These are some of the best places in Canada to spark genius

Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 3:25 PM - A visit to your local science centre or museum might just be a fun-filled day of exploration, but the impression such a trip can leave on a young mind can help to build the next generation of scientists.

I may be biased, but a trip to the Ontario Science Centre was always a highlight of my youth.

These visits - even as few and far-in-between as they were - left a big impression on me, and this helped to put me on the path to becoming a scientist later in life. Even now, as an adult, I still enjoy walking the building's halls and exhibits, and it's always great seeing the excitement and enthusiasm of the staff, and how much excitement and enthusiasm they bring out in the children (of all ages) who visit the centre every day.

The same goes for the nearly 50 different centres and museums listed by the Canadian Association of Science Centres, located across the country - most within easy reach, but some (like The Northern Lights Centre) required to be more remote, simply due to the unique opportunity they offer to explore some aspect of science.

Just a small sampling from the list:

• Johnson GEO Centre, St. John, NL

• The Discovery Centre, in Halifax, NS

• Science East, in Fredericton, NB

• Centre des sciences de Montréal, in Montreal, QC

• The Cosmodome (Space Camp Canada), in Laval, QC

• The Ontario Science Centre, in Toronto, ON

• The Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration, in London, ON

• Science North, in Sudbury, ON

• The Manitoba Museum, in Winnipeg, MB

• Saskatchewan Science Centre, in Regina, SK

• Telus World of Science, Edmonton, AB

• The Exploration Place, Prince George, BC

• H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, in Vancouver, BC

• Science World British Columbia, in Vancouver, BC

• The Northern Lights Centre, Watson Lake, Yukon

For kids who love science (and I hope there's plenty of you out there), many of these centres have special programs, such as day camps, where the learning and fun can continue.

For the high school student with a keen interest in the sciences, there's opportunities at some of these centres to earn credit towards your diploma. These programs are excellent, taking the interactive learning experience to the next level. Participating in one of these courses could put one on the path towards a promising career in the sciences - perhaps as a biologist, geologist, astronomer or astrophysicist, or any number of other disciplines explored during these classes.

The students of the Ontario Science Centre's Science School, class of 2014/2015

With inspiration from individuals such as ex-astronaut Chris Hadfield, who is was recently honoured with the dedication of a special exhibit at the Ontario Science Centre, one of these bright young people may even travel to space!