The Biodôme Reopens in Style! - An enhanced, more high-tech experience, free
for visitors 17 and under

MONTREAL, Nov. 30 /CNW Telbec/ - The Biodôme will be reopening at last on December 4 and 5, and doing it in style. Admission will be free for visitors 17 and under to mark the occasion! Visitors impatient to renew their acquaintance with this unique attraction will find all kinds of new features, including some forty interactive terminals explaining the importance of biodiversity, a new visitor's guide to help them identify plant and animal species, stations with games for ages 4 to 7 - and three new arrivals: two penguin chicks in the Sub-Polar Regions ecosystem and a tiny Goeldi's callimico monkey in the Tropical Rainforest. The Biodôme was closed for several months earlier this year because of a labour dispute with the city of Montréal and, since October, for the renovations.

A new experience for visitors          
Work on the five ecosystems at the Biodôme was completed while the institution was closed in recent weeks. As visitors stroll along the renewed paths, they can have fun testing their knowledge of plant and animal wildlife and biodiversity at about forty touchscreen terminals. An updated visitor's guide with over 170 illustrations will make it easier to identify the many species in each of the ecosystems. A new videocamera and a large screen will take them inside the beaver lodge. And for visitors ages 4 to 7, there are fun stations with games on the theme of baby animals and their parents. 

New additions
Although fall has definitely come to Quebec, it's spring, and hatching time, in the Sub-Polar Regions - at least in the Sub-Antarctic Islands. Two penguin chicks (rockhopper penguin and macaroni penguin) hatched a few weeks ago. A video shot at the Biodôme explaining the penguins' lives before, during and after the chicks' arrival is available on the museumsnature.ca and YouTube websites. In the Tropical Rainforest ecosystem, a tiny Goeldi's callimico (monkey) is having fun riding around on its parents' backs.

ALSO AT THE BIODÔME

• Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan zone
  An immersive space introducing visitors to astronomy and where they can learn about the plans for the new planetarium.
  
  
• DECEMBER 4 TO 12 - Biodiversity: Fragile Beauty (multimedia show)
  December 4, 5, 11 and 12, at 2:30 p.m. in English and 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. in French
  
  
• DECEMBER 18 TO FEBRUARY 6 - Caillou Discovers Winter
  A great opportunity to show little ones that there are all kinds of ways to enjoy winter, explain the many ways that animals adapt to the season, and a chance to meet Caillou and even have their picture taken with him.

The renovations to the Biodôme were carried out thanks to $500,000 in financial support under the agreement on cultural development between the city of Montréal and the Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine.

For more information: museumsnature.ca

Montréal's Nature Museums
Montréal's Nature Museums - the Biodôme, Insectarium, Botanical Garden and Planetarium - helping people enjoy nature to the fullest.

For further information:

Visual available on request