The federal government has committed $40 million to the redevelopment of the Centennial Planetarium, home to Contemporary Calgary. The investment, announced by Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller on July 3, 2026, supports the third and final phase of the $160 million transformation project. Combined with a $40 million provincial contribution earlier this year, as well as funding from the city and private donors, the project is fully financed.
Project timeline and scope
Construction on the final phase is set to begin in fall 2027 and is expected to be completed by summer or fall 2030. The overhaul includes a new entrance pavilion, an education and gallery wing, expanded event spaces, a new public park, and the conversion of the building's iconic dome into Canada's first LED dome.
David Leinster, CEO of Contemporary Calgary, expressed excitement about the project. “It’s a breath of fresh air and new life into this incredible, amazing building,” he said. Leinster emphasized that preserving the building's history and architecture has remained central to the plans.
Honoring the past while building the future
“Our entire philosophy of our project … is about revealing the original architecture and finding where it has been covered up through different iterations or renovations over the past 59 years,” Leinster explained. “Everything that we do is about honoring the existing and historic building, and then adding to it what we can to make sure that our program, in its next 100 years, functions well as an art gallery.”
The Centennial Planetarium first opened on Canada Day in 1967 and later housed the Calgary Science Centre from 1984 to 2011. Leinster noted the building was “already a work of art” before becoming Contemporary Calgary. “It challenges your perspective the moment you walk through the door,” he said. “It asks you to think differently, to be curious, and to embrace the unexpected. And that’s what contemporary art does.”
Community and cultural impact
Marc Miller highlighted the planetarium's role in Calgary's history. “Today, we’re helping write its next chapter. By transforming this iconic landmark, we’re creating a place where more people can experience art, learn, connect and come together—while preserving a space that means so much to all Albertans,” he said.
The first phase of the project was completed before Contemporary Calgary moved into the space in 2020, involving necessary upgrades after the building had sat empty for nearly ten years. Phase two included renovations to gallery and theatre spaces. Leinster described the building as “kind of like an introvert when you approach it from the street, and we’re turning it into being a bit more of an extrovert and making more intentional architectural moves, so that the community sees themselves inside the building.”
