Montreal's Insectarium to close for 2-year 'metamorphosis'

The Insectarium is set to undergo a$36.35-million makeover, and the city hopes that when it reopens, its annualrevenue will increase by$4.3 million, and475,000 visitors will attend each year.

The museum will close for two years starting March 11, in order to carry out a project fittingly called Mtamorphose.

Once everything is done, the museum will reinvent the way it presents the relationship between humans, nature and insects, according to Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, director of Space for Life the museum complex that includes the Insectarium, Bidome, Planetarium and Botanical Garden.

Brunelle said after the renovations, the Insectariumwill offer visitors an immersive experience full of different exhibitionsinspired by insect habitats.

It will also include a vivarium a glass enclosure for plants and animals which visitors will be able to go inside to observe insects year-round.

One of the building's goals is to obtain LEED Gold certification for the building, according to the city.

The concept for Mtamorphose is the result of an international architecture contest Space for Life launched in 2014. The winner was a consortium of five architectural and engineering firms: Kuehn Malvezzi, Pelletier De Fontenay, Jodoin Lamarre Pratte Architects, Dupras Ledoux and NCK.

The Insectariumfirst opened in 1990.