visit Biodome once, but we will not go there again. -
Review from Devin L.
3/24/2011
Very fun attraction in Montreal.
It was a cold day, so I had my jacket and a thermal shirt on. Big mistake. As soon as I hit the rain forest area my internal thermometer was done. I was instantly sweating. Taking off my jacket helped, but wow it was nuts. The Maple forest was better, but I wish they let you feel the cold of the Sub-arctic region.
The animals were wonderful. It was great seeing them in a representation of their natural habitat. My favorite happened to be the Canadian Lynx. The penguins were very too.
Get there you will love it.Listed in: Montreal
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Review from Cheri d.
I didn't know what to expect of the Biodome. I lived in Montreal for three years and never visited, even as a school aged kid!
Knowing my affection for chatting with wildlife, the BF suggested it.
We were told that the Arctic exhibit was closed but other three were still open, and they gave us a couple bucks off admission for the closure.
I LOVED it!! We started in the Rainforesty Tropical area. Monkeys, birds, capybara and the plants were amazing too. The animals look so relaxed, just chillin' in their well-faked environment. The humidity and temp. was a bit much for my furnace of a BF, but i looooved it. Reminded me of being in Bali. So nice.
The forest area was nice too. They've done such a good job at recreating the environments! There was also a coastal area with LOTS of fish and birds. The fish were actually really amazing. They have a HUUUUUUGE deep tank and you can go below the waterline to see them. Then back up to the surface to see if from another view.
We were there for a few hours and it was well worth it!! -
Review from David L.
12/5/2010
Biodôme de Montréal was one of my most memorable attractions in Montreal. Basically, it's a zoo with a large saltwater aquarium. There are four ecosystems areas. Tropical Forest, Laurentian Forest, Saint Lawrence Marine Eco-system, and a Polar area divided between the Artic and Antartic.
My favourite were the Antartic and Saint Lawrence Marine Eco-system. I love the fact that I could view these cute little penguins in a replicated Antartic environment. The Saint Lawrence Marine Eco-system is a stunning aquarium which replicates the underwater environment of Gulf of St. Lawrence. I saw cod, striped bass, halibut and salmon. The Tropical Forest section was interesting too, as there were monkeys jumping across trees. Biodôme de Montréal really brought back memories of the Vancouver Zoo in Stanley park when there were monkeys and penguins. -
Review from Lisa M.
7/29/2010
...is currently closed due to a "labour dispute," two penguin-seeking nine-year-olds from Texas are chagrined to learn on July 25. Their fuzzy memories of a 2005 Biodome visit are now obliterated by quiet disappointment.
But their mom lauds the city of Montreal for putting the former Olympic cycling arena to such good (and educational) use!Listed in: Montréal bric-a-brac
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Review from bernice c.
6/7/2010 1 photo
Penguins!
The Biodome in Montreal was once the home of cycling and judo Summer olympics, but has now been converted into an indoor nature exhibit. There was 4 different exhibits: Tropical, Lauretian Forest, Marine and Polar eco systems.
The Polar was definitely the coolest. There was tons of penguins the Arctic has 2 variations and the Antartic had 4 different kinds. The penguins are super friendly and swim right up to the glass to say hellos. Well maintained place, with lots of different animals and habits. The tropical rain forest was my second favorite, mainly because I've never been in a rain forest.
Came on a weekday and was able to find plenty of free street parking. We bought Biodome tickets for $16, bring your student ID for a $4 discount!. -
Review from Perky L.
7/4/2011
Liked the various ecosystem displays and the exterior's progressive architecture. Hands down my favorite was the puffin area where I spent an hour delighting in watching the adorable little animals - they are so playful and cute! Good destination while visiting Montreal.
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Review from Kate F.
8/13/2008
We went expecting what the Biodome advertised: "At this captivating kid-friendly exhibit you can amble through a rainforest, the Arctic Circle, rolling woodlands or along the raw Atlantic oceanfront - all without ever leaving the building. Be sure to dress in layers for the temperature swings."
What we found was a depressing little zoo. The animals are in VERY SMALL exhibit spaces, and most of the big animals are the only of their kind. The penguins are in the tiniest space I've ever seen in a zoo for these birds, and some looked sick.
Whatever you do DO NOT go into the exhibit room in the basement near the restrooms. Unless you want to see the dead stuffed (and occasionally in rug form) relatives of the animals you just visited upstairs. We came out forever scarred by the Room Of Death.
I hear they keep Pauly Shore cryogenically frozen somewhere near the gift shop. Bastards.
The only reason I gave them a second star is that I think it's important for kids to see animals like this up close so they learn to care about their fate. But there is nothing majestic about seeing any of them in the Biodome.Listed in: BOOOOOOOOO.,
Because of the weekend outlined below, Lara and I both will forever more play "Gay or…">Gaydar doesn't work in… -
Review from Beth M.
