Buckminster Fuller's geodesic dome of the Biosphère on Île Sainte-Hélène, seen from the entrance path with autumn trees at left and a reflecting pool

Museum / Parc Jean-Drapeau (Île Sainte-Hélène)

Biosphère (Parc Jean-Drapeau)

THE GLOBE ON THE ISLAND

Buckminster Fuller's geodesic dome, now an environment museum, is Montréal's most recognizable silhouette and open on Thanksgiving Monday.

From home: 11 min drive; 5.76 km. Walk 68 min
Spend: $$$$; unknown
Our dates: Open all 4 days; Give it 1-2 hours (editorial estimate)

Reserve

Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0

The verdict

Worth it as a compact, weather-proof stop if you are already heading to Île Sainte-Hélène for the skyline views. It works on Thanksgiving Monday, when many museums are shut. Treat it as a one-to-two hour add-on, not a day anchor. Check the ticket price on the official site before going.

Open Mon Oct 12 when much is closed
Iconic dome architecture
Indoor, so rain-proof

Why maybeConfirmed open Oct 12 and good in any weather, but admission and exhibits are unverified and it is an add-on to the island, not a headline.

Vibe check

design forward/low key

Best forarchitecture fans, a rainy-day stop, Thanksgiving Monday

What it costs

$$$$unknown

Admission not published on the park page and the ticket site blocked access. Not recorded.

Our estimate from posted prices, CAD, before tax and tip. Québec purchases carry the 5% federal GST plus the 9.975% Québec Sales Tax (QST, TVQ in French): 14.975% combined on taxable items. Tourisme Montréal: it is customary to tip restaurant servers, taxi drivers and hairdressers 15% of the bill, before taxes. Bellhops, porters and doormen generally get at least $2 per bag or service; coffee and food counters often have a tip cup by the register.

On our dates

Tue-Sun 9am-5pm; Mondays closed except Oct 12 (open 9am-5pm)

Mon 12Open9am to 5pm
Tue 13Open9am to 5pm
Wed 14Open9am to 5pm
Thu 15Open9am to 5pm

Thanksgiving MondayPark page lists Monday Oct 12 as open 9am-5pm, the only open Monday in October; page itself suggests confirming with the Biosphère (514 868-3000).

Full week

Mon	9am to 5pm
Tue	9am to 5pm
Wed	9am to 5pm
Thu	9am to 5pm
Fri	9am to 5pm
Sat	9am to 5pm
Sun	9am to 5pm

Mondays closed Sept 8 to Apr 30 except listed exceptions. Oct 5, 19, 26 closed. Weekly 'mon' value reflects the Oct 12 exception only.

Hours from the venue's own listing, checked Oct 8, 2026.

Is it worth it?

Yes as a short add-on if you are on the island; not worth a separate trip if you are not into architecture or environment exhibits.

Best time: Morning to mid-afternoon before the 5pm close
Time needed: 1-2 hours (estimate)
Cost: unknown
Weather: Indoor museum; fine in rain. Dome exterior and island views are best in daylight.
This season: Fall hours Sept 8 to Apr 30 are 9am-5pm, Tue-Sun.

Good forarchitecture, rainy day, Thanksgiving Monday

Pair it with

Parc Jean-Drapeau grounds, for a walk and skyline views

Where

Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montréal, QC (GPS 45.514092, -73.531389; parking P10/P11)

68 min walk (5.06 km) / 11 min drive, no traffic / 23 min by bike

From 216 Rue Young. Routes from OpenStreetMap data; transit times are in the maps app.

Show on our map espacepourlavie.ca Call

Park page says tickets are sold on the official site; page was blocked to automated access, so ticket details unread.

While you're there

The Biosphère geodesic dome on Île Sainte-Hélène behind a maple tree in orange and red autumn leaves, with a reflecting pool in the foreground

TWO ISLANDS, ZERO ADMISSION

Parc Jean-Drapeau

Île Sainte-Hélène / Île Notre-Dame13 min drive$$$$

5 min walk from here

The illuminated Clock Tower in Montréal's Old Port at dawn, with the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and the river beyond

WALK IT, DON'T SCHEDULE IT

Old Port of Montréal (Vieux-Port)

Old Montréal8 min drive or 37 min walk$$$$

75 min walk from here

Night view of the stone facade of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel in Old Montréal, floodlit, with a gilded statue of Mary above the door and blue-lit bell towers against a black sky

OLD MONTRÉAL'S QUIET ONE

Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours et Musée Marguerite-Bourgeoys

Old Montréal (Vieux-Montréal)30 min walk$$$$

67 min walk from here

Close-up of crusty sourdough baguettes standing in a wicker basket, with more baskets of bread softly blurred behind

BREAD FIRST, WINE SECOND

La Cave à Manger

Old Montréal (Vieux-Montréal)29 min walk$$$$

67 min walk from here

SILVER DOME, LOCAL GOODS

Marché Bonsecours

Old Montréal28 min walk$$$$

68 min walk from here

A stirred amber cocktail in a cut-crystal rocks glass with orange peel twists, on a dark veined stone bar top in a dim room

RING THE BELL, GO DOWN

The Coldroom

Old Montréal25 min walk$$$$

71 min walk from here

Two cocktails on a dark table in a dim room with green velvet seats: a pale yellow drink in a cut-glass coupe with apple slices, and a red amber drink with citrus in a rocks glass

SHERRY BEFORE DINNER

Bisou Bisou

Old Montréal26 min walk$$$$

72 min walk from here

LOOK, DON'T ENTER

Habitat 67

Cité-du-Havre6 min drive or 37 min walk$$$$

31 min walk from here

The receipt

Where every fact on this page comes from.

ResearchedResearched Oct 8, 2026. Second check pending. Confidence: medium.

Details to confirm

Admission prices (espacepourlavie.ca blocked automated access)
Street address
Whether Oct 12 hours are final; call 514 868-3000
Current exhibitions
Metro/getting-there details
Web search budget exhausted, so no 2025-2026 news check for closures beyond the official page

OfficialParc Jean-Drapeau: Biosphère, environment museumaccessed 2026-10-08