Discovery Day is a free event hosted by the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) at Canada Place in January. It features food, games and fun activities.
AME Roundup is a conference for members of the mining industry. In 2026 it ran from January 26th to 29th. One day before the conference each year they put on Discovery Day which is a free, kid-friendly, non-ticketed, interactive, hands-on day of learning. At the event that’s open to the public, AME members and other organizations host fun activities and informational displays.
One of the purposes of Discovery Day is to get young children interested in the STEM subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (with the hope of maybe encouraging some of them to think about future careers in mining or related industries).
When and Where is Discovery Day
Discovery Day takes place indoors at Canada Place on the last day of the AME Roundup mining conference in January.
In 2026 Discovery Day took place on Sunday, January 25th, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. It will likely happen around the same time in 2027.
The event happens in one of the exhibition halls at Canada Place which is part of the Vancouver Convention Centre. Canada Place’s address is 999 Canada Place. It’s the giant landmark building that looks a bit like a ship with white sails. Located just a 5-minute walk from Waterfront Station, the building is where you’ll also find the Pan Pacific Hotel and the multidimensional film attraction Flyover.
What to Expect at Discovery Day
At the Discovery Day event there are informational booths hosted by organizations like Port Moody Rock & Gem, the BC Society of Engineering & Geology, Women in Mining BC and Geological Survey of Canada, but also fun tourist attractions like Science World and Britannia Mine. Totally unrelated to mining but also lots of fun, in 2026 the Vancouver Bandits basketball mascot was there too!
At Discovery Day there are about twenty or so exhibitor booths, including ones from the above-mentioned organizations. At the various booths you can play games, see different kinds of rocks and other minerals, ask questions, and learn about interesting things. There is also a face-painting station, balloon-twisting station, colouring crafts table and more. Attendees can also usually help themselves to treats like popcorn and cotton candy.
Discovery Day Video
To give you even more of an idea of what to expect, check out the following video. It shows scenes of Discovery Day in 2025.
Other Information
To learn more about Discovery Day, see the AME Roundup website.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- January Calendar of Events
- Free January Events
- February Calendar of Events
- Vancouver Activities for Children
Other websites that might also be of interest include VancouverForKids.ca and VancouverTradeShows.com.
