Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
www.bcplacestadium.com
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was seen by an audience of billions. Today it comes alive for
home games of the BC Lions (one of the Canadian Football League teams) and is the ven-
ue for major trade shows, concerts, and other big events.
Science World
The impressive, 17-story-high, geodesic-shaped silver dome (it's best known locally as
“the golf ball”) stands above the waters of False Creek on the southeast side of city center.
Built as the Expo Preview Centre for Expo86, it later housed restaurants, shops, and the
world's largest Omnimax theater for a time. Today the Vancouver landmark is home to
Science World
(1455 Quebec St., 604/443-7440, 10am-6pm daily), a museum provid-
ing exhibitions that “introduce the world of science to the young and the young at heart.”
The three main galleries explore the basics of physics, natural history, and music through
hands-on displays while a fourth gallery holds an ever-changing array of traveling exhib-
its. The Science Theatre shows the feature
Over Canada,
a high-definition aerial tour over
Canada accompanied by the sounds of Canadian musicians. The Omnimax theater, with
one of the world's largest such screens (27 meters/88 feet wide), is still here and features
science-oriented documentaries. Admission to Science World is $23 per adult, $19 per
seniororstudent,$15perchild;withatickettooneOmnimaxfilm,admissionis$28,$25,
and $22, respectively.
The most enjoyable way to get to Science World is aboard a False Creek Ferry from
Granville Island or the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. If you don't want to take the ferry, you
can drive to the west end of Terminal Avenue—plenty of parking is available—or take the
SkyTrain to Main Street Station and then walk across the street.
Follow Granville Street southwest through downtown and cross False Creek by bridge or
ferrytoreachGranvilleIsland.RegardedasoneofNorthAmerica'smostsuccessfulurban
redevelopments, the jazzed-up island is
the
place to go on a bright sunny day—allow at
least several hours or an entire afternoon for this hive of activity.
When Europeans first settled Vancouver, Granville Island was nothing more than a
sandbar, but tons of fill transformed it into an island. It soon became a center of industry
(itsofficialnameisIndustrialIsland),filledwithfactoriesandwarehouses.Lackingspace,
cityofficialsatonepointproposedtoreclaimallofFalseCreek,butintheendonlyasmall
section was filled—and Granville Island became joined to the mainland. By the end of the
