State Museum Upgrades Planetarium & 4D Theater With 4K Visuals and More

The South Carolina State Museum completed exciting upgrades to both its planetarium and 4D theater in 2022, adding cutting-edge video software and technology to make guests' experiences even more immersive.

Trips across our world and in outer space now look better than ever in both theaters with the addition of new state-of-the-art Christie projectors that use lasers to produce stunning 4K resolution visuals.

"You should see a noticeable difference," says Doug Beermann, Director of Operations, "The new laser projected image is phenomenal- 50% brighter, with more intense, rich colors and clarity."

In addition to vastly improved image quality, a new digital sky system, upgraded 3D technology and other software additions will further enhance guests' adventures in the planetarium and 4D theater. According to the museum's Planetarium Manager, Liz Klimek, "It's a whole new universe." Planetarium guests will now see the full splendor of the night sky with stunning star displays and take realistic visits to other worlds like the Moon and Mars.

The updated digital sky system also comes with new software that enables the development of educational content beyond astronomy, from earth science and physics to biology, chemistry and art. Immersive journeys to Antarctica, jungles and more in the 4D theater are now accessible to all museum guests with updated closed-captioning and descriptive audio systems.

More quality-of-life upgrades are on the way for both theaters over the course of this year as the State Museum continues to invest in providing high-quality show experiences for its guests. The museum invites guests see these exciting theater transformations for themselves this summer by enjoying a brand-new planetarium and 4D experience on their next visit.