Lewis and Clark’s Expedition Comes to Life at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s IMAX® Theater
DENVER—September 8 , 2003—It’s been 200 years since Lewis and Clark set out to explore what was to become the western United States. Beginning October 10, 2003, visitors to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Phipps IMAX Theater can learn about their legendary expedition in Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West, produced by National Geographic Television and Film.
The film tells the story of Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery and the first overland expedition to the Pacific Ocean and back, a journey lasting three years. It also shows the spectacular wildlife the group encountered, the punishing winters they endured, the diverse Native American tribes they met and the breathtaking vistas the explorers experienced on their journey into uncharted territory.
At the turn of the 19th century, the West was virtually unknown to American settlers. It was believed that woolly mammoths still roamed the plains and volcanoes erupted in this unexplored land. President Thomas Jefferson was captivated by the stories of the West and longed to have it explored. Jefferson commissioned his valued aide, Meriwether Lewis, to lead an expedition across the United States, pushing onward through foreign land to the Pacific Ocean.
In 1803, the unexpected acquisition of the Louisiana Territory vastly increased the size of the United States and meant that Lewis, along with frontiersman William Clark (an old army friend of Lewis’s), would be the first to scientifically explore this new American land. The main mission was to find the legendary “Northwest Passage,” a water route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West follows the grueling 8,000-mile expedition past buffalo-filled prairies, through thick forests and over raging river rapids. The film features the expedition’s launch up the great Missouri River and chronicles the trip west. It reveals how the success of the trek was dependent on the generosity of Native American tribes, particularly the young Indian interpreter, Sacagawea, who accompanied the small expedition with her infant son, providing invaluable guidance and assistance.
Making the film was a challenge in itself. The biggest obstacle for filmmakers was portraying the American West as it was 200 years. “It was challenging to find places that had no modern intrusions—places that had no buoys in the river, no railroad tracks alongside it—and areas with completely pristine vistas where cameras and actors could go,” said Lisa Truitt, producer of Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West. The crew also battled wildfires. Some filming had to be delayed six months because the fires of 2000 in Idaho and Montana were the worst in many years.
Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West is one of many major events scheduled to unfold over the next several years to commemorate the bicentennial of the expedition. A traveling exhibition about the journey will open at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in May 2005. Made possible through funding by Eddie Bauer, Inc. and the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation, Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West is produced by National Geographic Television and Film, distributed by Destination Cinema, Inc. and is endorsed by the National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial. Actor Jeff Bridges narrates the film.
Museum Information
Background: The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain Region’s leading resource for informal science education. A variety of engaging exhibits, discussions and activities help Museum visitors celebrate and understand the natural wonders of Colorado, Earth and the universe. Visitors are invited to participate in science learning and become more engaged with what they see, feel and hear. During adventures at the Museum, you’ll learn about current science topics in the news. You’ll also experience the prehistoric past.
Standard Hours of Operation, Ticket Pricing and Discounts: The Museum is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed December 25). General Museum admission tickets are $9 each for adults and $6 each for juniors (ages 3-18) and seniors (60+). IMAX tickets are $8 each for adults and $5.50 each for juniors (ages 3-18) and seniors (60+). Combination tickets and group discounts available. Between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, Planetarium tickets may be added to the price of Museum admission. Combination Museum/Gates Planetarium tickets are $13 each for adults and $9 each for juniors (ages 3-18) and seniors (60+). After 5 p.m. tickets to the Gates Planetarium are $8 each for adults and $5.50 each for juniors (ages 3-18) and seniors (60+).