1/3/2010
Be ready to brave the parade of strollers and screaming kids when you visit the Biodome. Ok, it wasn't that bad but it was pretty crowded with many families.
For Chicagoans, it's like the Garfield Park Conservatory but with animals, and perhaps a dash of the Shedd Aquarium thrown in. Monkeys, birds, fish, snakes, alligators, starfish, etc. and the majority didn't look too miserable. Without fences/cages you can get pretty close.
It's right off a metro stop and $16/adult for just the Biodome (there are other packages). It was a good change up during out trip--seeing animals and vegetation during a very cold December.Listed in: A Midwesterner in Montreal
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Review from Q K.
7/19/2011
4 stars for families, 3 stars with no kids. Animal variety a little limited, but enough aquariums and other wildlife to keep you interested. Penguins and puffins are great- easily biggest highlight of the Biodome. Location a little out of the way and surrounding Olympic Park is dull and depressing.
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Review from Natalia J.
10/28/2008
I think it was about -100 degrees when we decided to trek it to Biodome. Not worth it.
There were about 5 sections and it took less than an hour to walk through. Try to get a student discount (even with expired IDs). -
Review from Christopher M.
1/9/2009
I really wasn't a fan of the biodome, with the exception of the fact that we were able to walk around in a rainforest when it was 7 degrees (F) outside.
The facility is small and crowded, packed with obnoxious tourists and parents with screaming kids. It's like Montreal's own little Disneyland in a dome. We walked all the way through it in any hour or so, then went back because we thought we had missed something (we didn't, it was just that small).
The zoo aspect was pretty depressing - the animals (when you could find them) were stuck in small pens and cages. The penguin exhibit was the worst - several dozen penguins stuck in a glass box smaller than my apartment.
If you've never been to a Biodome and you have some free time and an extra $10 (bring your *expired* student ID), it might be worth the trip, but I certainly won't be going back. -
Review from Shaina S.
11/26/2008
The Biodome is good clean fun for kids and adults!
The animals roaming about in their "natural" environments makes for a cool interactive experience. It did, however, incite my paranoia of birds pooping on my head. That really really would have saddened me. Luckily, I made it out with unsoiled hair.
There are 5 different ecosystems inside, from the mudane (The Laurentian Forest: trees=woot!) to the exciting (Tropical Rainforests! Penguins!!) It was fun to spend some time finding the many animals hidden in the trees and water, though the penguins lacked the enthusiasm of others I've seen (like those in the Boston Aquarium) and they made me a little sad. Also their glass wasn't totally clear.
I was a tourist here, and it's kind of a touristy place, but it was entertaining and easy to get to and I learned a lot about animal babymaking by watching the video downstairs. The entrance also has a bunch of fun interactive activities about animals which are great for kids or kids at heart. That's what I got to be here and it was a lot of fun. -
Review from Jenna R.
8/31/2008
I had a few moments of the kids saying, "Oh my gawd, look at that!" So I was happy they were impressed, but as Kate F. mentioned, the exhibits are depressingly small, and the aptly named Room of Death should be condemned by zoos everywhere. The only truly enjoyable moments were watching the beavers carry rocks and logs, and spotting a few enormous fish. Otherwise, the Biodome was lackluster at best.
Actually, I'm surprised that eco-friendly Canada stands for the place to be kept open, considering how inhumanely tiny the animals' living spaces are. Honestly, how can a beaver truly be happy in a bathtub-sized pool? If there's a Canadian Humane Society, I hope they get up off their haunches and shut this place down. -
Review from Oanh N.
3/24/2009
The rainforest was my favorite!!! Be prepared to step into humidity. You can check in your coat downstairs for $1.50. I was amazed by all the greenery and monkeys. It was one photo after the other nonstop. I was pretty fascinated by the bat cave. Bats were zooming around without resting. I don't think I've seen anything like it. However, once stepping into the colder part of the museum, where the penquins are trapped behind glass windows and seagulls flying within the ceilings, it became a sad scene. Feature of a zoo.
Nice to see the eco-friendly waste baskets and lighting. -
Review from Lisa C.
9/22/2008
The Biodome was worth going to, though I didn't spend too much time here. You can see the whole thing in about 30-40 minutes. I wouldn't say it was a highlight of my trip to Montreal, but it was something relatively fun and entertaining to see, for what it was. I enjoyed the rainforest room, though it was a little too humid for me to stay for very long. The little black monkeys with the long tails reminded me of my black cat Luc back home. :) The Saint Laurent river area was neat too - and I enjoyed seeing the beavers! I was literally thinking "YAY! A beaver! How Canadian is that?!?!" Oh, and the bat cave was cool too... a little creepy, but cool.
I had a good laugh at the ocean area. Maybe I'm spoiled having grown up so close to Monterey and Carmel, CA, but the ocean area with it's fake backdrop, barely moving water, and strategically placed rocks for the birds to converge on was more than a little lame. Also, being a lifelong frequent visitor to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I was underwhelmed by the sea life exhibits, the otters, and the penguins. I'm sure they're not really *that* bad, but by they pale by comparison to the MBA.
