FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2013

Media Contacts:

Kim Ramsden/Chris Bauer, PR Co-Directors, (651) 221-9423

Sarah Imholte, PR Coordinator, (651) 221-9412
Peg Roessler, PR Representative, (952) 949-6550

OMNIFEST 2013 KICKS OFF MAY 10, BRINGING FIVE GIANT SCREEN FILMS TO

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTAS OMNITHEATER

Popular giant screen film festival will feature Omnitheater classics and a never-before-seen feature

St. Paul, Minn. From May 10 through June 20, the Science Museum of Minnesotas William L. McKnight-3M Omnitheater will host one of its most popular traditions. Omnifest 2013, an annual giant screen film festival, will feature five films running in rotation on the Omnitheaters 90-foot domed screen. Tickets are on sale now. Additional media information is online at www.smm.org/media.

Omnifest 2013 viewers will get a front-row seat to experience larger-than-life adventures from the jungles of Gombe National Park in Tanzania to the barren, breathtaking landscapes of Antarctica. Included in this years festival is the Science Museums own Jane Goodalls Wild Chimpanzees, Antarctica, Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West, Wild Ocean, and Tornado Alley. With such a diverse film line-up, Omnitheater viewers of all ages and interests will find something to enjoy, making it an ideal family destination this spring.

Tornado Alley
Viewers will join Storm Chasers star Sean Casey and the researchers of VORTEX 2, an ambitious project that seeks to understand the origins and evolution of tornadoes, on a heart-pounding science adventure through the severe weather capital of the world. Theyll get a close-up look at the relentless strength of natures most dramatic and least understood weather phenomena all from the comfort and safety of their Omnitheater seats.

Wild Ocean

Each year a feeding frenzy of sharks, dolphins, whales and other big game fish takes place along the Wild Coast of South Africa, as billions of sardines migrate up the KwaZulu-Natal Coast. Wild Ocean, showing for the first time in the Twin Cities during Omnifest, delves into this underwater struggle and examines the effects that global warming and over fishing have had on the great migration and local people. Please note: A media screening of Wild Ocean will be held on Wednesday, May 1, at 9 a.m. Please RSVP to Sarah Imholte at simholte@smm.org.

Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees
A Science Museum of Minnesota original production, Jane Goodalls Wild Chimpanzees will transport viewers into the African wilderness for the journey of a lifetime. Theyll meet Goodalls now-famous chimpanzee subjects and get an up-close look at them as they hunt, play, and communicate with one another. And theyll meet the next generation of researchers at Gombe, whose mission it is to carry on Dr. Goodalls legendary work.

Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West
Viewers will travel back 200 years and journey alongside explorers Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery as they forge frigid waters, cross treacherous terrain, and face the limits of human knowledge as they traverse the unmapped American West to reach the Pacific Ocean. Theyll experience an inspiring story of exploration and discovery and revel in the triumph of the human spirit.

Antarctica
Omnitheater viewers will see hauntingly beautiful, barren landscapes, get a glimpse of the exotic wildlife that call Antarctica home, and discover the exciting scientific research thats underway in this mysterious, delicate ecosystem. The Omnitheaters giant screen will transport them to the breathtaking, icy expanse of the worlds southernmost continent.

Omnifests five films will run in rotation, Tuesday through Sunday (note: the Science Museum and Omnitheater are closed on Mondays). Find a complete schedule at www.smm.org/omnifest. Tickets are $9 for adults and $8 for kids ages 4 to 12 and seniors. Subsequent same-day films are 15% off of the original price. As with all Omnitheater showings, advance reservations are strongly recommended and are available by visiting www.smm.org or calling (651) 221-9444.

The Science Museum of Minnesota is the regions leading museum attraction. Its William L. McKnight-3M Omnitheater, which features a nine-story domed screen and a state-of-the-art sound system, is one of only four convertible dome theaters in the world. The museum is located at 120 West Kellogg Boulevard in downtown St. Paul, on the banks of the Mississippi River. For museum hours, directions, and visit information, visitors can call (651) 221-9444 or visit www.smm.org.

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