As a self-proclaimed cinephile, I saw the 70mm print of "2001: A Space Odyssey" last night and had very high hopes since I had heard this theater is amazing. Well, it's basically awful (the theater, not the movie.) The uncomfortable seats don't recline, which really would be clutch since the projection is elevated, so, you're basically looking up the whole time. Legroom is at a minimum and you'll most surely get your seat kicked a few times if a large person is sitting behind you. Also, watching any narrative film will have you physically turning your head constantly to see the action in different parts of the blown-up frame. Also, this may not be a direct critique of the theater, but the film quality of "2001" was so poor, it seriously looked like old VHS quality. Every bright color washed out, and worse, you could see the actual screen panels clearly at various times, totally distracting you from being immersed. During loud moments, one of the sub-woofers was so annoyingly rattling, that I started to feel hoodwinked I didn't just watch this flick at home. The King of Prussia IMAX theater is so much better than this one, it's not even funny. If "great concession prices" is the high watermark of these reviews, then film buffs beware. read more

It's time to invest in some renovations...Especially the panels you can see are broken, they can be distracting during movies...The seats are stiff and cramped so by the time you leave, your back is aching...Fun to watch short movies on but for the price you pay you want them to last...such a catch 22... Try to sit high up if you can. I prefer the KOP IMAX... read more

I'm sooo glad I saw 2001 here while I had the chance. The texture and quality of a film image is impossible to capture on an LCD display at home. If you're as big a fan of this one as I am, don't miss out. The screen definitely needs some TLC, but that aside, I have no complaints. As I said in my last review, the good seats are the ones near the back. read more

Seen pearl jam 20 last night. Awesome experience ! The film was not in IMAX so blurriness,neck pains weren't a problem. I even found close parking on 19th street.clean restrooms,clean people and no ignorant talkers,cell phone,texters disrupting the film... Overall a very cool experience. Only complaints : seats were beat up and uncomfortable & they need to spray some febreeze in there. Lots of funky odors present(sweaty ass,hoagies and mildew rolled into one) read more

Tuttleman Imax Theater - 9/23/11 730pm Pj20 - Cinema Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

There are actually a few different kinds of IMAX theaters- big screen, little screen and domed. This theater contains the latter, which is ideal if you like to feel immersed in a film. My dad often took my sisters and I to the Mugar Omni when I was a kid and it used to scare the crap out of us. The height and angle of the theater seating can be totally unnerving. Plus, the experience can be intense for a child. But for movies that contain sweeping shots, there is no substitute for IMAX. What this theater isn't so great for is movies which are captured on standard film, the arch of the dome warps them a bit. It becomes especially detrimental during scenes with a lot of movement. I don't think I'll see another mainstream movie here for that reason. Also, last time I was here someone lit a cigarette halfway through the film. I shit you not. It was a full capacity screening, so I have no idea what that person was thinking. So we got to be temporarily distracted from the movie by shouts of, "put that fucking cigarette out!" Stay klassy, Philly. read more

This was one of the more uncomfortable movie watching experiences in recent memory. I was generous and gave it an extra star because the IMAX screen deserves it. In all its domed glory, the screen is massive and when the huge vista shots come across the screen it literally envelops you, floats you and you feel like you're going on for the ride. What snaps you back to reality is the fact that you're sitting in the worse theater seats possible. The seats and rows are entirely too narrow. The seat provides no support as it's basically a covered wooden board - so you'll be entirely uneasy and your butt will fall asleep while you're elbowing for space from each side and fighting over the barely-there armrest. If you're watching a movie (as we did, Star Trek, don't judge), the only decent seats to get a good view are from the four or five rows from the top, anything below will give you a real shiteous view. Also if you're prone to light-sensitivity or have even a smidge of motion sickness, the screen projection might aggravate it. And on a last and related note, why is it impossible to watch a mainstream movie in peace these days? In the six years I've lived here, I've been unable to find a mainstream (read: not Ritz) movie theater where I can watch a movie free of fellow patrons' running commentaries, constant talking, and cell phone conversations? Are good manners dead? Even at the IMAX, I had to actually turn around, 45 minutes into the movie, after three people behind me kept talking to tell them to "Please be quiet". Now, I'm an easy-going chick, I'm young and every now and then I'm a rule-breaker, but hot damn!!! Stay at home if you're going to narrate and make comments while I watch a movie I paid $12 for. After all, this ain't the Bridge or the Riverview Plaza. read more

