RICHMOND, Va. -- The Science Museum of Virginia (SMV) on West Broad Street in Richmond is offering a new experience in The Dome by combining a laser show with popular music.
The debut show on Thursday is Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon.”
Timshel Purdum, the museum’s Virginia C. Ellett Deputy Director for Education, said the shows involve colorful beams projected as shapes, patterns, and images on The Dome’s nearly quarter-acre screen. The visuals are choreographed to the pulsating beats of music from the popular and legendary rock band.
“Music is absolutely science and math. We love math at the Science Museum, and lasers is Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It's actually an acronym, and, of course, it's science,” Purdum explained. “What could be more fun than the two together?”
Tickets are sold out for the Pink Floyd shows, but SMV plans to showcase more shows over the next year featuring Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and more. They rented 10 different shows from the developers, Laser Fantasy. Employees will share fun science facts prior to the start of each show.
“One of the reasons we're super excited to have lasers here is that our Dome is an amazing experience in and of itself, and this just gives us another opportunity to see the incredible technology and investment we've made into this space and to share it with all of our guests,” Purdum said.
Tickets for a three-day Halloween Spooktacular laser show at the end of October are on sale now through the museum’s website.
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