MONTREAL – What were the first hockey sticks and pucks made of? What was the first Stanley Cup like? Which position best suits your athletic ability? The Montreal Science Center will provide answers to these questions on Friday at the opening of its brand new exhibition “Hockey: Faster Than Ever”.

Presented by Tim Hortons, the exhibition continues its North American tour, stopping in the metropolis of Montreal from April 7 to September 10, 2023. With around 30 interactive modules, visitors can discover Canada’s national sport from new perspectives.

“This is the first interactive exhibit where we talk as much about science as we do technology and innovation related to ice hockey. We also talk about the history and evolution of sport practice from the late twentieth century to the present day,” said Cybèle Robichaud, director of the Montreal Science Center, in an interview.

Young and old can experience the role of referee, Zamboni driver and hockey player and walk through a corridor to understand what the athletes go through just before stepping onto the ice.

“I think we have at least a full hour to visit the exhibition. We start in the section where we talk about the origins and where we raise the question of the first hockey game played on ice in Montreal in 1875. (…) We are even shown what women’s gear looked like at the end of the 19th century!’, the director adds.

In collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada, several extracts from archives and documentaries related to ice hockey will be presented. Visitors also have the opportunity to enter the Star Locker Room, where they will recognize some of their favorite athletes.

“It’s an opportunity to discover kits from specific players: we have those of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caulfield and Samuel Montembeault, who are obviously Montreal Canadiens players,” says Ms. Robichaud. We also have the great pleasure of introducing Marie-Philip Poulin, who is one, if not the greatest ice hockey player in the world.

The massive exhibition was due to have its world premiere in Montreal in 2021 but had been postponed due to pandemic restrictions. It is produced by Flying Fish in association with the Montreal Science Center and endorsed by the National Hockey League, National Hockey League Players Association, CCM and Zamboni.

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This article was produced with financial support from the Meta Fellowships and The Canadian Press for News.