Vancouver's 'Beautiful Dome' soccer ball repurposed into bags and umbrellas, raising $70K for Science World

Vancouver's 'Beautiful Dome' soccer ball repurposed into bags and umbrellas, raising $70K for Science World

The collection was released Friday, sold out in 3 days

The whistle has been blown and extra time is over for Vancouver's giant Science World soccer ball, which is finally being dismantled after nearly four months perched on the False Creek seawall.

It marks the end of a historic summer for the city, which became a FIFA World Cup host for the first time in 2026.

The Beautiful Dome, a replica of the official World Cup Trionda ball, has been cocooning the geodesic structure on the waterfront since June.

It was originally slated for removal at the end of the tournament, but its life was extended to coincide with the final day of the FIFA Museum's Soccer & Technology Exhibition that ran at Science World from May 15 to Sept. 7.

The 131 six-metre by seven-metre architectural grade PVC panels aren't headed for the dumpster — on Friday, Science World made them available for purchase online, with a price tag of $1,000 each.

Merchandise made from repurposed panel pieces, in the form of shopping totes ($50), duffle bags ($350) and patio umbrellas ($800) have also been put up for sale within Canada as part of the Beautiful Dome 2026 Collection.

By Monday the collection had sold out, raising an estimated total of $70,000 in net proceeds for Science World.

"Science World is a charity, not everybody knows that. We're not supported by the City or government for our operating funds," said Science World's director of commercial sales Rob Hollingsworth.

"We're delighted with how it's gone, it's been super successful."

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He said between $35,000 and $40,000 would go towards STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education programs, supporting exhibits, workshops and outreach projects.

About 10 panels have been donated to local institutions, including the Museum of Vancouver, B.C. Place and the B.C. Soccer Association.

"There are some panels we can't use just because of the [intellectual property] that's on them," Hollingsworth said.

"So anything with words or the trophy … there's a part of the ball that says 'made in China,' hilariously, because that's what the ball says and it's a true likeness of the ball."

Although the Adidas and FIFA logos feature prominently on the installation, neither brand paid a cent towards the dome's installation, which was primarily funded by Destination Vancouver.

Additional funding came from Science World, the B.C. government, the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association.

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The price tag is protected by a non-disclosure agreement, though the Ministry of Tourism says the provincial government contributed $150,000 to the project.

The last of the panels is expected to be removed by the end of next week.

"It's somewhat weather dependent but they're making great progress at the moment," Hollingsworth said.

Ruby Cornish is a journalist with CBC News based in Vancouver. She spent more than a decade reporting, producing and presenting with Australia's public broadcaster before relocating to Canada in 2026.