Don't ever get fooled into watching a movie here. I was excited to see Star Wars on one of the twenty screens in the United States using a true 70mm IMAX film print. What they don't tell you is that the theatre is meant for short form science films. It's a dome. Not for theatrical films! Because it's a short form theatre the seats are tiny with no leg room. The film is let really projected on the ceiling to get as much width for the wide screen film. So you have to look up the entire time. But it's still not actually wide enough so the screen is cropped in the corners and HEAVILY distorted. So distorted that the sequence actually shot on IMAX looked like a fisheye lens. The lightsabers all had distorted bends at the edge of frame. All the actors had distorted egg heads. My biggest regret is not requesting a refund for this shit show. read more

Listen, don't listen to all the reviews. If you're craving a great experience and feel like celebrating at the movies on a holiday, please come here! I watched Dark Shadows here with my sweetheart at 5:15 pm, in a totally cool, very quiet theatre. We had our run of the place. It was so amazing! Here is the secret to IMAX: If you want a completely revelatory, no sense of time or space or anyone else, sit in the middle - you will be in a world of movie. No stairs, no people, no one beside you, you are laying face up, just you and movie! If you want to feel like you are more at the movies, sit just a little above or below the projector, then you can see the theatre, etc. My favorite is in the middle, where I lose all sense of time and space - whoo hoo! Yes, it's a little expensive, but if you are close-by, it's well-worth the price. (save the online fee and just buy it there - not too much worry about crowds on holidays...) It's a special place, and the best thing is relaxing on the Franklin Stairs in the mid-evening twilight, for one of the best views in the city.... read more

A few complaints I have about this place seem to be addressed by some of the previous reviewers already. Let's recap! When I walked into the theater, I was excited about how big the screen was and the VERY stadium-style seating it had. When I sat down, I quickly realized that the seats were not comfortable, didn't recline, the armrests didn't come up, and the headrest propped your head too far forward... oh and the whole theater was pretty filthy... popcorn all over the floors, leftover drinks and trash everywhere. This was my first impression. As I watched the movie (Inception), I was reminded rather promptly why the dome screen was in a Planetarium... it's for slow paced, NON-action films. Inception... quite the contrary. About 20 mins in, all of us started to feel a little woozy... I worse than the rest. I'm not going to blame the theater for my inability to comfortably watch a motion-sickness inducing movie, so no harm / no foul there. So before the show, you notice that the dome screen is made up of many individual plates / tiles. As you can imagine with tiles, there are seams between each of them. Throughout the movie, you can see the seams in every scene and every shot. It's pretty distracting at the start, but thankfully, your brain normalizes that little detail out... but the fact that it's there causes a mild distraction right off the bat. So, in summary: -Dirty / messy theater -Uncomfortable seats -Seats do not recline -Dome screen has tons of seams in it 2 Stars... barely. Don't be surprised if this review turns into 1 Star in a few days because of a change of heart. read more

I've never been to an IMAX theater ever. It just never happened for me. It's funny because I've been to the one in Cherry Hill, but after being to the Tuttleman I now realize that the one in Cherry Hill isn't even an IMAX, it's just a really big screen (shame on you cherry hill!) However, the other even we ventured to see Harry Potter at the IMAX at FI and it was quite the experience. The theater itself just has such a different feel to it. Like being on a ride instead of actually in a movie. I would like to note that it was difficult to watch the movie. It's just too damn big. (insert comedic look here). I literally couldn't figure out what was going in some of the faster paced scenes simply because I couldn't get my eyes around the whole scene fast enough to keep up. Still it was a very cool experience, and I'd give it a try in the future. And don't even get my started on how great HP is, because well you should just go see it for yourself! read more

While the seats may be a bit uncomfortable and lack the ever so popular cup holder. Nothing compares to the Dome screen. We saw Star Trek here :). It was massive. Eye Candy. Only $12. Definitely beats the Neshaminy IMAX. Avoid the crowds by seeing a late show on a weekday. Best seat in the house 3rd row down straight in the middle. read more

Theater is dirty and the seats are horrible. But it has a rare true IMAX domed screen with awesome sound. The problem is that some of the movies it shows are not made for this type of domed screen and it becomes hard to watch the movie. You have to sit in the back to get a full view of the screen. read more

