Sudbury's Science North is expanding to Thunder Bay with a new facility at the Boys and Girls Club building.
It will serve as a base for Science North staff to travel to northwestern Ontario communities, festivals and schools in an outreach program called the Cool Science Caravan.
"The mandate of Science North is to serve all of Northern Ontario" by expanding its programming to schools across the North, said its CEO Jim Marchbank.
Staff also plan to produce a formal curriculum-based program for video and web conferencing for schools throughout the region.
In related news, Science North and two regional tourist attractions are collaborating to create new exhibits and film celebrating the North's rich aviation history.
The Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre is receiving $500,000 in government funding for Science North to produce and install multimedia technology for a high-definition video of the historical impact of the Norseman floatplane.
"I am proud that some of the history of northwestern Ontario will be showcased in new experiences at the Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre," said Kenora MP Greg Rickford in a June 28 statement.
"Science North has done some amazing projects around the world and we have every reason to believe that the Red Lake project will also be world-class," said Michele Alderton, director and curator of the Red Lake centre.
Marchbank said the collaboration between tourism centres translates into new opportunities for each community, and adds to the potential for both repeat and first-time visitors.
Sault Ste. Marie's Bushplane Heritage Centre is receiving $249,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to upgrade a movie theatre and build a second one at the Bay Street site. The money will cover the costs for Science North to prepare a new film highlighting aircraft used to fight forest fires.
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