Reopening of Omni-Theatre, Science Centre Singapore

Before the days of 3D movies and IMAX cinema screen in Singapore, there was the Omni-Theatre at Science Centre Singapore (SCS). This futuristic state-of-the-art theatre then was opened in 1987 as part of Science Centre Singapore. Watching movies at the Omni-Theatre was always an amazing experience because unlike the usual cinema screen, the screen in the Omni-Theatre was huge and it surrounded the whole hall. Even after the local cinemas introduced 3D movies and IMAX screening, the Omni-Theatre remains an attraction for those who wanted to enjoy a different movie experience from the usual cinemas in the shopping malls.

Our Parenting World was invited to the reopening of the Omni-Theatre. This theatre has now been digitally enhanced with the world’s latest and brightest 8K digital planetarium system to offer an enhanced experience which will open to the public on 30 May 2015. The world-leading 8K fulldome digital planetarium system and power Digistar 5 visualisation software brings real-time data from overseas agencies such as NASA.

For the media preview, there were 2 shows. The first one was a live show on the introduction to the planetarium technology which is about 30 minutes by SCS Science Educators Yong Jian-Yi and Ishak Khan. The audience were brought through a journey to see various parts of our beautiful Earth including a satellite view of Singapore Island. We also saw how the Himalayan Mountains looked like from the top of the earth. Audience will be able to enjoy and learn more from the show which will be narrated in real time by the centre’s educators. 

This was then followed by the movie “Back to the Moon for Good” which is about 40 minutes. The movie was narrated by a well-known US Actor, Tim Allen, whom many of us remember him as the comedian in the TV show “Home Improvement”. This documentary film first started off with the history of moon exploration by United States and then Soviet Union. Unfortunately after a decade or so, the moon exploration projects were stopped in the 1970s.

Fast forward to 2007 when Google announced the launch of Google Lunar XPRIZE, a US$30 million incentive to stimulate a new generation of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to develop a robot that can successfully land on the moon’s surface, travel at least 500 meters and then, transmit images back to Earth. Many organisations around the world including universities are taking part in this contest to explore the moon.

“Back to the Moon for Good” is an excellent documentary show especially for children and adults who are interested in space and moon exploration. The newly reopened Omni-Theatre is suitable for this movie as audience will be able to enjoy the amazing and spectacular view that one can see in space and on the moon surface.

For more information about “Back to the Moon for Good” and other shows in the Omni-Theatre, please visit their website at http://www.omnitheatre.com.sg