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? That question came to mind after seeing Star Trek on the ludicrously gigantic domed screen at the Tuttleman theatre. Theatrical movies simply aren't designed for this. Most of the action scenes were just a blur of light and color. A friend of mine described it as experiencing a blender from the inside. I described the rest of it as super-stubblevision. Every pore, scar, and facial hair rendered in intricate detail. This theatre just doesn't work for hollywood films. The problem is, this is a completely different screen than a multiplex imax. The movies specifically made for domes usually are shot in a much wider angle, so that you don't have to crane your neck to see the action, the try to concentrate the action in front of you. The best seats are probably in the back, but it seemed like most of the seats had a bad view. Some parts of the theatre have very little legroom, and the seats are uncomfortable after the first 20 minutes. You also can't leave and reenter, so bear that in mind. Its also guaranteed to be kid-heavy, regardless of the movie or time. If they truly designed movies for this screen, and built newer theatres with better amenities, it would be incredible. There had been rumors of a star trek imax film for years, before the imax multiplexes started opening. But multiplex imax is more about renewing the 70mm format than it is about the gigantic screen. I would love to see what a great director could do with a theatre that gives you nearly 180 degrees of screen view. The movie could be all around you. In some scenes in Star Trek, it really worked. The shuttlecraft evacuating the ship, Spock beaming down to the ruined planet, the long shot of Kirk on the ice planet, all of these showed the potential, but then it just returned to the face 6 inches from the TV view that made the movie almost unwatchable. read more

First off, it should be noted that the Tuttleman IMAX is the real deal. The Cherry Hill IMAX is not real, rather they just made the screen a bit larger and added some better quality sound. The Tuttleman is a domed IMAX, and it is massive. I had the opportunity to watch Interstellar here last year, and it was impressive. The whole thing needs a major update, though. You are slightly deceived, though, when going into the theater. It is a really neat experience to see the ridiculously huge IMAX reels going through the process to project the image on screen. This whole spectacle makes waiting in line a lot more fun. However, when you get inside you realize that it hasn't been updated in a long time. The screen, while very impressive in size, needs to probably be replaced. Many of the patches are visibly worn out, and it distracts from the movie. The worst part though is the seats. The seats are so bad. They are so worn out; padding/stuffing is coming out and feel like they're going to break. I've truly never been that uncomfortable watching a movie before. They need to put in completely new seats. It's a shame, because it's a beautiful cinema and is actually a real IMAX theater! In the future, I will drive out to King of Prussia instead to watch IMAX movies. I hope an update is in store for the Franklin Tuttleman theater. read more

I'm admittedly an IMAX nerd, so I was almost prepared to give this at least a 4-star for the pure principle of it. This is what an IMAX SHOULD look like- not the ripoff you get when you pay extra at Cherry Hill or KOP. The IMAX savvy know where to sit, so tip for newbies: as close to the center as possible, and not near the projectionist. That said, I finally returned to Tuttleman after a 2-year hiatus, so I can give a fair shake. As others have said, yes, this place is just demanding a reclining-seat upgrade. I love the sensation of an IMAX presentation, but the last few experiences here have been taxing on my body. Also, the effectiveness of the format may be dependent on the movie you see; the science films they show are shot and cut perfectly for the format, whereas the framing and editing of mainstream features may make it hard to process. Aside from that, I feel the theater is well maintained- cleaner than the majority of theaters I've been to. I can see where the uninitiated are displeased with the experience; it always sucks to be stuck in the lower left corner, arching your neck to see what Harry Potter is doing on the other end of the screen. On the other hand, if done right, you get a movie-going high that other theaters just can't reproduce. (Heck, it made Tim Burton's Willy Wonka seem better than it actually was) read more

WORST seats ever! They are like your Grandma's 1960s armchair that doesn't recline and has no cushioning under the super-scratchy covering fabric. I have never before sat in movie seats that were worse, and I've done a movie marathon in a little theater in Bar Harbor Maine fully populated by threadbare couches and folding chairs. The dome screen is awkward, and I had to sit near the top to keep from getting dizzy. It was also really easy to see the separate panes of the dome screen through the projection. The FI goes on about how the Omnimax projection system is so cutting edge, but I didn't see that at all. Contrary to claims made, I found the picture blurry and markedly shaky. Unless and until they do a full renovation of this theater, I will not be back. read more

