Aquarium of the Pacific Debuts Holotheater®, the First of Its Kind on the U.S. West Coast

September 3, 2026

Long Beach, CA-The Aquarium of the Pacific's Ocean Theater has transformed into a brand-new immersive experience that officially opens on September 4, making it the first HoloTheater® on the U.S. West Coast. Developed by BASE Xperiential, a live entertainment and media company based in Houston, Texas, the HoloTheater® installation uses six projection surfaces in a custom-designed theater to bring creatures, their environments, and stories to life.

The new space combines panoramic projection, holographic imagery, and spatial audio, allowing up to 132 guests to get an up-close-and-personal glimpse of the ecosystems of past and present. No glasses, VR headsets, or other wearable technology is required to experience the films in 3-D.

The new HoloTheater® is opening with Dinosaur Discoveries: A Holographic Adventure, where dinosaurs appear to come alive on a stage in front of the screen. This twenty five-minute film produced by BASE Xperiential in partnership with Paquin Entertainment Group, and distributed in collaboration with MacGillivray Freeman Films, transports audiences across prehistoric landscapes to encounter some of the most extraordinary creatures to ever walk the Earth. It is an educational journey that tells the evolving story of paleontological discoveries and scientific revelations that gave us what we know today about these remarkable creatures.

"We are looking forward to having the first HoloTheater® experience on the West Coast as a new immersive experience for our guests. We hope they leave inspired to learn more about ocean animals that lived on our planet at the same time as dinosaurs and are still with us today from sea jellies to sharks," said Nicole Meek, the Aquarium's senior director of visitor operations.

Multiple HoloTheater® shows will run daily at the Aquarium, and tickets can be purchased with Aquarium admission on-site or in advance online. Later this fall, Ocean Giants Revealed will debut in the Aquarium's HoloTheater, where guests can submerge themselves into the world of the deep sea where few have traveled and witness the beauty and diversity of marine species both past and present, including whales, sea jellies, megalodon, and other prehistoric sea creatures.

"HoloTheater® was created to transform how audiences experience stories," said Brian Becker, founder and CEO of BASE Xperiential. "Partnering with Aquarium of the Pacific allows us to bring our methodology to one of the nation's premier aquariums, bringing established technologies together to create an experience that is both spectacular and meaningful. Our goal is simple: inspire curiosity by making guests feel like they've stepped inside the story."