Biosphere

The Biosphère is a steel geodesic dome on Île Sainte-Hélène in Parc Jean-Drapeau, designed by Richard Buckminster Fuller as the United States pavilion for the 1967 World's Fair Expo 67. A fire in 1976 destroyed the original acrylic shell, leaving the skeletal steel frame exposed — an accident that paradoxically turned the structure into one of Montreal's most recognizable silhouettes. Since 1995, Environment Canada has operated the building as an interactive water and environment museum, with permanent exhibitions focused on climate change, freshwater ecosystems, and the St. Lawrence River basin. Open daily May through August (9 am–6 pm) and Tuesday through Sunday the rest of the year; fully wheelchair accessible.