While I might like to pretend that I went to the Museum of Science in Boston (MOS) just to gain knowledge on a variety of subjects, the underlying purpose of my visit to was to see the new Dolphins movie by MacGillivray Freeman Films.  I live in Boston and have not been to the Museum since I was a child.  But as a new diver, when I saw the trailer for Dolphins I heard a whispering voice that told me I had to see the movie.  Some people might say it was a siren calling to me, but I prefer to think it was a helpful voice that wanted me to share my experience at the museum with you.

The logistics of visiting the Museum are pretty simple, at least to a person who lives here and is ambulatory.  I would like to encourage the adventurous to take the subway.  The "T" is by far the cheapest way to get to the museum.  At $1.00 for adults it beats the all day parking of $14.50 hands down.  If your kids are going along they might prefer the "T" to lengthy traffic jams caused by the BigDig!  The subway system is simple to use and generally efficient, clean and safe.  Another consideration in choosing transportation is that the museum parking lot only holds 1000 cars.   During school vacations and summer visits a full lot may greet an afternoon visitor.  Get there early during peak times if the subway and walking are out of the question!

I encourage you to get as much information as you are interested in from the museum's extensive web site at www.mos.org.  It explains in some detail what is available and how to get it.   This includes specific daily information on exactly what it is showing at the Omni Theater.   The site also allows you to purchase tickets for the Omni Theater through moviefone.com.  There is the usual service charge on this purchase.  You can charge tickets to make sure that you get in during prime times, but after I decided it made no sense to spend the combination ticket savings in service fees, I just walked over there during my lunch hour and bought the tickets then.

The museum is laid out simply; they provide maps with color-coding.  Like most museums, there is quite a bit of walking around, so wear sensible shoes.  Sometimes substance IS more important than style.  There are exhibits and interactive activities for children of all ages.  I like some of the older fashioned ones like the lightening show, the model ship exhibit and the live animal shows.  There is very limited seating, most people stand or sit on the floor during the performance.  I thought the Virtual Fish Tank was confusing.  It is probably perfect for a ten year old.  The Museum also has lots of information on many areas, including a library; a very useful hideaway during hectic times.  Actually, the museum was not as noisy as some other places where children are in evidence, like Chuck E. Cheese’s. 

When you buy your admission tickets you also can buy the extra exhibits you want to attend.  I booked the two Omni theater shows that were playing on the date when we were there, The Mysteries of Egypt and Dolphins.  The combo prices allow for additional savings. The Mysteries of Egypt was narrated by Omar Sharif and had many of the eye-popping effects Omni viewers are getting used to seeing.  If you have never been to an Omni theater, it is quite a sensory experience.  The screens vary in size and positioning, but they are all HUGE.  The best description I have heard is it feels like looking into the inside of a space helmet.  Some of the movies are in 3-D and you get special headsets to get the full effect.  I saw Across the Sea of Time in New York and had to close my eyes at times when the camera ‘flew’ over the city.  Don’t let this stop you from seeing a film, I had a great time.  Besides, all you have to do if things get too much is to close your eyes for a moment. 

Filming in the IMAX format is complex enough on land, but under water special considerations are required.  First, the camera itself weighs a hundred pounds, then the waterproof  housing weighs another hundred and fifty pounds.  Finally, because of the camera size the crew can only film for three minutes at a time!   I do not think wild dolphins actually pose much.   Being patient must be an extremely important part of the crew’s life.  Look at www.dolphinsfilm.com for more in-depth information.  I loved this site too!  They also include information about the scientists profiled in Dolphins.

One consideration in the MOS theater is to get into line for admission early so you can pick your seats, fifteen or twenty minutes should be enough time.  We were seated in the lower middle of the theater and I found it hard on my neck.  I felt molded into an awkward position.  At that time I was having a problem with a pinched nerve and that may have been why I was uncomfortable.  Between the features you can change seats if you have tickets for the next show without getting back into line.  We used this feature to move much higher up in the seats.  This made the Dolphins film much easier to watch.  I also prefer a panoramic view wherever I go, the theater, movies, sporting events.

 I have finally gotten to the point of this article! Dolphins was worth all the running around.  They really captured the feeling of swimming in the water with dolphins.  In the IMAX format, the dolphins are actually much larger than life. The graphics and maps were fun and informative.  The music had a light beat that encouraged the swim- with-dolphins-feeling.  The soundtrack includes songs by Sting. Watching the movie, I kept thinking these people have great jobs.   Playing with dolphins all the time.  Of course they do hard work too, getting money for research is not easy.   Neither is chasing a dolphin in the open ocean!

One of the researchers profiled in the video is Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, who is studying dolphin-to-dolphin communication.  Trying to sort out what dolphins are saying to each other seems like a daunting task, but her attitude was very positive.  I enjoyed the movie and recommend it even for non-divers!  The other scientists are just as interesting and in their specific fields, however this is not a dry picture.  It is simply and beautifully presented in a way that I think any child old enough to go to school would enjoy.  Toddlers might get tired of looking at the pretty fish; but then again they might not. 

There are several views about non-researchers swimming with dolphins.  I loved it and will write about the experience in the future.  If you are fortunate enough to see these magnificent animals in the wild count yourself blessed and cherish the memory.  Seeing them in the Omni theater is as close as you can get without getting wet.  

Recommended Reading:

Cahill, Tim. 2000. Dolphins. Picture intensive, beautiful photography with text to match. The companion book to the movie.

Carwardine, David Bellamy.  1999. The Book of Dolphins.  Collins & Brown.  Dolphin intelligence, social organization, physiology, strandings, and use in rescue and military operations are some of the topics covered, along with copious color photos.

Dudzinski, Kathleen. 2000. Meeting Dolphins: My Adventures in the Sea. Geared to younger readers, but great for grownups too!  This might be a good way to get younger people interested in dolphins.  Or get it after the movie as a reminder.

Additional Armchair Adventures

To add to the experience, check out the Showtime page on the www.mos.org site and look at the streaming video of the trailer over RealPlayer, took only moments to load.  The pictures are not perfect, but you will get the idea. Audio was on the mos.org site as well.  The Museum should have this for all movies!

Look at the Dolphins Film site at www.dolphinfilms.com. They even have daily dolphin research reports.  Go there!

Listen to the Soundtrack: Dolphins (Film 2000) with Sting, with other artists.  Melodic and soothing.  You can listen to samples of the songs on amazon.com site.

Dolphins -- IMAX, the movie, available on VHS and DVD 10/31/00.  The obvious dimension of sheer scale of the IMAX can never be duplicated on the home TV, but this will be a movie that you'll want to watch over and over and over again.

Merle, Robert.  1970.  The Day of the Dolphin. Various publishers.  In the late '60s interest was growing in dolphin communication and the possibilities of human interaction.  Enter the bad guys, and Merle's successful "thriller" which I remember not being able to put down.  It's out of print but still available at auction on www.eBay.com.  If you don't like all that excitement, check out www.Bibliofind.com.

In 1973 The Day of the Dolphin  became a movie, later on video.  Directed by Mike Nichols and starring George C. Scott, the story dropped a few notches, to a blend of comedy and suspense, however the water footage is very good.  Worth having, but also out of print. Usually available at auction, www.eBay.com

Smith, Penelope.  2000. Dolphin Talk: An Animal Communicator Shares Her Connection. Beyond Words Publishing Co.  This audiocassette relates the author's personal experiences with dolphins, and includes dolphin song recordings.

Webster's Publishing.  2000. Whales & Dolphins of the World.  Webster's Publishing.   This is a multimedia CD-ROM.  We have not seen it but the description promises a comprehensive treatment.