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Oakland’s Chabot Space & Science Center celebrates 200th anniversary of expedition of discovery

Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West:

Giant-Screen Film Opens June 7, 2003

5 May 2003 -- OAKLAND, CA: Two hundred years ago a 29 year-old Virginian named Meriwether Lewis began buying supplies for what was about to become one of the greatest and most legendary explorations of new frontiers in American history. In celebration of the bicentennial of the expedition, Chabot Space & Science Center will present Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West on the giant dome screen of the Tien MegaDome Theater beginning June 7, 2003. With sweeping aerial panoramas of the rugged American West and stunning aerial photography, the film dramatizes the remarkable and perilous 8,000-mile journey past buffalo-filled prairies, through thick forests and raging river rapids, over towering peaks and plunging precipices to the Pacific Ocean.

Beginning on June 7, 2003, screening times at Chabot for Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West are: Tuesday-Thursday 2:30 pm; Friday 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm & 8:30 pm; Saturday 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm & 8:30 pm; Sunday 12:30 pm & 2:30 pm. Tickets for films are $8.75 adults/$6.50 for seniors and children, and are in addition to General Admission tickets to the Science Center, except for evening shows at 8:30 pm. Tickets may be purchased at ticketweb.com, or at the Chabot box office by calling (510) 336-7373.

Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West
The film recreates the remarkable and perilous journey of Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who from 1803–1806 led the Corps of Discovery on the first overland expedition into unknown territories of the American West. Their mission was to discover uncharted territories and to search for the fabled Northwest Passage, a waterway believed to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Although they found no such passage, Lewis and Clark’s 8,000-mile scientific expedition — the first overland expedition to the Pacific Ocean and back — mapped the American West and became the stuff of legend.

The film dramatizes the team’s arduous expedition, the spectacular wildlife they encountered, the punishing winters they endured, the diverse Native American tribes they met, and the breathtaking vistas they experienced. The film condenses their two-year-long expedition into a 42-minute story, highlighting significant points along the trail and revealing how the success of the trip was dependent upon the generosity of the Native Americans. Most significant was Sacagawea, a teenaged Shoshone woman living with the Hidatsa tribe, who accompanied the expedition with her infant son and provided invaluable guidance and assistance.

Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West is narrated by actor Jeff Bridges and features an original score by Emmy Award-winning composer Sam Cardon. The film was directed by Bruce Neibaur, produced by Jeff T. Miller and Lisa Truitt, filmed by director of photography T.C. Christensen, and features a script by veteran screenwriter Mose Richards. Made possible through funding by Eddie Bauer, Inc. and Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation, the film 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. The film had its world premiere on April 20, 2002 in Omaha, Nebraska. Further information about the film’s release is available online at www.destinationcinema.com.

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GENERAL INFORMATION
Chabot Space & Science Center is located at 10000 Skyline Blvd. in Oakland’s Joaquin Miller Park. Open Tuesday–Sunday. Tickets for films are $8.75 adults/$6.50 for seniors and children, and are in addition to General Admission tickets to the Science Center, except for evening shows at 8:30 pm. General Admission is $8.00 for adults, and $5.00 for seniors and children. Children under 3 are admitted free; Students with ID receive a $1.00 discount. General admission to the galleries is FREE on the first Wednesday of each month (with an additional charge for Planetarium and Theater). Tickets may be purchased at the door, or by calling (510) 336-7373. Advance tickets are available on-line at www.ticketweb.com.

For more information, call (510) 336-7300, or visit www.chabotspace.org.