Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop: The Exhibition Opens at Ontario Science Centre

Highly Anticipated Exhibition Runs Through March 2012

TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - One of history's greatest inventors and artists is featured in a new exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre. Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop: The Exhibition, presented by Barilla Canada Inc., features unique models of Leonardo's inventions, incredible technology that allows visitors to interact with his notebooks (codices) and digital versions of iconic pieces such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Making its Canadian premiere today, the exhibition runs until March 18, 2012.

Core News Facts

• Direct from Milan, Italy, this highly anticipated exhibition recreates dozens of Leonardo's inventions, visions and concepts, including his flying machines, robots, weapons of war and mechanical devices that foreshadowed modern technology.
• The exhibition includes the world's first digital reproduction of the restored Last Supper, as well as a digital version of the Mona Lisa, which allows visitors to examine each brush stroke.
• Touch-screen technology will allow Science Centre visitors to actually interact and flip through 600 "pages" and secrets of Manuscript B, the Codex on Flight and the Codex Atlanticus. Visitors can also virtually operate machines as Leonardo had envisioned - such as firing the cannons of his Multi-cannon Gunship designed in 1482.
• Highlights of the unparalleled new exhibition include the Great Kite, considered his "definitive" flying machine, the world's first working prototypes of his Self-Propelling Cart and his Harpsichord-Viola, and the first physical models of his Mechanical Lion and Robot-Soldier.
• All models were constructed from Leonardo's surviving codices, which contain thousands of pages of notes, drawings and designs. They were built using materials and techniques that would have existed in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Ticket Information
The exhibition runs from October 13, 2011 to March 18, 2012.
Tickets (including Science Centre admission) are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, students and youth, $17 for children. Member prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, students, youth and children.

The Science Centre is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca, at the box office, or by calling 416-696-1000.

Quotes

"The Ontario Science Centre is delighted to offer this remarkable exhibition. During his lifetime Leonardo da Vinci was an inventor, painter, scientist, engineer, musician, architect, and more. Visitors come to the Centre to be engaged with science and inspired by innovation. Who better as the source of such inspiration than Leonardo da Vinci? Through working prototypes and digital technology, his sketches and ideas are brought to life in the exhibition allowing visitors a glimpse of his inventive spirit."

Lesley Lewis, CEO, Ontario Science Centre

"This exhibition demonstrates the full scope of Leonardo's remarkable genius and, most importantly, allows the public to explore his most important surviving manuscripts. What's really unique is we've created technology where people can not only turn pages of his codices, but gain an understanding of how amazing they really are. What's inside is truly special."

Massimiliano Lisa, curator and CEO of Leonardo3

"Barilla is so proud to be the title sponsor of Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop. Everyone in Southern Ontario and beyond gets a chance to see the inner workings of one of the most influential Italians of all time, and one of world's greatest thinkers."

Gino Rulli, Country Manager, Barilla Canada Inc.

About the Ontario Science Centre
The Ontario Science Centre delights, informs and challenges the communities we serve, enriching people's lives and understanding through engagement with science of local, national and global relevance. Since 1969, the Ontario Science Centre has welcomed over 45 million visitors, with an interactive approach that was the model for Science Centres around the world. It is the public centre for innovative thinking and provocative dialogue in science and technology, aiming to inspire a lifelong journey of curiosity, discovery and action to create a better future for the planet. The Ontario Science Centre is an agency of the Government of Ontario. Please visit us at Ontariosciencecentre.ca. Facebook: www.Facebook.com/OntarioScienceCentre.Twitter: @OntScienceCtr. YouTube.com/user/OntarioScienceCentre.

About Leonardo3
An innovative research center and media company dedicated to the work of Leonardo da Vinci, L3 encompasses a center and workshop for research and study; exhibition and museum production; editorial, television and multimedia production; and a publishing company. The mission of L3 is to study, interpret and make cultural heritage available to the public through the use of avant-garde methods and technology.

About the Barilla Group
Barilla, originally established in 1877 as a bread and pasta shop in Parma, Italy, ranks as one of today's top Italian food groups. Barilla is the global leader in the pasta and pasta sauce business, and is recognized worldwide for its traditional Italian heritage, principles and values. Barilla owns 43 production sites and exports to more than 100 countries. Every year, about 2,500,000 tons of food products under the brands of Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Voiello, Pavesi, Alixir, Academia Barilla, Wasa, Harry's, Lieken Urkorn and Golden Toast, Misko, Filiz, Yemina and Vesta are featured on dining tables all over the world.

Barilla Canada is part of Barilla Group, which is owned and operated by the fourth generation Barilla family. Barilla products are available at major grocery and mass merchandise stores across Canada. More information on the full range of Barilla products can be found at www.barilla.ca

SOURCE Ontario Science Centre

Image with caption: "Musician Borys Medicky tunes the "Harpsichord-Viola", one of Leonardo da Vinci's many inventions re-created in Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop: The Exhibition. It opens at the Ontario Science Centre on Oct. 13, 2011.(CNW Group/Ontario Science Centre)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111013_C3436_PHOTO_EN_4383.jpg

Image with caption: "Nilu Atadjanova from Toronto's Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute and Ontario Science Centre CEO Lesley Lewis examine a model of da Vinci's "Aerial Screw". It is one of many models featured in the exhibition, Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop, which runs to March 18, 2012 at the Ontario Science Centre. (CNW Group/Ontario Science Centre)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111013_C3436_PHOTO_EN_4385.jpg

Image with caption: "Ontario Science Centre Science School students Taylor Pritchard, Paramveer Singh and Erind Alushaj examine the complex workings of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mechanical Lion" at the Science Centre exhibition, Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop. (CNW Group/Ontario Science Centre)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111013_C3436_PHOTO_EN_4384.jpg

Video with caption: "Video: Ontario Science Centre - Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop Exhibition ". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20111013_C3436_VIDEO_EN_4455.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20111013_C3436_PHOTO_EN_4455.jpg&clientName=Ontario%20Science%20Centre&caption=Video%3A%20Ontario%20Science%20Centre%20%2D%20Leonardo%20da%20Vinci%27s%20Workshop%0D%0AExhibition%0D%0A&title=Ontario%20Science%20Centre%20%2D%20Leonardo%20da%20Vinci%27s%20Workshop%20Exhibition