Sail into Maryland history in an immersive dome theater

In collaboration with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Night Kitchen Interactive produced a series of immersive 360-degree videos that tell the story of the historic Maryland Dove. The original Dove was a 17th-century sailing vessel that crossed the Atlantic Ocean to establish the free colony of Maryland. The new reconstruction, to be completed in 2021, is a highly accurate build based on modern archaeological discoveries.

Two of the immersive videos were filmed aboard an older reproduction of the Dove built in the 1970s. These videos feature unique vantage points from the crow’s nest and stunning vistas of the Chesapeake Bay, all shot on a 5.7K VR video camera. Narration by shipwright Joseph Connor describes the changes made to the new Dove design.

To deliver this experience to the audience at the museum, Night Kitchen partnered with The Elumenati, an immersive dome vendor, to erect a 15-foot Panorama theatre in the museum visitor center. This display method allows the visitors to interact with the VR films in an immersive group setting.

Finally, Night Kitchen installed a VR time-lapse camera to document the ongoing Dove construction in their boatshop over the course of the year.