Frequently Asked Questions
Ticket Purchase
How can I purchase IMAX tickets?
Tickets may be purchased in advance online, onsite at the IMAX box office, at the IMAX concession stand, and at the Marbles Kids Museum Welcome Desk. Please note: IMAX shows often sell out. We recommend buying your IMAX tickets well in advance of showtime, whenever possible.
What is an IMAX Combo ticket?
An IMAX Combo ticket is valid for any film and admission to Marbles Kids Museum. The museum portion of a combo ticket may be used for a museum visit within 30 days of purchase.
How can I purchase an IMAX gift certificate?
IMAX gift certificates are available for purchase through the IMAX box office or museum welcome desk.
What are the IMAX box office hours?
The IMAX box office is open daily one hour before the first show time until 30 minutes after the last show time of the day. IMAX tickets may also be purchased on site at the Marbles Kids Museum Welcome Desk, Tuesday—Saturday 9:00am—5:00pm and Sunday 12:00pm—5:00pm.
I am a teacher thinking of taking my class to the IMAX Theatre. Whom should I contact?
Contact the Marbles Group Coordinator (groups@marbleskidsmuseum.org) at 919.857.1049. Find out more about IMAX field trips.
What credit cards do you accept?
We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. We also accept cash and checks.
I bought tickets online but I can't print my confirmation email. What should I do?
As long as you have your online ticketing reservation number, you can pickup your tickets. Your reservation number is located on your email confirmation and begins with the letters "EXPL". Hint: If you bring the credit card you purchased with, we can scan it to quickly find your reservation.
How soon can I pickup the tickets I purchased online?
Your tickets are available as soon as you complete your online transaction. You may pick up your tickets anytime from the time of purchase, right up until showtime.
Do you mail me the tickets I purchased online?
No. Your tickets will be available onsite at WILL-CALL.
Where is WILL-CALL?
Your WILL-CALL tickets can be picked up at the IMAX Theatre box office or in the IMAX lobby at the concession stand. You may also pickup your WILL-CALL tickets at the Marbles Kids Museum Welcome Desk when the museum is open.
Can I buy online tickets for someone else, or can I give my online tickets to someone else?
Yes. If you are not picking up the tickets yourself, you will need to give your email confirmation to whoever will be using the tickets. That person should bring a printed copy of the email confirmation.
How can I contact the IMAX Theatre Manager?
If you have a question about your online ticket purchase, please reply to the email confirmation you received, making sure to include your question in the email reply. Alternately, you can email the theatre manager at tickets@marbleskidsmuseum.org.
Concessions
Does the IMAX Theatre serve concessions?
Yes. We offer fresh popcorn and a variety of candy and bottled drinks.
May I bring in my own snacks?
No. Only items purchased from the concession stand located in the theatre lobby are allowed in the theatre.
May I pre-order concessions?
Confirmed groups may pre-order concessions. Find out more.
Theatre
How early should I arrive at the theatre for the movie I'm coming to see?
We seat our guests on a first-come basis. Recommended arrival times are based on how many people are in your party (assuming you'd all like to sit together) and how important seat selection is to you. It is not uncommon for guests to start lining up 45 minutes (or more) prior to showtime on the opening weekend of a popular Feature Film.
How many people does the IMAX Theatre seat?
The theatre seats 267.
Are some seats better than others?
No. The theatre features steeply-tiered seating decks so that every person's view of the screen is unobstructed.
How big is the IMAX screen?
Our IMAX 3D giant screen is more than 5 stories tall. It's 52 feet high and 70 feet wide. Truly a GIANT SCREEN experience!
IMAX Movies
There's a new movie I want to see. Why isn't it playing in IMAX?
Our IMAX 3D film projection system uses special 70mm film. Some traditional 35mm and digital movie distributors choose not to convert their movies to run on IMAX 3D projection systems, which is often why we can't offer them on our schedule.
How are IMAX documentaries selected?
Most documentaries are chosen based on how well their educational content matches the NC Standard Course of Study curriculum requirements for K-8 education and Marbles core initiatives. We also select documentaries based on title-appeal and survey feedback from our guests.
How long are IMAX documentaries offered?
Most documentaries stay on our schedule for 6-10 months, with some documentaries running for as long as 12 months.
The IMAX Experience
What differentiates The IMAX Experience?
The IMAX Theatre is designed to put you IN the movies. IMAX's state-of-the-art technology delivers the world's most immersive movie experience through a revolutionary projection system, a powerful 12,000 watt digital audio system and customized theatre geometry.
Are Hollywood movies re-mastered for IMAX, cropped or otherwise manipulated to fit the screen?
Per filmmakers' requests, IMAX maintains the original aspect ratios when converting Hollywood films into The IMAX Experience. The result is often letterboxed so it doesn't fill the entire IMAX screen. While the aspect ratio was altered for a few early films (Star Wars, for exampe), it hasn't been done for several years. Our current releases preserve the same aspect ratios they were shot in.
What is IMAX DMR?
The image on a 35mm film frame is comprised of a fine grain structure like that of all photographic images. This grain, when projected on to the IMAX screen, looks like a TV channel with bad reception. IMAX DMR removes this grain while preserving the quality of the underlying image making what you see on the screen crystal clear. To create the brightness and clarity that audiences have come to expect from The IMAX Experience, IMAX uses a proprietary computer program to make the images sharper than they were originally, while colors are adjusted for the unique technically superior characteristics of the IMAX screen. The completed re-mastered film is then transferred onto the world's largest film format: IMAX 15-perforation, 70mm film.
