About
Blue Whales: Return of the Giants narrated by award-winning actor Andy Serkis, takes viewers on a journey of a lifetime to explore the world of the magnificent blue whale, a species rebounding from the brink of extinction. Blue whales are the largest animals ever to have lived, bigger than any dinosaur, yet we know surprisingly little about them.
Blue Whales: Return of the Giants will entertain audiences of all ages and transform our understanding of these iconic creatures. The film follows two scientific expeditions: one, a high-risk mission to find a missing population of blue whales, not seen in 50 years; and the other, to join Diane Gendron, the “Blue Whale Whisperer,” in Mexico’s Gulf of California, where she and her team explore the important role these remarkable animals play in the health of our oceans.
The film provides an unforgettable window into the lives these animals live—and the extremes scientists must endure to study them. Joined by a cast of supporting characters—from dolphins and sperm whales to sea lions and orcas—the blue whale finally gets its star turn…in life size on the giant screen!
RATING: G – General Audiences
RUNTIME: Approx. 45 minutes.
Tickets for OMNIMAX® films are available online, at the Science Center or by calling our box office at 314.289.4400. Feature films may have special pricing. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
Showtimes
Thursday, July 18
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Friday, July 19
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Saturday, July 20
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Sunday, July 21
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Monday, July 22
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Thursday, July 25
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Friday, July 26
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Saturday, July 27
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Sunday, July 28
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Monday, July 29
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Thursday, August 01
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Friday, August 02
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Saturday, August 03
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Sunday, August 04
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Monday, August 05
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Thursday, August 08
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Friday, August 09
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Saturday, August 10
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Sunday, August 11
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Monday, August 12
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Thursday, August 15
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Friday, August 16
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Saturday, August 17
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Sunday, August 18
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Monday, August 19
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Thursday, August 22
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Friday, August 23
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Saturday, August 24
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Sunday, August 25
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Monday, August 26
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Thursday, August 29
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Friday, August 30
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Saturday, August 31
OMNIMAX: Blue Whales
Blue Whale Quick Facts!
- The blue whale is the biggest animal to have ever lived and can grow up to 100 feet long.
- A blue whale’s heart is about the size of a golf cart.
- Blue whales can eat up to 16 tons of food a day, which would fill an entire dump truck.
- At the surface, the heart rate of a blue whale is about 33 beats per minute. During a dive, that rate can slow to as low as 2 beats per minute.
- The feces of a blue whale is extremely rich in nutrients, and acts as a vital fertiliser for the ocean.
- Every blue whale has a unique spot pattern and dorsal fin shape. These markings are like fingerprints. Scientists can use them to identify individual whales.
- Blue whales have two blowholes, each over a foot in diameter! When the whale exhales, its blow can reach 370 miles per hour and shoot 30 feet into the air.
- Blue whales’ throats are elastic, like accordions. They can expand to hold up to 20,000 gallons of water when the whales lunge for food.
- Massive back muscles power the blue whale’s enormous tail. The tail can reach 25 feet wide, and generate twice as much force as an F-15 fighter jet.
- A blue whale’s eye is the size of a grapefruit, but that’s small for such a big body.
- Colossal squid, one-third the length of blue whales, have eyes the size of soccer balls!
- The blue whale’s lower jaw is made up of two bones called mandibles. They’re the biggest bones on Earth, letting the whales take huge gulps of krill-filled water.
- The small bones in the tail of the whale, called vestigial hip bones, are evolutionary relics. They’re evidence that whales evolved from four-legged ancestors, which walked on land.
- A blue whale can hold a lot of air in its lungs — about as much as 335 party balloons!
- A whale can dive for up to 90 minutes at a time.
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Movie Pricing
This is a paid experience. Ages |
Price
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|---|---|
| Members | FREE* |
| Children (ages 2-12) | $9.50 |
| Adults (ages 13-59) | $11.50 |
| Seniors (ages 60+) | $9.50 |
| College Students with ID | $9.50 |
| Military | $9.50 |
Groups: $8.50 per person for all groups
*Free tickets based on membership level
Become a Member
Ocean Rumbles: How do blue whales communicate?
It’s one of the most common questions students ask: What do whales sound like? Oceanographer Kate Stafford has spent her career listening to whale calls and trying to figure out what messages they’re sending far beneath the ocean surface — and her insight into observing patterns is a lesson we can apply to nature of all scales. Explore the activity guide, facilitation videos, and the interactive Whale Beats to dive deeper into how whales and other ocean creatures communicate — and what we can learn by listening in!
Activity Guide
Did you know sound is something we can see? In this activity, you will explore how we can “see” sound by using a photophone, a DIY tool that converts sound into visual patterns. Check out the instructions on how to make one, or read about other ways to visualize sounds. You will also listen to whale calls and match what they hear to pictures of those same calls.
Whale Talk: How do you measure a Blue Whale?
Ever wonder how we measure 80-foot blue whales in the ocean? Using math, technology, and photographs, scientists can estimate the size of a blue whale and much more. Hear wildlife biologist, Dr. David Cade, as he explains the incredible feat of sizing up a blue whale.
Activity Guide
How BIG is a blue whale? Engage to find out! Part 1 of the activity begins with a hands-on exploration in measuring your own body and then applying the principles of ratios to figure out a blue whale’s length. Part 2 extends the learning to understand how scientists use drones and math to measure something so massive in the ocean.
Meet Dr. Diane Gendron
Diane studies cetacean ecology at the Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (CICIMAR), the Instituto Politecnico Nacional in Mexico. During 30 continuous years of research in the Gulf of California Diane has meticulously built the world’s most comprehensive, individual-specific blue whale database, identifying over 700 blue whales. Her database is of such a depth and duration that Diane has observed individuals that were born in the Gulf 25 years ago and now return to have calves of their own.
Inspired by scientists researching elephants and chimpanzee’s, Diane built on her identification work to continuously following individual blue whales, observing the behavior and interactions of known animals over extensive periods of time; this was the first time this ‘focal follow’ technique was applied to blue whales and has revealed a new dimension in the social and reproductive knowledge of the species, as well as their role in the ecosystem.
Diane also focuses on interactions between blue whales and the local whale watching boats, which has led to a new method known as “passive whale watching”, where captains approach the whales using a low disturbance technique pioneered by Diane. This new passive method has been a hugely beneficial for both the whales and the whale watching community and holds the promise of sustainable long-term conservation of blue whales and the whale watching activity within Loreto Bay National Park, fulfilling a fundamental goal of Dr. Gendron’s research. During her 3 decades of research in Mexico Diane has mentored over 50 postgraduate students.
Location
OMNIMAX Theater films take place in the OMNIMAX Theater on the 2nd floor of the main 5050 Oakland Building. Access is available through the main entrance, then the stairs in the main lobby to the second floor.
Membership
Members get free OMNIMAX tickets.
Become a Science Center member and receive free OMNIMAX tickets and discounted admission to feature films, as well as a full year of additional members-only benefits.
Plus, members help support the Science Center and our mission to make science learning open to everyone.
Accessibility
Convenient wheelchair accessible seating for the OMNIMAX is available via the third floor theater entrance. Elevators and ramps serve all public areas of the OMNIMAX.
OMNIMAX offers hearing assistance that is not available in any theater in the region. This includes new adjustable caption devices, new hearing assistance devices with Descriptive Video Services(DVS) and Telecoil. When ordering tickets, please let your reservationist know you’re interested in these items, or see an usher before your film begins.
