Science North and Dynamic Earth inviting visitors back, but just outdoors

Science North and Dynamic Earth in Sudbury are preparing to open outdoor activities on the first weekend in July, after being closed for several months due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Dynamic Earth, the science education centre's other site that features the Big Nickel, has been closed since March 13, 2020.

Science director Julie Moskalyk says her team has been planning to welcome the public back to Science North since it last closed on Dec. 23, 2020, but her team has prepared outdoor experiences over recent weeks in line with Ontario's phased reopening.

She says the outdoor programming, beginning July 2 at Science North, "is essentially taking the best of the best from inside the science centre and bringing it outdoors."

Dynamic Earth will follow in reopening on July 3. Each site will be open for different parts of the week.

All guests must buy tickets and reserve their visit time in advance. There are limits on the number of people allowed at each site and face coverings are required at all times, regardless of vaccination status.

Visits are limited to two hours. The outdoor activities will continue in all weather except thunderstorms. The science centre's food sellers will be open at each location.

Science North's reopening on July 2 comes at a time when families are looking for summer activities; this outdoor programming offers entertainment closer to home, says Moskalyk.

"This is all about the staycation. It's about people not traveling because we are still in the pandemic, so staying local and finding wonderful, engaging experiences," she says.

Moskalyk says the theme for this summer's outdoor activities is "play like a kid." She says live science shows and the "bluecoat experience" will continue in the outdoor format.

Science North expects to reopen its indoor attractions when Ontario enters stage three of reopening.

Information on opening times, ticket sales and outdoor activities is posted at Science North's 'welcome back' webpage.

Not all northeast attractions opening

The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, a major tourism draw in Sault Ste. Marie, says its doors remain closed to the public, except for its gift shop that reopened June 14 during the first stage of Ontario's reopening plan.

All of that centre's exhibits are located indoors. Ontario plans to allow museums and cultural centres to reopen in the third stage of easing restrictions.

"At this point, we're still waiting on the government regulations. Originally, phase three had a reopening date of July 26, but the first two phases have been moving up by a few days so we're hoping for mid-July," says the bushplane centre's marketing and promotions manager Edie Suriano.

In North Bay, the Heritage Railway and Carousel Company operates an outdoor carousel and a miniature ride-on railway near the waterfront.

Its operators had previously planned to stay closed this season. They confirm that there are no plans to reopen the attractions as of June 25.