Monday, July 4, 2011

Omni Theater IMAX Dome Screen In Singapore


Many complain that there are very few things to do in Singapore. But on the other hand many would agree that there are quite a lot of things you can only do in Singapore. Night Safari, Universal Studios Singapore, Flight Experience Singapore are just few to count. But there is also another great attraction which is usually overlooked even by people living in Singapore: IMAX Omni Theatre in Science Centre Singapore. It is a great attraction, especially for the kids. Here there is an IMAX Dome which is currently showing 2 great movies: Hubble and Legend of Flights.

 IMAX is a technology you have probably heard before. It is a motion picture film format and a cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation [1]. IMAX movies are far sharper and clearer because they are recorded on a special film which is 10 times the size of conventional 35 mm movie frame in your typical movie theatre.

Omni Theatre in Singapore is a IMAX Dome screen. Which means the screen is not flat but shaped as a dome. It is a 5 storey screen measures 16m in height (5 storeys) and 23m in diameter.  The screen Stretches 180 degrees from wall to wall and is tilted at a 30 degree angle to the horizon, so it “wraps” over the audience giving a lateral view of 180 degrees and a vertical view of 125 degrees. This far exceeds a person’s field of vision. The screen is made of aluminium so achieves 30% reflectivity (enhanced clarity) and it is has 43.54 million perforations which allow air from the air-conditioners and sound from the speakers to pass through to the audience. [2]

This translates into a movie experience where the viewer is sucked into the movie.

IMAX Dome Screen - Source : www.omnitheatre.com.sg

Currently you can watch 2 IMAX movies here: Hubble and The Legend of Flight. Hubble is a 43 minutes long IMAX 2D movie about the Hubble space telescope, one of the most successful space programs of all times. It features the repair mission to Hubble.

The Legend Of Flight is a 41 minutes IMAX 2D movie which through the eyes legendary pilot Mike Carriker, features how seminal airplanes of the 20th century have influenced the design of the Dreamliner.[2] It features some milestone aircraft from Stearman wooden plane to Airbus A380 and Boeing 787. You can also have a rare chance of watching a modern commercial airliner under construction.






IMAX Dome Screen is in Science Centre Singapore, which apart from this attraction has many things to offer. It is at the west end of the island, near Jurong East MRT Station which is on green MRT line. While there, if you have time I also suggest you to visit Chinese Garden which is 1 MRT stop away from Jurong East MRT Station.

[1] – Wikipedia – IMAX
[2] – Omni Theatre Singapore

2 comments:

  1. Why haven't you mentioned the recently opened IMAX theater at Shaw House in Orchard road?

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  2. Hi Erik,

    I haven't heard of it and been there. I would write an article on it when I give it a try. Or I would be happy to publish if you can share your experience with us. Is it the only IMAX here?

    ReplyDelete