The Museum of Discovery and Science in downtown Fort Lauderdale has become a regional pilgrimage site for moviegoers eager to see Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster "The Odyssey" on the immersive 70mm IMAX format — a showing unavailable anywhere else in South Florida.
Rare format draws out-of-town audience
The AutoNation IMAX 3D Theater at the museum, which opened in 1992, is among a shrinking number of venues capable of projecting IMAX 70mm. According to museum officials, it is one of roughly 25 active IMAX 70mm theaters in the United States and about 40 worldwide. That scarcity has helped turn the film’s run in Fort Lauderdale into a destination event.
Moviegoers began lining up early for sold-out screenings, with some traveling long distances to attend. “When you want to see a really big film like this, this is where you come,” said David Neal, 53, who drove from Orlando for a Friday afternoon showing.
“As a science museum that has this incredible theater, our mission has always been connecting people to inspiring science. With the IMAX, we’re inspiring curiosity about filmmaking.” — Joseph Cox, CEO, Museum of Discovery and Science
Attendance, records and extended run
The museum reports it has sold 55,500 tickets for "The Odyssey" and is on track to surpass its previous single-film record of 57,200 tickets, set during the 2009 run of James Cameron’s "Avatar." The film, released in theaters July 17 and noted as the first feature shot entirely on IMAX film cameras, has broken box-office records nationally and spurred additional demand for premium presentations.
Museum CEO Joseph Cox said the run has attracted visitors from across the Southeast and beyond, including guests who drove from Atlanta and flew in from Chile and the Bahamas. The museum extended the film’s engagement through Sept. 16, though officials warn that tickets remain scarce.
- Venue: AutoNation IMAX 3D Theater, Museum of Discovery and Science (opened 1992)
- Tickets sold at MODS so far: 55,500
- Previous MODS record: 57,200 ("Avatar", 2009)
- Film run extended to: Sept. 16
- Format rarity: ~25 U.S. theaters; ~40 worldwide
Local implications
For Fort Lauderdale, the extended run brings both cultural cachet and economic activity. Visitors traveling to the museum for the IMAX presentation generate hotel stays, restaurant business and foot traffic in the downtown area. Museum leaders framed the screenings as part of their educational mission, saying the experience fosters curiosity about filmmaking and the technology behind large-format cinema.
While the museum did not release a detailed economic impact study, the combination of near-capacity screenings and out-of-market visitors suggests measurable benefits for downtown businesses. Museum officials also noted strong local interest: when tickets first went on sale last year, Cox said they sold out so quickly he could not buy one for himself and had to wait for another drop.
What to expect and how to attend
Screenings are limited and sell out quickly. The museum recommends checking its box office or website for remaining showtimes and available seats. Because the presentation uses original 70mm film projection on a six-story-high screen, the experience is markedly different from conventional digital or IMAX digital screenings and is drawing film enthusiasts who seek Nolan’s preferred viewing format.
As Fort Lauderdale continues to market itself as more than a beach destination, cultural draws such as the MODS IMAX run demonstrate how unique assets — in this case, one of the country’s few remaining 70mm-capable theaters — can amplify the city’s profile and bring visitors into the urban core.
