Armand-Frappier Museum: A Major Milestone Has Just Been Reached

Completion of Construction on the Major New Building

Laval, August 19, 2021 — A new milestone has just been reached in the development of the new Armand-Frappier Museum. Construction on a bright, 1,800 m² building designed to house the Armand-Frappier Museum began in July 2020 and is now complete. This was the City’s first project carried out under a design-build contract, and despite some schedule adjustments due to the pandemic, construction was completed on schedule. The Armand-Frappier Museum is expected to open in its new facilities in the fall of 2022.

“We are proud of the construction of this major cultural infrastructure, adjacent to Cosmodome. It will enable the Armand-Frappier Museum to better fulfill its mission by offering young people unique opportunities to engage with scientific knowledge. For Laval, it is also an exceptional science museum hub that aligns perfectly with the health sciences sector, which plays a major role in our economy. I’d now like to say to the museum team: it’s up to you! It will be a real pleasure to discover your opening program a year from now.”

— Stéphane Boyer, Deputy Mayor, Vice Chair of the Executive Committee, and City Councilmember for Duvernay–Pont-Viau

“My colleagues and I are very excited to be making the final preparations that will allow us to welcome our visitors to these magnificent new facilities! We’ve been working on this project for several years now, but the pace will pick up over the next few months as we produce and install two exhibitions, set up the laboratories, develop new educational activities, and so much more! We would like to extend our warmest thanks to the City of Laval and Canadian Heritage for providing our institution with spacious and bright facilities—facilities designed to delight our visitors!”

— Guylaine Archambault, Executive Director of the Armand-Frappier Museum 

Next Steps

To ensure the facilities are as functional as possible, renovation work on the common areas at the Museum and the Cosmodome carried out over the coming months. The shared spaces include the lobby, the ticket office, the gift shop, the coat check, and the administrative offices.

In addition, the museum staff will move into the new space to set it up and prepare its exhibitions in anticipation of the move. Until then, the Armand-Frappier Museum will continue to operate at its current location, 531 Boulevard des Prairies.

Highlights

• A major $13.9 million project, including $2.7 million in financial support from Canadian Heritage for the museum’s relocation.
• The design directly addresses the goal of integrating the two museum institutions. The museum is situated along a circulation axis that extends from Cosmodome main entrance Cosmodome the Café Ariane, thereby opening up a new view to the south. This axis features extensive glazing and allows natural light to flood into the center of the building.
• The foundation is made of concrete, and the structure falls into two categories: a steel structure (ground floor, upper floor, and high roof) and a hybrid steel-and-wood structure (low roof).
• The exterior cladding is designed to reflect the materials and colors of Cosmodome allowing natural light to enter. The exterior cladding is made of pre-painted steel. The walls along the circulation corridor and the interior facades facing the public indoor terrace consist of curtain walls.
• An outdoor space between the original building (Cosmodome) and the new building (Armand-Frappier Museum) serves as a shared area. The terrace is enclosed on three sides, providing a space sheltered from highway noise. This space is visible and accessible from the public areas shared by the two buildings.
• The goal is to achieve LEED Gold certification for this new building.
• The construction of this infrastructure, aimed at developing new museum spaces for the Armand-Frappier Museum, is a flagship initiative of the 2019–2023 Cultural Development Plan for the Laval Region.

Additional Information
Visit the Armand-Frappier Museum website

Caption:

Photo 1: From left to right
Stéphane Boyer, deputy mayor, vice-chair of the executive committee, and city councilor for Duvernay–Pont-Viau
Rosemonde Mandeville, chair of the board of directors of the Armand-Frappier Museum; Guylaine Archambault, executive director of the Armand-Frappier Museum
Photo credit: Vincent Girard

Photo 2: Central staircase leading to the exhibition halls and laboratories
Photo credit: Vincent Girard

Sources:

Anne-Marie Braconnier
Communications and Marketing Department
Public Affairs Manager
450 680-2343
medias@laval.ca

Robert-Charles Longpré
Office of the Mayor and the Executive Committee
Special Advisor
438 400-9709
r.c-longpre@laval.ca