Vancouver's Science World celebrates 30th anniversary

One of Vancouver's most photographed landmarks turns 30 on Monday, after ushering more than 18 million people through its doors since its inception.

Science World, known formally as the Telus World of Science, is one of nine similar not-for-profit museums dedicated to science education in Canada.

It's the place where British Columbians and tourists have spentcountlesshours exploring exhibits, watching films in the Omnimax theatre and learning fun facts, like where farts come from.

"We want to be that place wherepeople come and have that dialogue about what the future looks like," CEO Scott Sampson said while standing on thebuilding's patioat the base of its iconic geodesic dome.

Sampson saysScience Worldhas morphed over the years to offer an ever-increasing array of exhibits and he welcomes further changes in the future.

Expo Centre

Science World was born in 1985, a year ahead of Expo '86.

It first served as the Expo Preview Centre and then as the Expo Centre when the fair opened. It contained its existing Omnimaxtheatre, which is the largest in the world, and a smaller theatre where the audience determined the outcome of the films by voting with push buttons.

Provincial officials decided the buildingwould be one of few structures that would remain when the fair ended.

After Expo, the building underwent a $19-million expansion to house what was the Arts, Sciences andTechnology Centre in downtown Vancouver. It reopened on May 6, 1989, to much fanfare.

Sampsonsays the institution quickly filled a niche because the city lacked a children's museum.

"This quickly became a phenomenal addition to the culture of the city, and very quickly gained it a reputation as an amazing place to bring kids to have hands-on learning experiences and get excited about science," he said.

Some of Science World's biggest milestones over the years includea visit from Stephen Hawking in 1993, a $9-million investment in 2005 that renamed it the TelusWorld of Science, and the controversial Body Worlds exhibit in 2006.

Quirks and challenges

As the facility expanded over the years, the renovationsleft behind some bizarre scars.

Brian Anderson, Science World's director of performance and fun times, has worked at Science World for 20 years and is well acquainted with its quirks.

"There's challenges in up-keeping the building, there's challenges in how we integrate the new sections of the building with the older sections," Anderson said, standing in a hallway that reveals the building's original exterior.

Anderson estimates that only about a third of the original structure remains.

Oneof the building's eccentricities that Anderson likes to show off isa door in the middle of the hallway leading to the Omnimax theatre, about three metresfrom the floor, which he calls "the door to nowhere."

He says no one knows why it's there, or how it came to be.

Coming of age

Despite the challenges that came with constantly updating a facility that was only meant to last six months, Science World's officials like Sampson say they want to push forward with more changes.

The patio at the base of the dome will soon become a digital learning centre by day and an event space by night, Sampson says.

And there's a constant influx of new partnerships and programming to facilitate science learning not only in Vancouver, but across the province.

"This building has become an icon for Vancouver coming of age," Sampson said. "Today we are looking to re-brand it as this place that's all about British Columbia's future. And I have every expectation that in 30 years it will still be here."