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$1.3 Million Grant From OtterBox Brings Global Immersion Digital Dome to Fort Collins Museum of Discovery

A Global Immersion technician inspects two of the five F35 projectors.  Courtesy Fort Collins Museum of Discovery.

Fort Collins, CO, USA /BUSINESS WIRE/ — Stand in the middle of a redwood forest, chase balloons along Sesame Street or plunge past volcanoes on the surface of Venus — all in the 85-seat, 360-degree OtterBox Digital Dome Theater at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Funded by a $1.3 million donation from Fort Collins, Colo. case manufacturer OtterBox®, the OtterBox Digital Dome Theater is one of the premier experiences at the newly opened Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, located at 408 Mason Court, Fort Collins, Colo. Through the local company’s enthusiastic support, the OtterBox Digital Dome Theater brings inspirational adventures to visitors from the Northern Colorado region and throughout the world.

The centerpiece of the theater is a 36′ diameter 360 degree Spitz Nanoseam dome screen, tilted at 20 degrees for a truly immersive experience. The theater was designed and built by Global Immersion, a world leader in digital immersive theater installations, and seats 83. The technology behind the scenes includes:

  • Five projectiondesign F35 LED projectors, for a combined total resolution of over 4.3K pixels
  • Two racks of six high-performance workstations (one of which was donated by Hewlett-Packard) with NVIDIA Quadro 5000 graphics cards (donated by NVIDIA)
  • Professional 5.1 surround audio system

“Features like the OtterBox Digital Dome Theater help categorize Fort Collins as a progressive and innovative community,” OtterBox Founder and Chairman Curt Richardson said. “It’s important to educate youth and inspire them to constantly learn and grow. We are privileged to have a part in facilitating that throughout Fort Collins.”

The OtterBox Digital Dome Theater is an immersive, 85-seat, 360-degree theater space where the mysteries of the Universe or the delicate mechanisms of the cell unfold around the viewer. Much more than a traditional planetarium, the state-of-the-art high-resolution projection and sound systems creates a high-impact venue for the exploration of astronomy, biology, paleontology, earth and climate science, as well as natural and cultural history, music, art, and a host of other subjects. The possibilities for engaging and inspiring audiences are limitless.

A small stage at the front of the theatre could even offer opportunities for young musicians with an arena venue surrounding them or a couple to be wed on Mars.

“We are so grateful for this support,” Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Co-Director Annette Geiselman said. “Their commitment to this project has been remarkable,” Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Co-Director Cheryl Donaldson added.

Films with new adventures will be rotated in the coming months, current features include: Cosmic Journey: A Solar System Adventure; Life: A Cosmic Story; Dynamic Earth; National Geographic’s Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure; and One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure. All films are shown Tuesday – Sunday, passes can be purchased at the ticket desk.

About OtterBox:
Built upon fundamentals of hard work, innovation and perseverance, OtterBox is a leader in the production of premier protective solutions for global handheld manufacturers, wireless carriers and distributors. Incorporating creativity and cutting-edge design into every product, OtterBox creates sleek and durable cases that offer reliable device protection to complement any lifestyle.

OtterBox was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colo. In 2010 OtterBox established an EMEA headquarters in Ireland and an APAC headquarters in Hong Kong.

For more information, visit www.OtterBox.com. We’ve Got Technology Covered.

About Fort Collins Museum of Discovery:
Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is a state-of-the-art facility designed to engage visitors in hands-on and minds-on experiences in science and culture. Opportunities for support are ongoing. Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is located at 408 Mason Court, Fort Collins.

Joe Kleiman
Joe Kleimanhttp://wwww.themedreality.com
Raised in San Diego on theme parks, zoos, and IMAX films, InPark's Senior Correspondent Joe Kleiman would expand his childhood loves into two decades as a projectionist and theater director within the giant screen industry. In addition to his work in commercial and museum operations, Joe has volunteered his time to animal husbandry at leading facilities in California and Texas and has played a leading management role for a number of performing arts companies. Joe previously served as News Editor and has remained a contributing author to InPark Magazine since 2011. HIs writing has also appeared in Sound & Communications, LF Examiner, Jim Hill Media, The Planetarian, Behind the Thrills, and MiceChat His blog, ThemedReality.com takes an unconventional look at the attractions industry. Follow on twitter @ThemesRenewed Joe lives in Sacramento, California with his wife, dog, and a ghost.

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