We know busy play spaces can be overwhelming.
Sensory Friendly Evenings offer children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), physical or cognitive disabilities, or sensory processing considerations, and their families with a quieter museum experience. With extremely limited attendance, Sensory Friendly Evenings turn down the noise, crowds, and stimulation of a typical day.
Sensory Friendly Evenings are free for children and their families. Space is limited.
Register Now
Funding for Sensory Friendly Evenings provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, as well as Dr. Robert and Joan Boyce in loving memory of their daughters Ann Marie and Holly Leigh Boyce.
February 17, 2026 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Capacity is limited, please register in advance.
Registration opens Wednesday, January 11
Additional Programming:
Open Studio: Layers of Light
Cut, layer, shine and discover!
In this Open Studio, visitors will explore how colour and shape interact with light. Cut and arrange colourful sheets into patterns, then laminate your design to see how the light changes as it passes through different layers. Hold your creation up to a window and discover how light transforms your work!
Location: Discovery Lab
Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
March 3, 2026 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Capacity is limited, please register in advance.
Registration opens Wednesday, February 25
Additional Programming:
Open Studio: Reflections & Refractions
Bend, bounce, and disappear!
In this illusion-inspired Open Studio, visitors will explore how light reflects, bends, and sometimes tricks our eyes! Experiment with mirrors that twist and wobble reflections, watch objects vanish and reappear in water, and create your own Pepper’s Ghost illusion using curved surfaces. Move freely between activities as you test, observe, and notice how light behaves in surprising ways!
Location: Discovery Lab
Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
March 17, 2026 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Capacity is limited, please register in advance.
Registration opens Wednesday, March 11
Additional Programming:
Open Studio: Paint Party
Express yourself, explore, experiment and get creative!
In this immersive Open Studio, the Discovery Lab transforms into a canvas where creativity can spread in every direction! Try vertical painting, paint on see-through panels, cover large surfaces, and experiment with different tools and techniques, from brushes and stamps to watercolours, puffy paint, and more!
Location: Discovery Lab
Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
April 7, 2026 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Capacity is limited, please register in advance.
Registration opens Wednesday, April 1
Additional Programming:
Open Studio: Colourful Capillaries
Create, explore, and discover!
In this nature-inspired Open Studio, visitors will explore how plants move water through their stems and roots by experimenting with colourful water and absorbent materials like paper towels, coffee filters, and pipe cleaners. As colours slowly travel upward, visitors can observe, test ideas, and add their materials to a collaborative artwork that builds a shared picture of the hidden systems that help plants grow and support life on Earth.
Location: Discovery Lab
Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
April 21, 2026 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Capacity is limited, please register in advance.
Registration opens Wednesday, April 15
Additional Programming:
Open Studio: Wonderful Wind
Design, test, and harness the power of wind!
In this Earth Day-inspired Open Studio, visitors will explore wind energy as part of Earth Day’s theme, Our Power, Our Planet, by designing and building their own windmills using paper plates, cups, and other open studio materials. Test your windmill with fans or your own breath, add it to our growing wind farm in the Discovery Lab, or take it outside to see how real wind brings your design to life.
Location: Discovery Lab
Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
