The next 3D film the city’s residents watch, may not be at a conventional cinema hall.
In about two months, the government museum, Egmore is set to open an exclusive theatre that will screen 3D films. The concept, already widely popular across the city’s cinema complexes, is being brought in to the museum to attract more visitors. Once opened, it will be the first of its kind facility in a State museum.
About 60 per cent of the work to establish the 3D theatre in the building housing the children’s museum has been completed so far. Though the Science City complex in Kotturpuram has the facility to screen 3D films, the upcoming theatre at the museum will be a sophisticated air-conditioned facility, officials said.
A source at the museum said that the project, worth Rs. 40 lakh, also aims at renovating the children’s museum, and making it completely air-conditioned.
“We plan to screen science-oriented films. We are waiting for equipment to be provided by the National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata. The theatre will play five shows and screen a 20-minute long film,” said an official.
Museum authorities plan to charge a nominal fee of Rs. 20 for the shows, and will use the money for the theatre’s maintenance. In the long run, the 3D theatre will be upgraded to a 5D theatre, officials added.
At present, the children’s museum is visited by 1,000 people every day, and the number of visitors increases during weekends. With the improvement to the children’s museum and the addition of the 3D theatre, museum authorities expect footfalls to increase significantly.
Currently, the museum for children in the complex houses galleries of dolls adorned with costumes of different countries, various civilisations and also exhibits pertaining to science, transportation and technology. However, most of these exhibits are static.
To make the exhibits more lively and interactive for visitors, especially schoolchildren, museum authorities also plan to improve their collection. Ten mannequins decked up in national and international traditional costumes will be added to the dolls galleries.
Besides introducing ‘touch and feel’ exhibits that are popular in museums abroad, the children’s museum will also soon have interactive science exhibits. Demonstrations of science experiments will be organised every hour at the science corner and the play equipment in the kids’ corner will also be improved. The entire project is set to be completed by April.
