A new $4.8 million sound and light show is coming to the Britannia Mine Museum.
鈥淭he show is going to be fantastic,鈥� said executive director Kirsten Clausen.
The creative and design work for the immersive show has already begun, although fundraising is still underway, she noted. Clausen said $2 million has been raised to date through corporate donations, and the museum has also applied for government grants for the show, which is expected to attract more tourists to the Sea to Sky Corridor. The mine museum now draws 74,000 visitors a year, up from 35,000 in 2010, she reported.
The immersive sound and light show, which will be installed in the mill building, will 鈥渢ell the story of what the building means,鈥� said Clausen, noting the museum, a former copper mine of world significance, is a National Historic Site.
It thrived as a mine, especially in its heyday of the 1920s, when a bustling community of workers lived onsite and mined a significant part of the world鈥檚 copper.
鈥淚n the mining world, Britannia was well known,鈥� said Clausen. 鈥淪ixty thousand people lived and worked in Britannia.鈥�
The show at the mill will provide 鈥渟cary fun鈥� to visitors, she said, reflecting how the mill was during its operation. 鈥淚t rocked and it rolled鈥� it was smoky and dusty.鈥�
Although Britannia ceased operations in 1974, mining continues to have a critical role in people鈥檚 daily lives. Clausen said as a society, we use 鈥渁 massive amount of mined materials.鈥�
The show will add a new component to the mine museum, which already features an underground train tour, gold panning and interactive displays.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be really exciting,鈥� she said, standing in the large mill building, where concerts have also been staged.
Clausen said the new show will be world class. The three-part spectacle, called the Mill Experience, has been designed by Vista and their collaborators, a group of artists, designers and engineers. It will incorporate comedy as well as dramatic moments and teach about the significance of mined materials, which Clausen notes are essential for everyday modern life. For example, smart phones include several minerals, copper alloys guard hospital equipment from germs, and zinc supplements save tens of thousands of children鈥檚 lives in developing countries, according to museum information.
The sound and light show will include a dust smoker, fire bell, mock electric arcs, a 14-foot main screen, welding sparks and surround sound, among other features.
Clausen said the 麻豆社国产area is fortunate to have two world-class tourism attractions 鈥� the mine museum and the Sea to Sky Gondola.
鈥淭ry to think of another community of 17,000 people with two anchors for tourism. And the festivals too.鈥�
Clausen anticipates the new show will open in spring 2017, assuming fundraising efforts continue to go well.
