Ontario Science Centre summer attendance sets an 11 year high

Record number of visitors in August - 23.6 % increase over last year

TORONTO, Sept. 1 /CNW/ - As August came to a scorching close, attendance numbers at the Ontario Science Centre also set a new high, with 330,605 visitors during July and August. This is a 13 per cent increase over last year's attendance for the two months, making it the busiest summer in 11 years.  At 948,140 visitors, attendance for the year to date is up 112,290 and is already approaching the million visitor mark.     

This success is attributed in part to the popularity of Harry Potter™: The Exhibition, as well as a roster of exciting programs including The Science of Flight, Spellbinding Science, and OwlFest, and a variety of IMAX films in the Shoppers Drug Mart^® OMNIMAX^® Theatre.   

"These strong attendance figures reflect the amazing appeal of the special exhibition as well as our permanent exhibits for visitors of all ages," said Lesley Lewis, Ontario Science Centre CEO. "Our programming has also been outstanding. Visitors have experienced live eagles soaring above their heads in the Great Hall, bubbling potions and exploding experiments that really bring science to life."   

Harry Potter: The Exhibition closes on Mon. Sept. 6.  Due to popular demand, the Science Centre has extended the hours for Harry Potter: The Exhibition to 11 p.m. on Fri. Sept. 3 and Sat. Sept. 4.  Last tickets will be sold at 9:30 p.m.    

The fall/winter season will be another busy period with three significant new temporary exhibitions, all free with admission to the Science Centre. Mythic Creatures: Unicorns, Dragons and Mermaids, from the American Museum of Natural History, New York, begins Oct. 9, Whales/Tohorã from Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand, opens Nov. 4 and Nature Unleashed, from the Field Museum in Chicago on February 11, 2011.  For more details on these upcoming exhibitions and films visit our website, www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca.   

About the Ontario Science Centre: 
The Ontario Science Centre uses science as the lens to inspire and actively engage people in new ways of seeing, understanding and thinking about themselves and the world around them. Our facility has received Green Building certification for energy efficiency by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), and was named building of the year in the Public Assembly category. The Ontario Science Centre is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For more information, visit www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca or call our box office at 416-696-1000. Twitter: ontsciencectr     

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