Outreach and Community

UBC Botanical Garden

UBC’s Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research is Canada’s oldest continuously operating university botanic garden. The mission of the Garden includes research, conservation, teaching and public display of temperate plants from around the world, particularly Asian, alpine and native.
» Visit

Beaty Biodiversity Museum

Daily programming at this active research collection includes guided tours, films, and hands-on science activities. Monthly ‘Way Cool’ family friendly research talks and evening openings.
» Visit

Pacific Museum of Earth

PME offers a range of exciting exhibits to the public, including a digital OmniGlobe, the complete skeleton of a lambeosaur, a seven-foot-tall Amethyst Geode, and a tornado machine.
» Visit

Nitobe Memorial Garden

The Nitobe Memorial Garden, a traditional Japanese Tea and Stroll garden, is considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America and among the top five Japanese gardens outside of Japan. The Nitobe includes a rare authentic Tea Garden with a ceremonial Tea House.
» Visit

UBC Science is committed to supporting outreach programs targeting the science community and the general public.

From science Olympiads and fairs to math or biotech challenges, from discovery workshops to museum tours into the plant and animal worlds, to programs that bring science to Vancouver's downtown East Side. There's science for everyone.

UBC Faraday Science Show

Annual event emphasizes the joy of science and inspires the imagination of children of all ages. Demonstrations are based on undergraduate physics courses. Typically held in December.

Beyond the Magic Open House

With demonstrations shows, hands-on activities, prizes, and of course liquid nitrogen ice-cream, this is a day not to be missed!

Phenomenal Physics Summer Camps

Come build planes, go SCUBA diving, learn the physics of sound, build a Martian habitat or a cardboard boat. We offer camps appropriate for children from Grade 2 to 10; each 20-student camp is led by a certified teacher, an undergraduate students, and 2-3 high school volunteers.

CEDAR Summer Camp for Indigenous Youth

Every year, CEDAR enables 45 local Indigenous youth between the ages of eight and 12 to explore UBC’s Vancouver campus through fun and interactive programming. Campers get a whirlwind tour of the wild and wacky research being conducted by students and researchers around campus.

UBC Summer Science Program

A two-week cultural, health, and science program for Indigenous students going into grades 9-12. The program promotes interest in health and science programs through facilitated firsthand experience. The program includes traditional cultural teachings passed on to the students by program Elders.

Public Events at UBC's Life Sciences Institute

LSI holds a variety of public events, including lectures, research days, town halls and symposiums.

TRIUMF Saturday Morning Lectures

TRIUMF and UBC Physics and Astronomy sponsor a Saturday morning lecture series for the general public and high school students. Essential facts about the quantum world and a strong cup of coffee. Free, though registration appreciated.

Metro Vancouver Physics Circle

The Physics Circle is an outreach program catering to motivated and advanced high school students in physics.

Life Sciences Workshops

The Advanced Molecular Biology Lab, the educational arm of the Michael Smith Laboratories, works to inform the public at large on the societal, cultural, corporate, political, economic, and ethical nuances of the life sciences.

Computer Science Workshops for Teenagers

TechTrek and GIRLsmarts4tech provide opportunities for teenagers to expand their knowledge of computer science via short, hands-on workshops. GIRLsmarts4tech targets girls in Grades 6 and 7. TechTrek is open to boys and girls in Grades 8 to 12.

Geering Up Summer Camps and After-School Clubs

Geering Up UBC Engineering & Science for Kids offers camps and after-school clubs for children grades 1 to 12. The programs offer a dynamic mix of science, engineering and technology demonstrations, hands-on projects, design competitions and labs.

Teaching Science in the Community: Science 101

A non-credit, barrier-free course offered to residents of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and other inner-city communities. Science 101 provides an introductory science education in physics, astronomy, chemistry, computer science, earth and ocean science and biology and is taught by UBC professors and graduate students.