New interactive exhibit looks to bring people back to downtown Saskatoon

By Drew Stremick

A new interactive exhibit called “Arctic — A Man Under The Ice” is opening its doors in Saskatoon on April 21.

The exhibit invites adventurers of all ages to explore the Canadian Arctic, and view more than 300 images of spectacular landscapes, polar bears, walruses, narwhals and other marine life from Canadian filmmaker and photographer Mario Cyr’s expeditions to the Canadian Arctic.

The exhibit is hosted by TCU Place and the SaskTel Centre at Midtown in downtown Saskatoon and runs from April 21 until May 29.

Sarah Berger from Tourism Saskatoon says having events like this in the city helps people experience unique Canadian ecosystems.

“The neat part about this is this event about the Canadian Arctic is here in the middle of the prairies, and this is unique to us,” she said. “But it’s also an opportunity for the residents of Saskatchewan to learn more about this landscape that’s so different.”

The exhibit is officially supported and endorsed by The Ocean Decade, a global UNESCO program that hopes to stimulate ocean science and create new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem.

Besides an opportunity to learn about a part of Canada many people don’t get to experience, Berger says the exhibit plays a part in helping downtown Saskatoon recover after being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is important as we look to recovery and restarting the tourism economy in Saskatchewan in that it is an opportunity for people to come into the destination,” Berger said. “So not only (are) residents seeing this exhibition, but for people who travel into Saskatoon.”

The price of a ticket to the event can change whether you plan to attend during the week or on the weekend. Berger said there are lots of options available to make the exhibit accessible to everyone.

“The point of this is to get young people in to learn about it,” she said. “There’s family passes, there’s group passes and children under five will be able to access the exhibit for free.”

Tickets are already available on the exhibit’s website.