A film about America's protected landscapes is playing on giant screens this weekend, but the version and the last day to see it depend on where you go. Chicago's Field Museum lists a 25-minute presentation of America the Beautiful. Atlanta's Fernbank Museum lists 45 minutes. At the Grand Canyon Visitor Center in Tusayan, Arizona, the run ends Nov. 20, five days before the last scheduled screenings at several museums.
Jennifer Casey directed the documentary, and Kelsey Grammer narrates. Mission Partners Entertainment Group and the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation made the film for the country's 250th anniversary. It opened on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, with some theaters starting later, and the producer made it available in both 2D and 3D. A museum may list one version even when another venue offers two.
Where to see it before Thanksgiving
- Chicago. The Field Museum lists a 25-minute 3D version through Wednesday, Nov. 25. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day. Start with its ticket page to see what film access comes with the admission option you want.
- Atlanta. Fernbank Museum lists 45-minute showings at 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. local time through Nov. 25. One giant-screen film comes with general admission, with seats available on a first-come basis. Fernbank sells an additional film for $5 at the admissions desk, according to its ticket policy. The theater also shows other documentaries, so check the title against your time slot.
- Birmingham, Alabama. McWane Science Center lists both 25- and 45-minute runtimes and a run through Nov. 25. If you are planning the rest of your museum visit around the screening, use the center's ticket page to check which version is playing at the time you select.
- Tusayan, Arizona. The Grand Canyon Visitor Center lists the documentary nightly at 6:30 p.m. local time through Friday, Nov. 20. That evening slot normally belongs to Grand Canyon: Rivers of Time. The theater is at the visitor center in Tusayan, outside the park, not the park's own visitor center.
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Museum of Discovery and Science opened the film Nov. 12 at its AutoNation IMAX Theater. It lists a veterans tribute screening at 10:15 a.m. local time Saturday, Nov. 21, in partnership with United Way of Broward County's MISSION UNITED. The theater posts tickets and showtimes separately from museum admission.
- Pittsburgh. Visit Pittsburgh lists the limited engagement from Nov. 14 to 25 at the Kamin Science Center. The center lists a 2D presentation at its Rangos Giant Cinema and has also scheduled 3D showings. Check the cinema calendar for the version and time on your date.
The film's theater directory also lists venues in cities including Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian sells tickets for daytime documentary screenings at its Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater in person on the day of the visit. Check its calendar for the film and theater location before you make the trip. The Smithsonian also operates a separate IMAX theater in Chantilly, Virginia.
Why Devils Tower is in the film
The documentary follows the history of conservation through landscapes including forests, grasslands and wetlands. The Greater Cleveland Film Commission identifies Devils Tower in Wyoming as one of the sites in the film. President Theodore Roosevelt used the Antiquities Act to make the tower the country's first national monument on Sept. 24, 1906. The National Park Service notes that it is sacred to more than 20 Native American tribes and is also known as Bear Lodge.
The National Park Service puts the monument boundary at 1,347 acres. Congress had passed the Antiquities Act that June, giving presidents the authority to protect places of historic or scientific interest on federal land. Devils Tower was the first site Roosevelt protected under the law. By the end of 1906, he had added three more, including Montezuma Castle in Arizona.
