Construction of Maui Ocean Center’s new Humpbacks of Hawaii Exhibit Hall and 3D Dome Theater has begun! The 1,200-square-foot exhibit and 139-seat dome theater bring together an immersive, educational experience focusing on the humpback whales’ nomadic lifestyle, behavior along their migration routes, and the different roles they engage in. Driven by the idea of creating an experience too large for a tank, the dome theater combines groundbreaking technology and majestic cinematography to bring guests face-to-face with humpback whales while experiencing the beauty and power of nature. Designed with ongoing feedback from Maui’s cultural and scientific communities, Maui Ocean Center plans include the theater as a venue for community-based events to support non-profit and scientific organizations. The theater will be Maui’s first planetarium, which allows for presentations such as celestial navigation workshops and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s “Science on a Sphere.” The Humpbacks of Hawaii Exhibit Hall and 3D Dome Theater is anticipated to open late fall 2018.
