What is On The Road?
Science World's On The Road (OTR) program brings fun, high-energy live demonstrations and activities to communities all around British Columbia—no matter how remote. Our high energy presentations are curriculum-linked and provide an unforgettable science experience to over 30,000 students each year thanks to support from tour partners and sponsors.
Get a taste of the OTR experience:
The Live Shows
Some of our electrifying live demonstrations include:
How2Science
Discover and practice the ways that scientists observe, predict and test.
Fantastic Forces
Experience push, pull, lift, friction, and drag—forces that affect us daily.
Earth, Wind & Science
Explore incredible weather events, ft. a Van de Graaff Generator demo.
Where We Go
On The Road visits schools and community events in communities across BC. Thanks to our generous partners, we're able to visit remote, rural, and underserved schools outside Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley at no charge.
... and Where We've Gone!
We're proud of having reached 30,000+ students and teachers during the 2025/26 school year!
From Abbotsford to Zeballos, we
- presented 168 shows
- visited 144 elementary schools
- visited 61 communities across BC
- travelled 18,815 km in the province
... and look forward to seeing more students and teachers in the 2026/27 school year.
Map of our outreach across BC in the 2025/26 school year
Thank you for sparking a love of science in students across the province."
— Principal at Penfield Elementary, Campbell River, BC
Bring Science to Your Community
We'd be thrilled at performing at your school or special event!
Schools
Hands-on science experiences
delivered to elementary schools.
Public Events
Bring OTR to community festivals,
fairs, and other public events.
Positive Impact on Students
By bringing science to your community, you might influence and inspire the next generation of scientists. Here's some feedback (among many) from kids around BC:
LEARNED SCIENCE
"I learned that when something is levitating air's actually holding it in place."
LOVED THE DEMOS
"I really liked the part where they used an example of how much oxygen you get in your lungs ❤️ "
OVERALL HAD A BLAST
"You guys were FIRE!"
Science That Travels
The Reach in 2025/26
- Total Outreach: 51, 046
- 30,397 students and teachers through school tours
- 20,179 participants through community offerings
- 470 students & teachers across Canada online
On The Road in The News
“The On The Road program has been bringing science to life for thousands of students all over BC — from big cities to small towns and remote communities — while building strong and meaningful partnerships with BC schools."
— Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, MLA of BC
The History of On The Road
On The Road was part of the Arts, Sciences & Technology Centre in downtown Vancouver before Science World existed! In 1987 and 1988 while the Expo Centre was being converted to Science World, outreach teams travelled the province presenting shows and letting students know about an amazing new place called Science World.
From 2005 to 2012, with support from the provincial government and donors, On The Road increased its reach to more than 1.3 million people by offering free school visits. Our team has made more than 1,000 visits to communities—large and small— throughout BC.
Some On The Road highlights over the years include:
- Using a giant catapult and imploding oil drum at “Amusement Park Physics,” an annual festival at Playland that welcomed over 1,000 high school students to study the physics of classic rides.
- Performing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at the Orpheum theatre and creating our own science explosions to accompany Tchaikovsky’s famously dramatic1812 Overture.
In 2020, on the heels of the busiest season on record (with 21 tours planned), On The Road parked its touring van due to the Covid-19 lockdown. Determined to continue supporting schools, we quickly pivoted to online formats (online shows, livestreams, Online Classroom Workshops) and reached over 10,000 participants across BC and Canada! Today our online workshops continue through Connected North, reaching hundreds of remote and indigenous schools.
This school year, we have 16 week-long tours planned from Chilliwack to New Aiyansh, and we’re excited to continue this important outreach across the BC for years to come.
The Places We Visit
Thank you so much for coming! It's so nice when people actually come out to us.
So many of the kids have never been to Science World."— Principal at Devereaux Elementary, Dawson Creek, BC
Thank You to Our Generous Supporters
On The Road would not be possible without the generous support of:
TELUS Friendly Future Foundation
Are You Planning a...
School visit or public event? Click below to learn how On The Road can bring a blast of excitement.
