Watch 4-D Movies at the Museum of Science Starting August 1

It might seem crazy, what I’m ’bout to say, but watching Happy Feet: 4-D Experience is not a bad way to take a break on a busy afternoon, especially if you’re an adult chaperoning a large group of little ones.

Starting Friday, August 1, you can do just that at the Museum of Science, which will finally debut its brand-new 4-D movie theater after announcing the project this spring.

When viewing 4-D flicks, audiences will not only experience the full HD effect of 3-D movies, but they’ll also feel physical changes in their environment to make it seem more like they are in the setting of the movie. For kids’ movies like Happy Feet: 4-D Experience and Dora & Diego’s 4-D Adventure—both of which start showing on Friday, this means your children are likely to squeal in delight when they are spritzed with snow or feel the wind in their face while swinging from ropes with Boots the monkey. And when the ground rumbles, so will your seats.

But animated films geared toward children aren’t the only movies that will be shown. Adults will find educational 4-D documentaries at the new theater as well. The first of these, also starting Friday, is Planet Earth: Shallow Seas 4-D Experience, during which you’ll actually “feel the salty spray as you surf the coast with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins.”

“We are always seeking new experiences to offer our visitors, and we are thrilled to bring the 4-D Theater to the Greater Boston community,” said Jonathan Burke, the museum’s VP of visitor experience and operations, in a press release in March. “In each film, viewers will be transported to new and exciting places, while also truly feeling like they are in the film through the innovative incorporation of each sense. When a whale breaches on screen, guests will feel the ocean spray. If it is snowing on screen, it will even be snowing in the theater.”

Those who aren’t sure if 4-D is for them—or if their kids can handle 4-D yet—need not worry. All three of these experiences are only 15 minutes, not feature length. (If only!)

In making the 4-D theater, the Museum of Science partnered with Toronto-based SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment, which in turn works with big movie production companies including Warner Bros., 20th Century FOX, BBC Earth, Nickelodeon, and National Geographic. This means that if you don’t like Happy Feet, Dora, or Planet Earth, keep in mind that SimEx-Iwerks’ 4-D library includes many more movies.

Pssssst, this is the part where we all tell the MOS how much we want to see Pokemon 4-D: Pikachu’s Ocean Adventure Trailer. Just kidding!*

All movies $6 for adults, $5 children, multiple showings per day begin Friday, August 1, at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, 617-723-2500, visit mos.org for more info.

* Maybe.