Was starving when I left, so I went to the little cafe on the premises. Had a mediocre lunch consisting of a slice of pizza and some salad. That was the only vegetarian choice offered. Oh well, it worked!Listed in: Canada, eh?
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Review from Luca M.
Montréal, QC
3/11/2010
The simple awesomeness of penguins, monkeys and a kapibara in Canada warrants a visit to the Biodome.
90 minutes or two hours strolling through the Biodome's ecosystems are time well spent indeed. The relative freedom of the animals to roam their pavilion is a great change from zoo cages, and you can play monkey-spotting or admire the beautiful macaws, knowing too well you can't own one because it would out-live you.
Try to avoid school holidays and weekends if possible. You don't want the place to be bustling with hyperactive kids having a great time. You also definitely want a spot for sitting in the penguin section and a view on the swimming penguins, without a crowd of munchkins obstructing the water line.
Admission is steep if you aren't a Quebecer or a student. Definitely worth a visit though. If you bundle the Biodome with the Botanical Garden the deal gets better.
Do not do the Olympic tower. You get a better view from the Mont Royal chalet. It is free and involves a healthy trek up the hill. -
Review from Gi A.
7/2/2009
Far be it from me to anthropomorphize animals, but I swear, half were manic and the other half depressed. In one corner, the ducks that acted like drunk synchronized swimmers (granted, I've never met synchronized swimmers, drunk or otherwise); the beaver that stuck to the glass like a squeegee; and the fish that were crammed against each other like they were in a fish orgy. In the other corner, the alligator that stood still with his mouth wide open no matter what was going on around him and the sloth that takes an entire day to get down from the tree and poops only once a week. Okay, so that last part is normal for sloths, but still strange and gross.
This place apparently went up in the 70s, for the Montreal Olympics, and seems stuck in that era. It probably seemed like a good idea at the time, but I would hope that our views towards animals have evolved in the 30 years since. Perhaps not. The fact that in each section the animals share one big space seems to reassure people that we're benevolent creatures, but it's basically a prison yard with trees and water. Would you want to live in an auditorium or a pool, no matter how big and well-equipped?
I'm clearly not PETA-irific, since I wear leather, but I'm just not a big fan of cages or tanks, for anyone. Except babies -- I'm fine with play pens.
P.S. This is completely unrelated, but the best part, if you can call it that, involved a cop mooning me and my family as we were leaving. Something about their version of Candid Camera, which I confirmed on Youtube. Those crazy Canadians. . .Listed in: Sacre Bleu!
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Review from Katharine T.
3/6/2009
The biodome is great fun for kids (and kids at heart). Think of it like an indoor zoo, but more awesome... if zoos aren't your thing though, steer clear. It has four distinct sections, which are created to imitate the natural ecosystem. So the rainforest is hot and muggy while the laurent forest is a nice comfortable fall temperature. The antarctic section is behind glass, which is kind of sad, I'd rather be cold than try and take pictures of the adorable penguins through glass. While its not large as far as zoos go, it was a unique experience, and one I'd go see again.
I'm only sad because the otters were asleep :( -
Review from Amanda D.
Ottawa, ON
12/10/2008 2 photos
Aww, I liked the Biodome. If it's only taking less than an hour to get through, you're going too fast or perhaps you've been here before. I enjoy just standing in each ecosystem and looking in the trees, air or water for whatever creature comes springing or gliding into view. My favourite section is the underwater observation tank in the St. Lawrence Marine Ecosystem where you can actually watch these huge fish swim and familiar birds dive and paddle just inches away from you. It's very hypnotic and I enjoyed just parking myself here for about 15 minutes.
In all, there are five ecosystems that you're usually a part of, so the shift between exhibits is cool. If you want to put down the extra dough, you can also see the Insectarium and Botanical Gardens ($27 for adults). If you're a student, senior, Quebec resident or child, you'll get a hefty discount. -
Review from Gio G.
8/19/2009
This place is probably more for kids.
I only enjoyed coming to see the biodome because I have never been to anything quite like it before. For a first experience, it was great to be able to reach out, touch the plants, see the many different animals in their "natural" habitat, and learn a little bit about them. My most favorite part was probably all the photos I was able to take. With no fence or walls, it was pretty intense to see a monkey only 10 feet away from me dangling with her baby in a tree.
For the $25 I spent for the package to see the Biodome and Olympic Tower, these sites maybe held my attention for about 1.5 hours. Too short lived, not enough to look at, and lacking in any kind of interaction exhibits.
A must see if you never been here but please don't expect a whole lot. -
Review from PC W.
8/7/2008
I have been here as a child and as an adult and both times were so much fun. You can walk between several ecosystems that are found in the Americas. My favorite part are the penguins in the polar ecosystem.
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