After two months of testing, Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry is set to open the nation's second largest planetarium.
The Digital Dome Theatre, on East Fowler Avenue across from the University of Souh Florida, will be available to guests starting April 1.
The eight-story structure, which will seat more than 300 people, will feature a 10,000-square-foot curved screen with 10 state-of-the-art digital projectors.
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The dome, which will be the new home of the Saunders Planetarium, replaces the IMAX theater, which had a capacity of 45 people.
The 360-degree theater is also seen as an educational destination for field trips for students across the Tampa Bay area.
“We’ve set the date for a powerful moment for Tampa Bay," MOSI CEO John Graydon Smith said in a news release. "We cannot wait for hundreds of jaws to drop at once when they see how this multimillion-dollar effort has brought one of America’s top STEM learning experiences to our area.”
One show will be included with MOSI admission, with an additional show costing $5.
A combination of foundation, private and community support funded the upgrades, according to the release.
WUSF reporter Craig Kopp contributed to this report.
