Museum of Science, Boston

Press Release [Return to listing page]

March 22, 2008

BOSTON — On March 22, 2008 — the internationally recognized date for World Water Day — audiences in the Mugar Omni Theater will head west and join a small group of adventurers as they raft the whitewaters of the Colorado River. Presented on New England's only 180-degree domed screen, Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk combines the thrills of a rollercoaster river ride with a clear call to action.

Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk tells the story of three parents and their daughters rafting down the Colorado River and encountering all of the changes that have occurred in the Grand Canyon over the past 130 years. Author and anthropologist Wade Davis and environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. bring their college-bound daughters, Tara Davis and Kick Kennedy, on an awe-inspiring trip down one of America's mightiest rivers. They are guided by Shana Watahomigie, a member of the Havasupai Tribe and the first Native American to become a National Park Ranger and river guide, with her daughter Cree. Narrated by Robert Redford, the film presents arresting imagery on the giant screen of the Grand Canyon today juxtaposed with images of the past. The score for Grand Canyon Adventure was composed and arranged by Steve Wood and Stefan Lessard, with music and songs contributed by the Dave Matthews Band.

The expedition was designed to showcase a looming crisis — the disappearance of fresh, clean water and wild rivers around the globe. The Colorado River, long considered a living spirit by the Native Americans who inhabited its shores, once ran 1,400 miles from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Today, the river's lower half no longer consistently reaches the sea. This magnificent river, which provides water and power to 25 million Americans, is shrinking and much of its indigenous wildlife has disappeared.

According to producer Greg MacGillivray, "In Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk, the river becomes a metaphor for global water issues, revealing how interconnected rivers, water supply, and human actions are." Like the Ganges and the Nile, the Colorado River flows through deserts, and all three are greatly over-used. Grand Canyon Adventure highlights the urgent need for preservation and management of the world's remaining fresh water habitats for future generations.

For every ticket sold on World Water Day (March 22) and Earth Day (April 22), the producers will donate $1 towards building enough wells to benefit thousands of African school children. MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation will work with Ryan's Well Foundation to build the wells at schools in northern Uganda, where decades of conflict have been devastating to children's everyday lives.

Sponsored locally by The MathWorks, Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk show in the Mugar Omni Theater from March 22 — September 1, 2008. Admission to the Mugar Omni Theater is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors (60 +) and $7 for children (3-11). Evening Omni Discounts are available daily, after 6 p.m.: $6.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors, and $4.50 for children. For more information or to purchase tickets in advance, please call 617-723-2500, (TTY) 617-589-0417, or visit mos.org.

April as Earth Month at the Museum of Science

The Museum will also present an array of special exhibits and programs on the environment, alternative energy, and animals in their ecosystems, from the stunning Double Exposure exhibit to Nanotechnology and Alternative Energy community forum and hands-on Designing a Windmill activities. For release with details, call Media Relations: 617-589-0250.

About the newly renovated Mugar Omni Theater

From September 4 through late-November, 2007, the Mugar Omni Theater — home to New England's only 180-degree IMAX ® Dome screen — is undergoing a $750,000 transformation. The domed screen, which is five-stories high and 76 feet in diameter, wraps around viewers — providing an immersive experience. Scheduled renovations include a 420-panel Premium Seam Dome made from custom-cut, powder-coded aluminum panels, which will improve film viewing by providing a smooth projection surface — an upgrade from the past dome screen, comprised of 500 vinyl-coated aluminum panels. The new, vertical seams will have less overlap and the horizontal seams will have no overlap — virtually invisible when films are projected on it. Additionally, a digital video projection system will accommodate a wide range of media including live feeds of televised events. Audiences will also enjoy new seating in the theater, which accommodates 335 viewers and has welcomed more than 15 million visitors since it first opened its doors in 1987.

About World Water Day

The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The United Nations General Assembly designated March 22nd of each year as the World Day for Water by adopting a resolution. This world day for water was to be observed starting in 1993, in conformity with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development contained in chapter 18 (Fresh Water Resources) of Agenda 21. For more information, visit worldwaterday.org