ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Science Center is in the final stages of a major renovation to its dome theater, transforming the space into the new Dome by Dr. Phillips Charities with an 8K digital projection system, upgraded audio and a redesigned lobby intended to immerse visitors before the show even begins.
Inside the active construction zone, crews this week began installing 315 new seats, a key milestone as the venue transitions from its original film projector to a higher-resolution, digital format.
Stephen Holt, Vice President of Facilities & Exhibits at the Orlando Science Center, said the move to 8K will significantly expand programming options.
“It opens up so many doors and avenues of so much more content than we haven’t had in the past,” Holt said. The upgrade also allows the science center to return to “our roots of planetarium shows,” he added, along with bringing back laser light shows “bigger and better” than before.
The seating redesign was engineered specifically for dome viewing, where much of the experience happens overhead.
“We’re not just a movie theater, we’re also a planetarium,” Holt said. “So those back angles are critical for that guest experience.”
The renovation includes a new perforated aluminum dome screen designed to work with speakers positioned behind it. The material, known as Nano-SIM, allows sound and airflow to pass through while appearing solid during projection, Holt said.
Once the seat installation is complete, the project will move to soundproofing and final finishes before entering what staff call “dark time” — a period when construction pauses so projection and integration teams can calibrate the system for opening night.
Beyond the theater, the science center is also reworking the lobby to create a more immersive queue experience. Plans include a large-format LED display, multiple high-resolution digital projectors and automated concession vending, Holt said. The lobby’s curved digital wall is expected to run floor-to-ceiling, displaying thematic content that matches the show inside — from space imagery for planetarium films to wildlife visuals for nature programming.
The Orlando Science Center said it is aiming for a late May 2026 opening for the renovated dome.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.