San Diego, CA—Guests can enjoy a day of cinematic wonders as the Fleet Science Center celebrates over 48 years of IMAX^® films with a film festival where eight of the most popular movies from the vault will be featured. From the depths of the ocean to the caldera of a volcano and the Serengeti Plains, each of these films will transport moviegoers to wondrous places with breathtaking cinematography that can only be experienced in an IMAX Dome Theater. 

The Fleet Science Center is home to the world’s first IMAX Dome Theater, presenting the most significant films on the planet. Since the theater opened in 1973, it has shown 114 films and over 150,000 screenings. San Diegans are invited to celebrate the unique theater experience before it changes forever as the world’s longest-running IMAX film projector is decommissioned.

The Heikoff Giant Dome Theater will be changing out of the 70mm film format and will soon be using state-of-the-art laser technology. On Monday, September 6, a day after the film festival, the Fleet’s projectionists will thread the many spindles and rollers of the giant film projector for the last time.

Beginning September 7, the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater will be closed to remove the film projector and complete all upgrades. The theater will reopen on Friday, October 29, with a brand new IMAX laser projection system.

The IMAX Film Festival is on Sunday, September 5, with a different film screening each hour from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. See below for a complete schedule. One film is included with the regular admission to the Fleet Science Center, and additional films may be purchased onsite. 

The IMAX Film Festival schedule is as follows:

11 a.m.: The Living Sea

Noon: The Human Body 

1 p.m.: Grand Canyon Adventure

2 p.m.: Africa: The Serengeti 

3 p.m.: To The Limit  

4 p.m.: Ring of Fire 

5 p.m.: Jerusalem 

6 p.m.: Hubble     

Seating for each screening is limited. The Fleet Science Center recommends that visitors arrive at least 20 minutes before the film(s) of their choice to line up for theater admission.

For more information and the complete list of film synopsis, please visit www.fleetscience.org/events/imax-film-festival.