Attached please find the MAY 2013 Schedule for IMAX® Films and Planetarium Shows in the

Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Giant Dome Theater at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

 

 

Firstly, we would appreciate it if you take notice of the NEW title for the theater itself, along with what we hope will simplify your descriptions of the different kinds of films you might see there: IMAX® Films and Planetarium Shows in the Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Giant Dome Theater.

 

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is home to Southern California’s only Giant Dome Theater, which reopened in 2012 after extensive renovations as the Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. Our theater is extraordinary in many ways. It is:

•              The world’s first IMAX Dome Theater.

•              The world’s first NanoSeam™ Dome screen in an IMAX theater.

•              One of only five in the world that offers two unique experiences in one space:

IMAX films and planetarium shows.

The Heikoff Giant Dome Theater boasts a 76-foot tilted Dome screen and a 16,000-watt digital surround sound system, providing a stunning visual and audio experience.

 

What Is a Dome Theater?

Our Giant Dome Theater has a gigantic, curved screen that wraps the entire theater. This hemispherical screen offers an immersive viewing experience, enhancing the feeling of motion and giving you the sensation that you’re in the show.

 

What Is IMAX?

IMAX is the world’s largest film format, yielding incredible clarity and spectacular images. IMAX films are projected by special projectors that weigh as much as a small car and enable the incredible film images to be projected with brightness and clarity on the huge Dome screen.

 

What Are Planetarium Shows?

The Heikoff Giant Dome Theater boasts a state-of-the-art digital GSX™ Projection System. The Fleet uses this system to project planetarium shows that allow audiences to journey to the outer reaches of space from the comfort of their theater seats. We show pre-produced planetarium programs (some of which are created by our own stellar in-house team!) as well as The Sky Tonight, which is a monthly live, astronomer-led planetarium show.

 

Captioning

The Fleet offers two options for hearing-impaired guests: closed-captions and assistive listening devices.

 

Our closed-captioning system is an enhancement of the Rear Window system. When you purchase your ticket, tell the guest services associate that you would like to use the closed-caption service. The service is complimentary, and it is accessible in the upper-right seating area of the theater.

 

Assistive listening devices increase the intelligibility of theater presentations by enhancing the narration and dialogue and lowering music and sound effects. Ask for a complimentary headset at the Ticket Counter.

 

What’s Showing?

The Fleet opens several IMAX films and planetarium shows each year. Films and shows screen on the hour. The Sky Tonight is held on the first Wednesday of each month. For the latest show information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.rhfleet.org.

 

Please Note: The start time for our IMAX en Español films has been moved up to 4PM on the third Sunday of each month. In addition to providing an opportunity to enjoy IMAX films in Spanish, the time change will allow our visitors more time to enjoy the Fleet’s exhibit galleries, which feature more than 100 hands-on exhibits for all ages. Many of our exhibits feature bilingual explanatory text.  Additionally, headsets are always available free of charge for audiences to listen to available Spanish soundtracks when films with English soundtracks play in the normal daily schedule. Currently, these include Flight of the Butterflies, To The Arctic and Cosmic Collisions.

 

 

Here are more details of what to expect in May:

 

GIANT DOME THEATER SHOWS:

For a Full Schedule of Shows and Times:

Daily Schedule

 

PLANETARIUM SHOWS:

Cosmic Collisions––a spectacular immersive theater experience, narrated by award-winning actor, director and producer Robert Redford. Featuring stunning images from space and breathtaking visualizations based on cutting-edge scientific data—revealing the unimaginable, explosive encounters that shaped our solar system, changed the course of life on Earth and continue to transform our galaxy and dynamic universe. Cosmic Collisions is playing in conjunction with the West Coast debut of our Great Balls of Fire! Comets, Meteors, Asteroids exhibition–– which has also coincided with the arrival of two new comets making appearances in the sky during 2013.

 

Our LIVE planetarium show The Sky Tonight: "How We Know Our Place in the Universe." When did we learn that the Earth was not the center of the universe? When did we learn that the Sun was not the center of the universe? When did we learn that there are galaxies other than our own? Join us as we take a look back at how we discovered our place in the universe. Our popular monthly live planetarium show of the sky in SD that night reaches a new level of stunning full-color visuals and incredibly realistic simulations of cosmic phenomena with our new state-of-the-art digital GSX™ projection system. A professional astronomer leads backyard stargazers through the universe. Weather and operational requirement permitting, the SD County Astronomy Association provides free telescope viewing outdoors on the Prado in Balboa Park. This is a separate event held on the first Wednesday of each month. MAY 1; 7PM & 8:15PM; $12 for nonmembers; $10 for members

 

IMAX FILMS:

Rocky Mountain Express—All aboard for the ultimate in romantic railway travel. Rocky Mountain Express propels audiences on a steam train journey through the breathtaking vistas of the Canadian Rockies and highlights the adventure of building a nearly impossible transcontinental railway. Spectacular IMAX aerial cinematography, archival photographs and maps, and the potent energy and rhythms of a live steam locomotive immerse audiences in this remarkable story form the age of steam. Rocky Mountain Express received top honours for Best Film in a first-ever tie with To the Arctic and was awarded Best Film Short Subject and Best Cinematography by the Giant Screen Cinema Association at their 2012 annual conference.

