Exhibition

ZOOOM – Children’s Innovation Zone

Ongoing

ZOOOM is a colourful self-directed space that lets kids investigate, experiment, cooperate, and play.

Designed for children eight and under, ZOOOM has plenty of hands-on fun to explore. Experience a wind tunnel, climb on a rock wall, or build a car to test on a series of wild and crazy ramps.

ZOOOM also includes a special area just for littles (two and under), with a starry sky, an interactive play wall, and more.

Exhibition highlights

Make your own car, zoom it over the curviest ramps ever, and see how fast you can make it go!
Make the longest moving object you can by locking gears together
See if you can guess the six smells hidden in a climbing wall
Look at yourself in funny mirrors and see which one makes you laugh the most

Included with museum admission

This exhibition was developed in partnership with:

A vibrant, interactive exhibit space filled with families and children engaging with hands-on activities. The room features colorful gear-inspired designs on the walls, a variety of activity stations, and playful floor graphics with shapes and symbols. Overhead, circular acoustic panels hang from the ceiling, and the lighting creates a dynamic, playful atmosphere with splashes of pink and yellow accents.

A young child wearing an orange long-sleeve shirt stands intently focused, arranging colorful foam shapes—teal, orange, and gray—within a large circular wooden frame. The interactive activity is set in a playful, hands-on exhibit space with gears and mechanical designs visible in the background

Two small children are inside of a simulated wind tunnel in a museum. One of the children is holding a green silk and the other is throwing several colourful silks into the air. In the background there are several colourful interactive stations.

A young child gazes upwards in awe. Behind her is a curved wall with red and black rock climbing holds.

1 of

The University of Ottawa Living Lab

Sign your child up for the University of Ottawa’s Living Lab, which studies how kids learn through play.

Living Lab website

Accessibility

All areas are wide open, allowing children freedom of movement, while also making it possible for adults to keep an eye on them
The space has seating for up to 80 people along with a special baby-care room with bottle-warming, diaper-changing, and feeding facilities
Designed for individuals with autism spectrum disorder or who may have other cognitive needs, this sensory guide prepares visitors for things they might see and do as they visit ZOOOM

Download sensory guide