After years of anticipation, Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry opened its doors to students and community members this week, revealing a transformation of its iconic blue dome into an immersive educational experience that officials say will revolutionize STEM learning in the region.
The former IMAX theater has been reborn as the Digital Dome Theatre and Saunders Planetarium, featuring a massive 10,000-square-foot curved screen that wraps around viewers with imagery powered by ten state-of-the-art Christie digital projectors using 8K technology.
“We’re talking about pull-you-in and blow-your-mind educational fun,” said MOSI CEO John Graydon Smith, who watched as first-graders from Forest Hills Elementary School became the first students to experience the new facility during an inaugural field trip on Monday.
The $4 million initial investment has transformed the long-dormant space, which had been closed since 2017, into the second-largest planetarium in America – missing the top spot by just a few feet to New Jersey’s Liberty Science Center.
For six-year-old Allison Morales Santiz, the experience was jaw-dropping. As the dome darkened and the night sky of Tampa appeared overhead, complete with visible planets and constellations, squeals rose from the crowd of Hillsborough County students attending the first field trip. The immersive view then rushed forward through space, prompting children to raise their hands as if catching meteors whizzing by.
The revitalized theater expands capacity from just 46 guests at MOSI’s previous planetarium to more than 300 people, addressing a longtime limitation that prevented many school groups from experiencing the facility. This expansion comes at a strategic time for the region’s educational priorities.
“This investment at MOSI will give students in Tampa Bay the biggest and best STEM learning destination anywhere in the southeastern U.S.,” Smith said, noting that jobs in science, technology, engineering and math fields are projected to grow nearly four times faster than non-STEM positions through 2031, according to MOSI officials.
NASA astronaut and Clearwater native Nicole Stott joined museum officials in cutting the ribbon on the new facility, which officials expect to eventually represent a $10 million investment as additional learning labs and dining options are added to the iconic blue dome building.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor highlighted the project’s economic significance during the facility’s development phase. “MOSI plays an incredible part in continuing to develop that skilled workforce for those future jobs, many of which we couldn’t even describe today,” Castor said.
The dome’s high-tech porous metal NanoSeam screen creates an unusually immersive experience, with images that appear sharper and brighter than anything previously available in the Tampa Bay region. The theater will offer a variety of programming, from tours of constellations enhanced with images from the James Webb and Hubble space telescopes to 360-degree movies that simulate underwater expeditions.
One show is included with general admission to the museum, with additional shows available for $5 each. Smith even promised something unexpected for the venue – a Taylor Swift laser light show in the coming months, highlighting the dome’s versatility beyond strictly educational programming.
For museum leaders, the reopening represents more than just a new attraction – it’s a declaration of MOSI’s commitment to its current location on East Fowler Avenue across from the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus.
“I’ve been here two years and am tired of having people ask me when we’re moving downtown,” Smith noted during the facility’s development. “We’re here. We’re surrounded by kids. We’re seeing a quarter of a million visitors a year.”
Perhaps most significantly, the expanded capacity means more students can access high-quality STEM experiences. Hillsborough County Public Schools has committed to bringing every fourth-grade student through MOSI on annual field trips, ensuring thousands of local children have the opportunity to experience science in a uniquely immersive environment.