Courtesy of OMSI
If you are an underclassman who is looking for a fun way to end your week and are unable to find an age-friendly rave, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) has you covered. OMSI has put on laser shows every Friday and Saturday night at the Harry C. Kendall Planetarium since 1984. Despite being an event designed for those under the age of 21, the shows have something for everybody and often focus on specific musicians or seasonal themes.
Shows usually start at 6 or 7 p.m., giving attendees time to grab dinner beforehand. At $7.50 per show, tickets are remarkably affordable. Each show is roughly one hour long, which makes the price tag hard to beat. Tickets are available for purchase online ahead of time, but there is rarely any risk of a show being fully booked because of the theater’s high capacity and the weekly nature of the shows. At the show I attended, there were roughly 20 people in the audience, leaving ample seating and creating an intimate experience.
Since the laser shows are in a planetarium, the seats in the back row will provide the best viewing experience, allowing most of the dome screen to be visible without the need for a craned neck. Unfortunately, not everything can be seen from any one seat, since the lasers are projected across the entire dome and will sometimes be displayed behind the seats. However, the pattern is usually repetitive, so viewers are able to see that same pattern elsewhere based on their seating in the dome.
The show I attended was based on Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and provided an interesting interpretation of music many know and love, as it presented a more interconnected story through seamless transitions between songs. The operator of the show said that the audience could sing and dance along with the music as long as we stayed in our seats and did not touch the lasers, a benefit for any music enthusiast in the crowd. My friend and I were able to comfortably discuss the logistics of the laser show, laugh when a funny image was displayed and occasionally sing along when we knew the lyrics without anyone batting an eye.
OMSI is easily accessible from campus. To use public transit, catch the L&C Shuttle and get off at the PSU stop, before taking the TriMet 9 bus at Southwest Harrison Street and Sixth Avenue towards the Gresham TC. This bus stops within a few blocks of the museum and provides an easy and cheap means of transportation to the shows. If you choose to drive to OMSI yourself, the parking lot has a flat fee of $2. The museum recommends arriving roughly five minutes early so attendees have time to find a parking spot and get in line for the show early enough to find the best seating.
Many of OMSI’s laser shows are either music-based or theme-based. Upcoming events include an ABBA-themed show and a laser display centered around Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” The museum also has holiday-themed shows such as the more recent Halloween and “Stranger Things 4” displays.
Ultimately, the OMSI laser shows are good alternatives for anyone who enjoys raves but becomes overstimulated by the number of people and loud music, as well as anyone who would enjoy seeing laser displays associated with their favorite music. The show had just the right amount of music, volume and flashing lights for those looking to have a good time without the stress.
About the Author
