Christie was among the many newsmakers at the recently opened Newseum, and supplied over 60 projectors throughout the various exhibits and galleries. Integrators Electrosonic, Inc. and Communications Engineering, Inc. (CEI) specified and installed the technology.

“We chose Christie because they have a wide range of projector models that suit our many needs, from Digital Cinema to high quality mini theatres and smaller exhibits,” comments Dan Laspa, project manager for Electrosonic. “One of the main constraints imposed on us by the Newseum when we were specifying the project was that they wanted to deal with a limited range of models of projectors, and preferred only one manufacturer. Christie had the right mix. Electrosonic and the Newseum were impressed by Christie’s high level of warranty and service support, which is a critical element for us. Because of the varied nature of the projects we get involved in, we often have lots of questions for our suppliers. This collaboration has been a great success for all involved.”

The projection systems span many of the floors and exhibits of the Newseum. Visitors begin their tour on the concourse level where five Hearst Corporation Orientation Theatres as well as assorted exhibits welcome them. One 120-seat theatre and four 40-seat theatres present the award winning What’s News, an HD video exploring the boundaries of journalism and the public’s need to know. Those theatres are outfitted with Christie DW3K 3-chip DLP® projectors.

On the first floor, Electrosonic helped design and install the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Theatre, a multi-purpose venue that includes a 4D time-travel experience. As a theatre for general-purpose presentations, it seats 500 and is outfitted with a Christie DW6K used in both the show and as the main projector when the theatre is used in Presentation mode. Reconfigured as a 4D theatre, it seats 196 and features a 57x25 foot custom curved Stewart screen and a pair of Christie’s acclaimed Digital Cinema projectors, the Christie CP2000 and two Christie DS+65 projectors for show effects.

On the fifth floor, the News History Gallery chronicles artifacts from five centuries of news reporting. The long, narrow space features two rows of display cases surmounted by a frieze created by 20 Standard Definition Christie DS+25W projectors displaying a collage of video images. Five more Christie DS+65 projectors highlight particular artifacts by projecting onto screen fabric in the glass cases. Five small “Sidebar” theatres, equipped with Christie DS+65 projectors and custom screens, tell individual stories in the history of news.

The Robert H. and Clarice Smith Big Screen Theatre is also located on the fifth floor of the museum where it displays historical and breaking news. It features a 90x11-foot screen whose images are provided by five edge-blended Christie DW3K projectors using Christie Twist™ image warping and blending functionality. A Vista Spyder is also part of the system and is used to feed video to the projectors, which blend the ultra-wide image. It has 28 inputs with 20 coming from the router.

On the same floor is the Pulliam Family Great Books Gallery, which highlights documents related to freedom of speech and the press. Two Christie DS+65 projectors display a two-screen, edge-blended show run by Dataton Watchout.

For more of Live Design Online’s reporting on digital specifications at the Newseum, see:

Barbizon Makes Headlines At The Newseum

Barco HD LED Display Greets Newseum Visitors