 

Flight of the Butterflies—The iconic monarch butterfly is a true marvel of nature. It weighs less than a penny, yet it makes one of the longest migrations on Earth across a continent, with pinpoint navigational accuracy, to a secluded place it has never been. In Flight of the Butterflies, you’ll join the monarchs' perilous and extraordinary journey while following an intrepid scientist’s 40-year search to find the monarchs’ secret hideaway. Featuring breathtaking cinematography, an award-winning production team, a true scientific mystery, and hundreds of millions of real butterflies, Flight of the Butterflies soars on the giant IMAX® Dome screen.

 

To The Arctic—Take an extraordinary, never-before-experienced journey to the top of the world, and experience the ultimate tale of survival. Follow the lives of a mother polar bear and her two seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home. This is a captivating, adventurous, and intimate view of their struggle to survive in a frigid environment of melting ice, immense glaciers, spectacular waterfalls and majestic snow-bound peaks. Narrated by two-time Academy Award®-winner Meryl Streep.

 

 

FILM-RELATED EVENTS:

 

MAY 6—Senior Monday lecture “It’s All About Orbits” + IMAX film Hubble. Speaker John Nickel explains what's going on with the objects that restlessly circle our solar neighborhood (and beyond!) and shares some fun and often amazing facts about the night sky—both the things we see every day but might never have really thought about, as well as those rare special events that are worth getting up early for! John has been a trainer and presenter for the American Cancer Society for 25 years. Teaching and astronomy have always been his passions and, over the years, he has been a science and astronomy guest speaker to a number of local schools and groups. The first Monday of the month, seniors 65+ enjoy the Science Center exhibits, a lecture and a Giant Dome Theater show at a discount! Noon lecture; 2PM theater show; $7

 

MAY 19—IMAX® en Español––Viaje a Cuevas Maravillosas. Con música de los Moody Blues, la película IMAX acompaña a los exploradores de cuevas Nancy Aulenbach y Hazel Barton en una de las aventuras más insólitas del mudo. Viajaran con ellos a las cuevas bajo el agua, las selvas de México y las cuevas de hielo en las llanuras de Groenlandia. Como los dos espeleólogos valientes buscar en el mundo en busca de pistas sobre el pasado de la Tierra, que desafían una variedad de ambientes extremos en aras de apoyar a la ciencia en este interesante documental. IMAX en Español es una oportunidad para usted y su familia que disfruten las películas IMAX en español. Adicionalmente audífonos sin costo para quienes deseen escuchar el audio en español siempre están disponibles para las películas que se presentan con el audio original en Ingles. El costo de admisión para las películas incluye acceso a todo el museo Fleet y las más de 100 exhibiciones científicas  a la mano de todas edades. Varias de nuestras exhibiciones ofrecen explicaciones en español. 4PM. $15.75/adultos $12.75/niños de 3-12 y personas 65+.

MAY 19—IMAX® en Español––Journey Into Amazing Caves. With music by the Moody Blues, this IMAX film accompanies cave explorers Nancy Aulenbach and Hazel Barton on some unusual adventures, from underwater caves in the jungles of Mexico to ice caves on the plains of Greenland. As the two fearless spelunkers search the globe for clues about the Earth's past, they brave a variety of extreme environments for the sake of supporting science in this captivating documentary. IMAX en Español is an opportunity for you and your family to enjoy IMAX films in Spanish.  Additionally, headsets are always available free of charge for audiences to listen to available Spanish soundtracks when films with English soundtracks play. Admission includes one film and the Fleet’s exhibit galleries, which feature more than 100 hands-on exhibits for all ages. Many of our exhibits feature bilingual explanatory text. 4PM. $15.75/adults $12.75/children .

 

Film Press Releases & Electronic Press Kits for all presentations can be found at: http://www.rhfleet.org/press-room

Hi Res images from the films: http://www.rhfleet.org/press-room/images

 

Video B-Roll of our IMAX films, digital shows, exhibitions and galleries is available on a media DropBox! If you would like unlimited access, let Susan know and we will send you an invitation to register so you can download what you need anytime! To take a look: Go to http://www.dropbox.com; Click on sign in; Use the email: reubenfleet@gmail.com; Use the password pr1973media; Go to the "RHF Public Relations" folder; download at will!

 

 

REGULAR HOURS:

                                Monday–Thursday:                      10AM–5PM

                                First Wednesday of month:     10AM–8PM

                                Friday:                                               10AM–8PM

                                Saturday:                                         10AM–7PM

                                Sunday:                                            10AM–6PM

 

Current PRICES:

                GIANT DOME THEATER SHOWS––IMAX® film/Planetarium Show ADMISSION

               (1 film + access to all exhibit galleries):

                Adults $15.75; Children $12.75; Seniors $12.75

                “The Sky Tonight” monthly live Planetarium Show ADMISSION

                Adults $12.00; Children $10.00; Seniors $10.00

                GALLERY ADMISSION (Access to all eight exhibit galleries):

                Adults $11.75; Children $9.75; Seniors $9.75

 

PUBLIC CONTACT INFORMATION:

Phone: (619) 238-1233

Address: 1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101

Website: www.rhfleet.org

 

For a Full Schedule of Shows and Times:  http://www.rhfleet.org

 

If you haven’t been to the Fleet lately, please join us to explore our galleries or see any of the IMAX® films or planetarium shows! Feature coverage, reviews, photo opportunities or hands-on demonstrations are all available whenever you like. 

As always, all of our upcoming events and exhibits are listed on our website at www.rhfleet.org , along with media photos, releases and downloadable video.  PLEASE if you and your family would like to come to the Fleet at any time, let me know when it is convenient for you, and I can leave passes at the will call window for you to enjoy this great San Diego institution!  We appreciate your continuing coverage.                             Susan