How dare you give us stale popcorn! Terrible terrible popcorn. I was tempted to throw it back in the face of the concession worker. Luckily the guy took it back and made a brand new batch for us. But they need a new popper cause it was still bordering on craptastic. On to the theater. It had a certain charming aroma of stale popcorn, piss, and body odor. Lovely don't you agree? And at least they had music because without anything to watch during the wait, im pretty sure there would have been a mutiny- cause these seats are enough to make someone want to start a riot. I'm pretty tall (5'10) but the armrests are taller. Whenever I tried to rest my arms on them my shoulders ended up resting by my ears. Very comfortable for a 2 hour show. And the seat itself was definitely made to correct bad posture. Tough cushions and straight back chairs gave no rest for crooked spines. Bad posture be gone! My great-grandmother would be proud. I don't envy the people who have to clean the bathrooms. They should get a medal of honor for having to deal with the hundreds of people who stink up the bathrooms on a daily basis. I was surprised that it wasn't as bad as I had figured it would be. I'm sure the distinct odor of bodily functions had been ingrained in the tiles but otherwise it was fairly clean. I came here to watch Harry Potter and was a bit worried that the seams on the screen would be distracting, but they were a non-issue thankfully. And the screen is definitely perfect for such screenings. I had a few throw-up inducing moments when the camera spun just a bit too much, and the large screen projected it too well, but I curbed the urge since they warn you that if you leave during the show you can't come back in. Get here early so you can get seat up at the top because it would really suck to have to sit in crappy seats and strain your neck looking up at the screen. Overall, this is a place I would come back to if a friend/brother paid for my movie ticket. Otherwise I'll stick to the Bridge or whatever it's called now. read more

It''s wonderful being able to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in true 70mm IMAX format. (OMNIMAX). The Franklin Institute is exactly that, an institution, and seeing this movie in a theater of this nature is truly an experience. However, there are a few drawbacks which didn't earn a fifth star. I am comparing Tuttleman OMNIMAX experience to seeing it in IMAX 3D at Penn Cinema Riverfront in Wilmington. To start, the snack bar outside the theater is reasonably priced and the ticket buying experience was nice. Once inside the theater, however, I agree with other reviewers in that FI's OMNIMAX is in need of modern updates which could really put this over the top. The screen's panels are noticeably there during bright scenes, and there is a discolored/dirty panel or two in the center of the screen which can be distracting. Darker scenes were superior looking. It appeared that there was also either a dirty lens or dirty film reels more eveident in some scenes. The screen's size is immense and breathtaking, but it was cut off at top and bottom during 95% of the movie due to the film's design. However, when that 5% comes that was filmed using the 70mm IMAX format, get ready as the cut off sections are filled in and you are taken for a quick, yet fully immersive and visually stunning ride. Worth the price of admission alone if your a tech or Star Wars nerd, like myself. The Tuttleman sound system, while good, paled in comparison to the sound experience at the newer Penn Cinema IMAX. Volume at the Riverfront was much better during action sequences with great booming low-end. My main suggestion to make this a five star experience would be a complete overhaul of the projection and sound system, I hope the Tuttleman IMAX is on the list to upgrade to the revolutionary new IMAX Laser system, which is proving to be more advanced than any other system in the market and can also do 3D The theater seating, while passable, should also be redone to allow more comfort. All in all, I had a lot of fun, and even with the caveats seeing Star Wars Force Awakens in this epic format is still much better than watching it in a standard theater. read more

It's an older theater and it definitely shows its age. I've been here for a few different movies now [and growing up spent my fair share being awed by IMAX here]. It could use an update. The seats are pretty god awful at this point. Sit in the middle towards the top to get the best view. But plan on dealing with some sort of neck and back pain if it's a long movie. read more

This was the worst movie theater I have ever been to. Here is why you shouldn't pay to see movies here: 1. The screen is the dome and they project the movie towards the ceiling. So you have to look up for 1-3 hours. My neck hurt after the movie. 2. The movie is ruined by the dome because you can't see the entire screen. If there is a landscape, you have to turn your head to see the entire thing but even then everything is stretched and disproportional. 3. The entire movie was very blurry. The movie is made for flat screens not an astronomy auditorium. 4. The chairs are cramped together and they have no recline or leg room. 5. The projector is in the middle of the auditorium. And whenever there are bright scenes, depending on where you sit, you may have the projector lense shine very bright light in towards your eyes. It hurts the eyes and is distracting. 6. You can see the lines, dust, and stains on the wall where the movie is being projected onto!!! Bottom line, this isn't a movie theater. It is an astronomy auditorium made for short movies. The seats are very uncomfortable. There are only bad viewing angles. read more

