N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences to reopen 3D theater Friday

The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences announced Monday that it will reopen its refurbished WRAL 3D Theater, which closed because of COVID, on Friday, Aug. 13.

Four short nature films are on the schedule for showings Friday through Sunday, including old favorites “Tiny Giants” and “Great White Shark,” as well as new offerings “Incredible Predators” and “Volcanoes," according to a pres release. Recent theater upgrades, thanks to a $275,000 grant from the A.J. Fletcher Foundation, include an all-new sound system and 4K laser projector, making the 3D experience better than ever, the press release says.

Here are descriptions of the movies:

• “Tiny Giants” follows a chipmunk in a wild wood and a grasshopper mouse in a scorched Arizona desert as they find themselves alone for the first time. Using the incredibly immersive power of 3D, audiences are transported into another world to experience the titanic battles these creatures face to survive.
• “Great White Shark” unravels the mystery of the creature we love to fear — the much maligned, misrepresented and misunderstood great white shark — and goes to the depths of human daring to tell the true story of its role atop the oceanic food chain. Three years in the making, “Great White Shark” takes viewers around the world to great white hotspots.
• “Volcanoes” is a tale of science, culture and thrilling adventure. For billions of years, volcanoes have helped forge the world we know — from the continents to the air we breathe and even life itself. With over 500 active volcanoes, the Earth is bursting at the seams with these forces of mass construction.
• “Incredible Predators” deconstructs the world of major predators as never before, taking an intimate look at the remarkable strategies they use to succeed. Advanced filming techniques expose the planet’s top predators in extraordinary footage, putting the audience right beside them as they hunt – on land, under the sea or in the air.

Admission to the downtown Raleigh museum is free, as always. But tickets for the movies are $6 for adults; $5 for seniors, students and military; and $4 for kids ages 3 to 12. Museum members pay $3. Unvaccinated moviegoers should wear a mask. And masks are strongly encouraged for all regardless of their vaccination status. Head to the museum's website for the full schedule and ticket information.