Photo by Adam Szot.

The Biosphere of Montreal is the largest geodesic structure on the planet.

 

The History

When the United States touted its pop art pavilion for the Expo '67 World's Fair in Montreal, the exhibit came in a 250-foot, spherical package wrapped in acrylic.

However, because the iridescent globe proved to be the lightest, strongest, and most cost-effective structure ever created, it was the package itself that drew the most applause from those attending.

Plainly visible from either shore of the St. Lawrence River, Buckminster Fuller's twenty-story geodesic dome, or Biosphère, now bulges above the foliage of St. Helen's Island, adding a space-age mystique to a relatively unspoiled, park-like setting.

So, what is the Biosphere? To answer this question in full, a brief historical account is warranted.

Years after its official donation to the city of Montreal in 1968, Fuller's geodesic dome became known as the "Biosphère," a popular tourist attraction on account of the myriad plant and avian life that was supported within. In addition, the dome was, and still is, the largest geodesic structure in the world.

However, in May of 1976, the acrylic outer covering of the Biosphère caught fire during a welding accident and was destroyed. Following the fiery fiasco, the transparent covering of the dome was never replaced and the city of Montreal banned public access to the site for the next sixteen years.

Not to be confused with Montreal's Biodôme, the Biosphere is now an educational attraction that seeks to heighten public awareness of water in the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes regions. The Biodôme, which adjoins the Olympic Park Stadium, is a life-supporting attraction that recreates four American ecosystems: tropical, Laurentian forest, St. Lawrence marine, and polar. It is not a geodesic structure, and bears no relation to the Biosphere Museum of Water.

Although the city of Montreal still owns the Biosphère, Environment Canada now operates the museum, which is compromised in a boxy five-story structure standing inside the dome itself.

"We explain the importance of water and how to protect it," says Susan Bleu, of media and communications for Environment Canada. "We are an international educative museum, but we try to be entertaining at the same time."

After signing a $17.5 million (Canadian) agreement with the city of Montreal, the Biosphere reopened as a water museum in 1995 as part of the Parc des Iles municipal action plan. It is currently the only museum in North America focused wholly upon water. By following in Fuller's conservational ideals

The spherically encased museum spans approximately 12,000 square feet and features four large exhibition rooms to showcase the importance of conserving our most precious resource.

"Increasing air temperatures (via global warming) are making the ice caps melt, and the Great Lakes are evaporating," says Serge Lepage, the scientific advisor at the Biosphère.

According to Lepage, these environmental concerns form the focus of the Biosphere's current exhibit, "H20 Variations," which is thematically displayed throughout the museum.

The "H20 Variations" exhibit kicked off on July 3, 2002, and will be showcased until April 30, 2003.

The Experience…

Photo by Chris Slifka.

This preserved, yet shipwrecked trimaran showcases the hazards of low water levels pose.

Level One

Upon entering the Biosphere lobby, the wreck of a full-scale trimaran slumps in dry-docked abandon, bearing the "H20 Variations" logo upon its sail. This curious, well-preserved artifact stands as a subtle reminder that if water levels drop too low, boats can be rendered useless.

The Discovery Room, which displays the world of high water levels, is also located on the first floor. Using a series of video displays, aquariums, and planetary models, the negative effects of global warming, such as coastal flooding and erosion, are vividly depicted in this exhibit. A faux broadcast studio is attached to the Discovery Room, enabling the visitor to act as an environmental reporter discussing troubling water conditions around the world: from the falling levels of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec to the 1998 flooding of the Yangtze River in China. By standing before a blue screen and reading from a wall-mounted teleprompter, the "reporter" is superimposed upon this backdrop, which is displayed on a adjoining monitor.

The Biosphere's annual Art and Environment event "Water Bug, What a Charm!" is also featured on the first level of the museum. By passing through a thick curtain, the visitor enters a darkened room, dimly lit by pale green light, and is greeted by the sound of chirping crickets. At first, the seemingly borderless room might seem esoteric—as might the display. Mounted upon tall, white canvases or encased in tabular glass display cases are 1,500 pieces of jewelry and ornaments created to the likeness of water insects.

Level two

Photo by Chris Slifka.

The foot bathing pool, featured in the "Water Pleasures, Water Delights" exhibit.

 

After ascending a short staircase from the lobby, a visitor will be ushered into the Connexions Room… that is, if you are on time for the multimedia presentation. In a 360 degree theater with effervescent aquarium walls and six screens that revolve around the seated audience, the visitor will realize the phrase "sit and spin" in a fresh and pragmatic context.

A slideshow presentation, "The Beauty of the St. Lawrence," depicts views of the seaway to the backdrop of a contemporary instrumental score.

In another presentation, the Biosphere's host, "Mr. Ola-La" presents an interactive public awareness quiz. Ola-La capers about the screen, imploring the audience to answer his aquatically oriented questions. For example, Ola-La asks "What causes water level disturbances?" The correct assessment: although fluctuating water levels are indeed natural, the creation of greenhouse gases through human emissions have caused drastic temperature increases in the past few decades.

In the "Water Delights Room," the musically aligned tourist can play in a "water symphony." By stepping on a sensory floor pad, a satisfying "splash" or "plop" sound emanates. A "keyboard" of small electronic frogs and dolphins are also featured—making their respective call when touched.

Deeper into the exhibit, the "Purifying Water, Healing Water" taps into the spiritual side of water, offering a foot bathing pool, complete with drying towels.

Third Floor

At the apex of the biosphere lies the Visions Hall. After exiting the elevator (the only way up), the visitor can admire the surrounding landscape via a gang of viewing goggles before turning into the museum's topmost exhibit "The World of Low Water Levels."

Spanning the perimeter of this room, a large map represents the geography of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. At various points around the map, different features, such as major shipping ports and areas of high erosion are highlighted by flashing lights. Because the map extends around the room, it is impossible to see every light at once. This is a good lesson that illustrates the immensity of the Great Lakes ecosystem that contains 18 percent of the world's freshwater reserves.

And…

Visitors to the Biosphere are scarce on this cold, wet Thursday afternoon in November. In fact, I'm beginning to think that my photographer and I are the only people here. Just then, Uyal Schneider and his girlfriend Maya Zakhein enter the Connexions Room just in time for the Ola La show.

After enduring the video host's questions for the past half hour, I'm now eager to interview them and approach them after the show.

They are from Tel Aviv, Israel, and have spent the last year traveling the Western world as tourists. After having spent two weeks in Montreal, they are visiting the Biosphère for the first time. What do they think?

"It's a general interest museum because it affects us all," says Schneider. "It's also very tangible, which is very nice."

Schneider, a computer scientist who works for the Israeli Defense Initiative, adds that the museum, however educative, has an elementary feel. "Some of the exhibits are made for smaller children," he says. "But it's a very nice place. A good place to take your children."

Any questions? Email us.