Confession: I hate going to the movies. I hate the overpriced concessions. I hate people talking nonstop during the movie. That being said, I usually avoid going altogether, but after seeing all those commercials for The Dark Knight Rises AND THEN hearing it was showing at the Tuttleman IMAX, I just couldn't resist. Surprisingly, it was none of those things I listed in my opening statement that made me dislike my experience at this theater. I was really looking forward to seeing Batman on that HUGE screen...and that's where the problem was. The screen was so large that the movie almost looked distorted. The fight scenes were especially hard to follow - I wasn't sure who was beating who (or is it whom? I didn't receive good grades in English. Or public speaking. Whatever.) And just to make things more uncomfortable, I hated reclining in those seats. Sure, they're good for the 20 minute movies the Franklin Institute shows but I definitely don't recommend them for an almost three hour movie. All in all, I was disappointed in the whole experience. I probably won't be back to this IMAX for another film...at least not another high-action film. PS - WHAT'S UP WITH THE STALE POPCORN? I saw it there, popping, fresh-as-can-be, and it was still chewy. I don't get it! read more

We have seen a frew films here at the Franklin Institute's Tuttleman Imax theatre - ,ostly because we are members and have a 4 year old. She loves it and would probably give it 4-5 stars. We thought it was OK, but it can be crowded. Luckily we got centrally located seats fairly high up and the views were great. I miss the old days with Pink Floyd and Laser light shows. read more

This is, as other reviewers have stated, one of the old style IMAX theaters. That said, it is not a pleasant experience when viewing a mainstream movie. I saw Transformers here and it was a pain in the neck. Literally. The action sequences were a blur and the fisheye view you get is just not at all what one would want. And the IMAX view of John Turturro's jock strapped ass and package...I'm scarred for life, that's all I can say. I like you John, but you should have said NO! I will NOT do that to an IMAX crowd. I'm going to try and see this on a more modern IMAX screen so that I can tell you if MIchael Bey just screwed up or it was the Franklin IMAX. I suspect it is the latter. I saw Star Trek at the Meteon in San Francisco and it was pretty great, though having to look left or right sometimes is annoying. The Dark Knight at the IMAX in Dallas was top notch. read more

Came here with a friend to watch Transformers and it was a very unpleasant experience. As other reviewers have commented, the seats are uncomfortable and there is very little room between rows so everyone has to get up to let people by. Amusingly, my friend closed her eyes for at least half the movie because she said she was getting car sick. I didn't have the best time either watching so much action so close-up. We both left concluding that IMAXes are probably much better suited for movies with much less action. read more

Not really all that impressed with the theater for feature-length films. Pros: - Big Screen - Set in the middle of the science museum, providing a very neat entrance/atrium - Good sound system Cons: - Projection centered ~35 degree incline, seats do not recline; craned-neck syndrome - Seats (beyond being non-reclining) were generally pretty "meh" on the comfort scale for adults, very little knee-room or arm-rest area, moderate cushioning. (I'm roughly 5'8" for reference, kids should fit just fine). - Dimmer than perfect projection - Domed screen (while this is nice for a planetarium setting or nature films, it's a bit distracting for feature films to potentially miss out on something in your peripheral vision) I'm going based on a $14 showing of Inception (~140min), and while I'm not dissapointed that I gave it a try, I likely won't be back to see any more blockbusters here. Perhaps a cheaper 20-30 minute science film would be alright. read more

As a dome theater, this will only work well for you if you have the right seats. I came for the opening night of star trek and was not able to get decent seats but I was still able to enjoy the movie once I settled in. As a side note, as we were looking for seats we thought we found some until we were told that the seats were saved. Then this very rude larger man that we had to walk past to and now from those seats got snippy with a "MAKE UP YOUR MIND!" ...Because it's fun to walk away from empty seats. read more

While I am glad that I checked this place out, I do not think I will be rushing back here to see another flick anytime soon. I saw Inception and I was not terribly impressed with the quality of the images. Everything looked a bit fuzzy. I was very glad I was sitting higher up because, as several people mentioned, the seats to not recline. I cannot imagine how someone could have a remotely positive experience in the first 10 rows. I also did not like that we were all herded up to the top exits and to the elevator after the film was over. It seemed like an inefficient way to get the crowd out since it led to a bit of a traffic jam. But it is possible that there was another way to go and I missed it. Next time it is movie night, I think I will have a more enjoyable experience paying $10 at the Regal. read more

