The Ontario Science Centre reopened at Harbourfront Centre on June 29th, 2026. If you’re a Toronto parent who grew up dragging your own kids (or being dragged yourself) through that massive Don Mills building, this move is a big deal, and we wanted to break down exactly what it means for your family outings this year.
Key Takeaways
- The Ontario Science Centre reopened at Harbourfront Centre as an interim location following the closure of the original Don Mills building.
- Admission runs $15 per visitor, according to Harbourfront Centre’s official listing.
- The temporary site sits along Toronto’s waterfront, making it a walkable, stroller-friendly stop for GTA families.
- Saturday hours run 10:00am to 8:00pm, giving weekend-packed parents more flexibility than the old schedule.
- This is a bridge location only. The permanent facility is planned for Ontario Place and is expected to open by 2029.
- Some elements of the beloved KidSpark learning space have actually been on-site at Harbourfront since December 2024, so this isn’t entirely new territory for local families.
- For more free and low-cost options nearby, our guide to free family events around Toronto is a good companion to this one.
What Happened to the Ontario Science Centre at Don Mills?
The original Ontario Science Centre building on Don Mills Road closed, and instead of leaving Toronto without a science centre for years, the province set up an interim location.
That interim location is at Harbourfront Centre.
For us, the practical question was always: is this new spot worth the trip with a stroller and a diaper bag? Short answer, yes, but with some caveats we’ll walk through below.
Ontario Science Centre Reopened at Harbourfront Centre: Location and Hours
The Harbourfront Centre location puts the science centre right in the middle of one of Toronto’s most walkable, most stroller-friendly stretches of the city. That’s a win for parents who’ve spent years navigating the DVP just to get to Don Mills.
Weekday hours are from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm at the time of writing, but Saturdays are extended until 8 pm to accommodate families who can only make it out on weekends.
That $15 price point puts it firmly in the “affordable weekend activity” bucket rather than the “special occasion splurge” bucket, which matters when you’re budgeting around daycare fees and everything else. If you’re already tracking family activity costs, this pairs well with our roundup of free things to do in Toronto this summer with a baby.
Kids can visit FREE with the Canada Strong Pass (eligible ages and dates apply). Adults receive 50% off admission during the promotion.
Is the New Harbourfront Location Stroller-Friendly?
Short answer: yes, more so than the old building in a lot of ways. Harbourfront Centre as a whole is built around wide, flat pathways along the water, and the science centre’s interim footprint fits into that existing infrastructure.
You won’t have the sprawling outdoor grounds the Don Mills location had. What you get instead is proximity to some of the best stroller routes in the city.
We cover a lot of these paths in our guide to the best stroller-friendly walks in Toronto, and the waterfront stretch near Harbourfront now doubles as a science centre day out.
Bring the stroller, plan for a walk before or after your visit, and you’ve got a full morning that costs almost nothing beyond the $15 admission.
What to Expect Inside the Temporary Ontario Science Centre Space
Because the interim building is so much smaller than the original, don’t go in expecting the same scale of exhibits. The 86,000-square-foot interim space, once fully operational, is a genuine downsize from the 568,000-square-foot Don Mills building.
That said, families who’ve visited report that the exhibits still deliver the hands-on science experience kids love. Part of that continuity comes from the KidSpark learning space, which has actually had a presence at Harbourfront Centre since December 2024, well before the official reopening.
So if you took your toddler to KidSpark last year, you’ve technically already had a preview of this new chapter.
Square footage of the new Harbourfront location compared to the former Don Mills building.
How the Interim Location Compares to the Old Don Mills Building
Let’s be direct about this, because it’s the question every Toronto parent has asked in a group chat this month: it’s smaller. A lot smaller.
The former building at 568,000 square feet dwarfed the interim Harbourfront space. That’s a real difference in the number of exhibits, the amount of runaround room, and the overall “day trip” feel of a visit.
But for families with babies and toddlers specifically, a smaller space isn’t always a bad trade. Fewer sprawling halls to navigate with a stroller can actually mean a calmer, more manageable visit for the under-five crowd.
The official provincial announcement frames this as a genuine celebration rather than a downgrade, and honestly, for parents of little ones, it might be the more manageable version anyway.
Planning Your Family Visit to the Ontario Science Centre at Harbourfront
Here’s our practical checklist for making the trip work with a baby or toddler in tow.
- Check the Saturday hours (10:00am to 8:00pm) if weekends are your only window.
- Budget $15 per visitor, plus parking or transit costs depending on how you’re getting downtown.
- Pair the visit with a stroller walk along the waterfront before or after.
- Bring snacks. Harbourfront Centre gets busy, and lineups happen.
- Follow the official Ontario Science Centre series page for updated exhibit schedules before you go.
That 2029 timeline matters if you’re thinking long-term. This isn’t a forever home, it’s a bridge, and it’s worth taking advantage of while it’s here.
What’s Next: The Future Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place
The interim Harbourfront location was never meant to be permanent. The province’s real plan is a new 400,000-square-foot facility at Ontario Place.
About one-third of that future building will be dedicated exhibit space, a significant jump from what the interim Harbourfront site can offer right now.
The project is also being delivered under a Design Build Finance Maintain model, which Infrastructure Ontario projects will save between 15% and 22% in value for money compared to traditional procurement. That’s the kind of detail that matters less on your Saturday outing and more for understanding why this whole transition is happening the way it is.
You can see behind-the-scenes glimpses of the reopening on the Ontario Science Centre’s Instagram post if you want a visual sense of the new space before you commit to a visit.
Conclusion
The Ontario Science Centre reopened at Harbourfront Centre as a smaller, temporary, but genuinely functional stop for Toronto families. It’s not the sprawling Don Mills building you grew up visiting, but at $15 a visit and steps from some of the city’s best stroller routes, it’s an easy addition to your family activity list this year.
Keep an eye on the 2029 timeline for the permanent Ontario Place facility, and in the meantime, take advantage of the Harbourfront location while it’s here. For more Toronto-specific outings and planning resources, our Ultimate Toronto Baby Guide rounds up dozens more local-first ideas like this one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ontario Science Centre still open in Toronto?
Yes. The Ontario Science Centre reopened at Harbourfront Centre as an interim location after the original Don Mills building closed. It’s operating with regular hours and $15 admission per visitor.
Where exactly is the new Ontario Science Centre location?
The interim Ontario Science Centre is located at Harbourfront Centre along Toronto’s waterfront, a walkable, stroller-friendly area popular with families.
How much does it cost to visit the Ontario Science Centre at Harbourfront?
Admission is $15 per visitor at the interim Harbourfront Centre location, according to Harbourfront Centre’s official listing.
Is the interim Ontario Science Centre smaller than the old building?
Yes, significantly. The former Don Mills building was 568,000 square feet, while the interim Harbourfront space is 86,000 square feet once fully operational.
When will the permanent Ontario Science Centre open?
The permanent facility is planned for Ontario Place and is expected to be roughly 400,000 square feet. The interim Harbourfront location is expected to close once that new building opens in 2029.
Is the Ontario Science Centre at Harbourfront good for babies and toddlers?
Yes, the smaller footprint and waterfront location actually make it manageable for families with strollers, and it pairs well with nearby outdoor walks around Harbourfront Centre.
What was at Harbourfront Centre before the Ontario Science Centre reopened there?
The KidSpark learning space had a presence at Harbourfront Centre starting in December 2024, ahead of the official Ontario Science Centre reopening at the same site.
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