Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center to Host Screening of the IMAX Film “Galapagos” on June 4 at Stonington High School

Screening Will Include Introduction and Q&A with the Film’s Executive Producer, Laurence O’Reilly

Mystic, CT (June 6, 2010) In honor of World Oceans Day, the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center will host of screening of the IMAX film “Galapagos” on Friday, June 4 at 6 p.m. at the Stonington High School Auditorium.  The suggested donation for the screening is $5 for adults and $2 for students.  Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling (860) 536-1216.

“Galapagos” vividly documents an eight-week expedition to the islands and surrounding waters.  An amazingly immersive cinematic experience, the film delves deep into the largely unknown waters surrounding the volcanic archipelago to explore the natural wonders of a realm that is truly a living natural science laboratory.

The screening will include an introduction and question and answer session with the film’s executive producer, Laurence O’Reilly.  O’Reilly recently retired from the Smithsonian Institution after 23 years at the National Museum of Natural History, in Washington, D.C.   He began in 1984 as the Assistant Director of the Museum in charge of Exhibits, a position he held for some ten years.  In that capacity, he oversaw all permanent, temporary and Special Exhibitions, as well as public spaces, for the most visited natural history museum in the world, with some six to nine million visitors annually.    At that time, he initiated, and then became Project Director, for the development of a $45-million architectural expansion project to add new shops, restaurant and IMAX theater to the museum.   Subsequently he became Executive Producer for the Museum’s Signature IMAX film, “Galapagos”, a film that has shown in some 70 theaters around the world.  He then became the Lead Advisor from the Smithsonian to the Presidio Trust of San Francisco, to develop a cultural master plan for this well-known National Park overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.  He currently serves on the both the Board of Wildscreen USA, and as a Trustee of the Wildscreen Trust of Bristol, England, a conservation group sponsored by Prince Philip that uses the best natural history films and photographs to inspire people to an environmental ethic.  He also recently served on the board of the Giant Screen Film Association, the international association of producers, directors, theaters distributors and manufacturers of large-screen (IMAX-type) films.   He was elected in 2006 as a Fellow of the Linnaean Society of London, the oldest biological association in the world, for his contributions to public understanding of science.

Since 1946, the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center has provided visitors and the community with experiential science programs that further the Center’s mission:  to inspire and nurture appreciation and scientific understanding of the natural world and foster a personal environmental ethic.  DPNC serves 50,000 people each year with environmental science programs. Originally made possible through the long-term support and commitment of the Denison Society, the Nature Center is a private, not-for-profit organization funded by admission fees, memberships and contributions.  With 10 miles of trails, live animals, and a natural history museum, the Nature Center provides many rewarding recreational and educational opportunities.  More information about the DPNC and its programs can be found at: www.dpnc.org.