Overall the experience was painful and uncomfortable, but luckily I was seeing The Dark Knight and could have been punched in the gut repeatedly during it and not even noticed [I'm a big Batman nerd]. I'm not at all an expert in IMAX (actually, this was my first and only time now that I think about it) but I found the screens and the picture to be quite good. However, the seats were majorly cramped (and I'm 5'4" and barely 100 pounds, so that's saying something!), and they did not recline as I would have expected them to. So I basically had to slouch down until my neck was on the top of the backrest for a 2.5 hour movie. I was fine during it (as I said before, I was unaffected by outside occurrences), but as soon as I got up? Man, it took a while to walk it off. read more

DO NOT GO HERE!! So bad!! We left after ten minutes because it's impossible to watch a movie with such a horrible setup. We sat in the top middle, which is ideal, and we still couldn't see. Imagine sticking your face an inch away from the tv and trying to watch a movie.. Not only can you not see anything, but it hurts to watch. We were having to look back and forth, up and down, so not fun. Aside from being impossible to watch, seats are the worst(no recline), it's very dirty inside(garbage everywhere), and you're crammed in like sardines(neighbors touching, no isle space to walk). read more

Went here on a saturday night to see "Where the wild things are" with my girlfriend. Having only experienced some of the natural geographic imax films (the one about Everest) I wasn't quite sure what to expect. At 13.xx a ticket they are certainly not cheap. I understand you're paying for a luxury of a huge screen so I was willing to do it. During the intro before the movie starts there is a little PSA about how you might feel dissy/get a headache because it's IMAX. I just shrugged it off because I didn't think it was a big deal. Boy was I wrong. As soon as the movie started I had difficulty looking at the screen at times. Maybe it was just the movie itself but there were parts of the movie where entirely too much was happening on the screen. I guess it's not really the fault of the Franklin Institute or IMAX but I was left wishing I was in a regular theater the whole time. There has got to be some ownership about the fact that certain movies shouldn't be shown in IMAX. Also the seats here like people have mentioned are very thing and not too comfortable. Won't be coming back here any time soon. read more

Watched movie about Egyptian tombs during the King Tut exhibit. Was pretty good. The sound effect is great in this place. Seats are kind of weird...in the way they are placed and the heights are incredible for a theater. People with vertigo, beware!! Will be great for kids. read more

First of all, as a former film projectionist, I was in major-wood mode while waiting in line to enter the theatre. The projection booth has a glass wall so people can look in. Any tech-junkies/geeks out there would be entertained just peeking at the IMAX technology alone. Now, on to business... Seating is narrow and kind of tough on the cheeks. The worst part is the seats do NOT recline back, which is a literal pain in the neck, as the picture is projected UP! As awesome as the GIANT picture looked, some things were off. First, the picture was dim. It felt like the film was being pushed to its limits. Second, with this being my first IMAX experience, I don't know if other theatres run a Dome-screen. The curvature takes a bit to get used to, and staying focused on the center can and will let you get immersed in the movie. The problem comes in when the frame is trying to show you more, and you actually have to turn your head to see everything. Weird. And the panels on the Dome-screen have gaps. Not good during brighter scenes within the movie. The sound was pretty good, and actually vibrated the wall behind me. Staff was courteous enough, although they really need to clean the isles inbetween shows. I don't like kicking cups and buckets while navigating the narrow isles. Not a bad experience, but it'll take a strong film to get me back. read more

Although the complaints about the theater's age and the uncomfortable seating are valid, this theater still gets high marks for the sheer size of the screen and the unbeatable concession prices. Seeing Rogue One and Force Awakens here were near-religious experiences. The sheer size of the screen is awe inspiring. However, what everyone else has said about sitting far is true--too close and you'll strain your neck. Get there early. The aforementioned concession prices were another huge plus. I think it was something like 4 dollars for a medium popcorn? Everything else was reasonably priced as well. In summary, old theater but still an incredible experience if you get there early enough to ensure that you get a good seat. read more

