Biodome

The Montreal Biodome is a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden folded into a building that began life as an athletic venue. The structure was designed by French architect Roger Taillibert as the cycling velodrome for the 1976 Summer Olympics, and it stood in service as a track until the early 1990s, when it was converted into an indoor nature museum that opened in 1992. The curved concrete roof still shows its sporting origins from outside, and next door rises the Olympic Stadium with its tilted tower.

Inside is a walk through five ecosystems of the Americas, each separated by climate and humidity. The Tropical Rainforest is the biggest and warmest, with tall trees, a waterfall, free-flying birds, caimans and golden lion tamarins in the canopy. The Laurentian Maple Forest recreates the woods of Quebec, home to lynx, otters, beavers and porcupines, and in autumn the leaves turn colour on a schedule matching the outdoor season. The Gulf of St. Lawrence is a large saltwater tank with fish, seals' shoreline and cold-water invertebrates. The Labrador Coast features puffins, murres and other seabirds on a rocky shore. The Sub-Antarctic Islands, the last stop, is home to colonies of penguins.

The museum is part of Espace pour la vie, the cluster of city-run nature institutions that also includes the Botanical Garden, Insectarium and Planetarium. The Biodome was renovated in the late 2010s, and the redesign opened the ecosystems into more continuous spaces so that visitors can move between them with fewer barriers and more interpretive displays. Conservation and the effects of climate change run through the signage, and keepers give talks at feeding times.

Key advice is to move slowly and quietly, since the animals live in naturalistic habitats and may be hidden. Temperatures change from one ecosystem to the next, so dress in layers, because the rainforest is hot and humid while the polar areas are cool. A tour takes about two hours at an easy pace.

The Biodome sits at 4777 Pierre-De Coubertin Avenue, steps from the Viau metro station, and the Olympic Park parking is close by. Pairing it with the Botanical Garden across the road makes a full family day, particularly when the weather outside is poor. Check opening days and times on the official website.