Most of the centre is located underground, in an excavated glacial formation that shows the exposed bedrock of the hill.

The building is designed to take advantage of the geological features of Signal Hill where most of the structure is below ground exposing natural rock formations.

Visitors travel a 3.7 billion year timeline, exploring themes such as continental drift, glaciation, earthquakes and volcanoes.

Associated with the Johnson Geo Centre there is a small park with eight looped trails, informative outdoor displays that explain the local geological formations, botanical species, and traditional uses of stone.

Completed in 2007, the park surrounds the Geo Centre and includes Deadman's Pond acres Signal Hill road.