What are they thinking? It's bad, very bad. The screen is a dome. Maybe this works fine for films that are shot specifically for it or something, but for a normal 70mm or IMAX film, it's a disaster. The dome badly distorts the picture. Things that are supposed to be straight are instead curved. Everything on the screen is distorted to some degree, from "fun house mirror" to "this is hurting my brain and I don't know why". You're also too close to the screen. Even at the back/top of the theater, you are too close to the screen and too much of it is in your peripheral vision. Try sitting a foot away from your TV and watching a movie. That's about the effect. It's not an "immersive experience". There's stuff you're supposed to be able to see but you can't. Aside from these issues, the picture quality in terms of contrast, brightness, and saturation is very poor. Bad enough that even if the other issues did not exist, I'd recommend against it. I stayed for the first 30 minutes or so of Dunkirk hoping that maybe my brain would adjust to what my eyes were seeing or something. It did not, and I left. Franklin Institute was good enough to issue a refund. If they don't know how bad it is, I don't know how. Maybe there's a way to mitigate these issues by projecting onto a smaller area of the screen? I don't know... but I would not recommend seeing a movie here. I've never walked out of a movie before in my life. The person I went with felt the same way about it. read more

Absolutelty horrible experience yesterday in the Imax theatre at the Franklin Institute.There were mice everywhere in the theatre. Not just one, but many.This issue was called out in May of 2015 on Trip Advisor by a guest. Appears as ifthe issue was never addressed. This is both a public safety and a health issue. Especially afriad for kids. read more

Caught the 4am showing of Episode VII in 70mm IMAX film. First dome experience. Very enjoyable. I still prefer a flat IMAX screen but this is unique experience. U have to slouch a bit but I had no neck strain. I've sat 2nd row at Lincoln Square Imax for Interstellar, that's neck pain. Got good seat-about five from top, in the middle. Able to have tix scanned from IPhone so able to get in line immediately. Screen is massive- as it should be. Yes, It does cause a we bit of dizziness ( I've extremely prone to motion sickness but I had hard peppermints with me-it quickly passes once ur eyes adjust. Yes-u can notice the seams in the screen during some scenes it's not super distracting. Just accept it. Theatre was clean and they have a nice concession stand-which u don't always get a museum IMAX. There isn't a bunch of leg room. It's a bit less room than LS but it's not uncomfortable. Bathroom was clean. Not sure why so many negative reviews. I guess folks go in expecting a suburban AMC recliner experience. It's a theatre in a museum located in a major city. read more

Tuttleman Imax Theater - Inside of Tuttleman IMAX from the upper ramp. - Cinema Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

For the love of Hollywood, do NOT see feature films on this screen! Saw Inception here and a) could barely see what was going on, b) totally missed the amazing dream cityscapes and crash scenes, c) didn't get the full glory of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's beauty, and d) had to stretch my neck every 5 minutes so just wanted the movie to be over. This is all due to the fact that you're basically watching the movie in a planetarium--as others have pointed out, it's projected onto the inside of a dome. The picture is dim, you can see the individual panels of the screen, and everything is totally curved and distorted! Wish I had come to Yelp before paying $14 (okay, $12 with the members discount) to barely watch a movie. Don't get me wrong, Inception rocked. But the IMAX blew. read more

We came to try to see Star Wars. We waited in line for 20 minutes. There was NO indication that the show was sold out. When I got to the ticketing the attendant told me that the next 2 showings were sold out! What?! Why are they having people stand in line when multiple shows are sold out with NO signs alerting customers that the shows are sold out. This is an IMAX. With all of my that technology, shouldn't they also have solutions for customer service?! read more

After my initial bad experience, I wrote to someone at the Franklin Institute to complain. They offered two complimentary tickets (initially for Transformers, but I wasn't interested). Eventually we wound up seeing Harry Potter, when that was playing (last August, I believe). This time, we made sure to get there early and sat in one of the top rows. The viewing experience was better, but the seats were still uncomfortable and you could still sort of see the panels of the dome behind the movie. Lastly, although I appreciated the free tickets, a refund would have been better. The Franklin Institute doesn't show many movies, so choices were limited. Also, it seems strange that, after a bad experience, someone would say "Oh, I"m sorry, why don't you come have another bad experience, but do it for free this time?" read more

Watching a movie at the Tuttleman is excruciating. The seats are not comfortable at all. You find yourself shifting constantly to get comfortable and it never happens. The big dome screen makes the movie seem distorted, especially since straight lined things tend to curve. The positioning of the screen makes you crane your neck and shift more. I left seeing Inception with a royal headache and stiff neck. If the movie hadn't been so absorbing--I would have left the theater. read more