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Biblical Planetarium in Haltom City brings immersive experiences to Tarrant County

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Keith Arnett and wife Elisa Ellard Arnett remember catching glimpses of the facility being built off Denton Highway. Day by day, the Keller residents saw progress as the walls were constructed, the roof was set in place and the windows were installed, unsure of what new business was coming to Tarrant County. 

Once Arnett, who identifies as an evangelical Christian, found out it was a biblical planetarium called The Journey, his curiosity grew. 

“We would stop from time to time to see if it was open yet, to see what it was all about, and then it was finally open,” Arnett said.

The Journey, located at 6001 Denton Highway in Haltom City, describes itself as a Christian multimedia experience based on Scriptures from the Bible. Upon walking inside, visitors are greeted by a towering 30-foot-tall, dome-shaped planetarium. 

Projector screens line the walls of the space, where visitors can watch a 50-minute film. “The Journey: In the Beginning” draws on both the Old and New Testaments and includes stories of creation, Jonah and the whale and the birth of Jesus Christ. Jamie Wiseman created the experience in 2021 as a way to bring more immersive art and entertainment based on Christian faith to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

“I hadn’t found immersive experiences  other than the Museum of the Bible in D.C. and thought there might be an opportunity to take advantage of the new technologies that are available to tell these stories and point toward the Gospel,” Wiseman said. 

In addition to the planetarium, technology at The Journey includes another smaller virtual reality dome where visitors wear a strap-on headset to watch the show in 360 degrees. Another virtual reality experience is expected in early 2024, when guests will use the headset to watch Moses part the Red Sea. 

What : The Journey 

Where : 6001 Denton Highway, Suite 300, Haltom City, TX 76148

When : Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Price : Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 4-12 

Wiseman, originally from Oklahoma, says the Protestant faith has long played a pivotal role in his life. His father was an Episcopal priest, his grandfather was a First Presbyterian pastor and his great-grandfather was a Methodist pastor, he said. 

After becoming a father, Wiseman felt called to find a way to use technology to tell Bible stories to his children. 

“I’m not a pastor and I’m not a preacher, but I do like these stories,” Wiseman said. “I thought there might be an opportunity to take advantage of the new technologies that are available to tell these stories.”

The Journey is an independent production and is not affiliated with a particular denomination or church, according to its website . People of any faith or no faith can visit. Since its inception, over 10,000 people have come to see the show, Wiseman said. 

When Arnett first visited The Journey, it was to satisfy his curiosity about the place. During his visit in April 2023, he met Wiseman and was offered a job. Now, Arnett works for The Journey and handles its outreach to nonprofits, schools and other organizations for group sales. 

Arnett sees The Journey as a way to get Tarrant County on the map for faith-based technology attractions, especially after the virtual reality Moses story arrives this year. 

“Fort Worth is not known as a high-tech center, nor is Tarrant County. So I hope that people are encouraged in seeing high-tech interests becoming involved in the growth of the community,” Arnett said. “We’re still evolving technology in a way that will attract people”  At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here . Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at [email protected] or @marissaygreene . 

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by Marissa Greene, Fort Worth Report January 4, 2024

This <a target="_blank" href="https://fortworthreport.org/2024/01/04/biblical-planetarium-in-haltom-city-brings-immersive-experiences-to-tarrant-county/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://fortworthreport.org">Fort Worth Report</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-favicon.png?fit=150%2C150&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://fortworthreport.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=101169" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

Marissa Greene Faith Reporter

Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member and covers faith in Tarrant County for the Fort Worth Report. Greene got her start in journalism at Austin Community College, where she spearheaded the... More by Marissa Greene

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Journey Dome

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Journey Dome - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

• Mon - Thu 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
• Fri - Fri 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• Sat - Sun 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• (13.27 km) Hilton Garden Inn Fort Worth Alliance Airport
• (12.99 km) Kimpton Harper Hotel.
• (6.85 km) Hyatt Place Fort Worth Alliance Town Center
• (3.81 km) Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Worth-Fossil Creek
• (13.01 km) Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Worth Downtown
• (0.22 km) Starbucks
• (0.27 km) Joe's Coffee Shop
• (0.27 km) Joe's Pizza & Pasta
• (0.24 km) Main Street Cafe
• (0.39 km) OC Burgers

Immersive experience lets people journey through the stories of the Bible

The Journey Dome is a Christmas feast of sights and sounds in North Texas for a limited time. The immersive experience is similar to an IMAX movie.

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Journey Dome

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Journey Dome (Fort Worth, TX): Hours, Address - Tripadvisor

• Mon - Thu 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• Fri - Fri 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• Sat - Sun 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
• (13.27 km) Hilton Garden Inn Fort Worth Alliance Airport
• (12.99 km) Kimpton Harper Hotel.
• (6.85 km) Hyatt Place Fort Worth Alliance Town Center
• (3.81 km) Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Worth-Fossil Creek
• (13.01 km) Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Worth Downtown
• (0.22 km) Starbucks
• (0.27 km) Joe's Coffee Shop
• (0.27 km) Joe's Pizza & Pasta
• (0.24 km) Main Street Cafe
• (0.39 km) OC Burgers

Journey Dome

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Christian Immersive Experience

Come experience the Journey Dome!

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Journey : The beginning

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Locally owned & operated

Free parking

Kid friendly

Large group friendly

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6001 Denton Hwy

Haltom City, TX 76148

About the Business

Christian Immersive Video Experience …

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This is a pretty cool concept. I've never seen anything like it before. You sit inside this domed room and there's a show on the screen. It's biblical obviously. . The animation is really good and the music as well. They have an altar call when you step outside if you want to go in alone and check that out. I believe it's Billy Graham on the recording, just very interesting how it's all set up.

See all photos from Kristi S. for Journey Dome

My son and daughter loved it The Dome was awesome, our guide Mr. Broderick was super engaging, the fun kids activities made it a great family outing with a reminder that our God is so big and merciful!

This was my first time attending a Christian immersive experience. There are plenty of places to park, the experience is 45 minutes and takes you through different points in the Bible. I recommend sitting in the middle section or towards the front for the best view of the immersive experience. The host, Jonah was friendly and inviting. He also mentioned that a Christian organization came up with Journey Dome and they plan to continue immersive projects in the future.

Beautiful buildings

Children 4 and under are free otherwise its $18 per person. The show lasts about 45 mins. Free parking. And port-a-potty stalls if you need to go. Overall - really cool experience. Good and bad, here we go. From the outside, the dome doesn't look very big. But on the inside, it felt like the screen stretched because of how much you can see. I believe his name was Jonah, he was our host. Super friendly guy. We were at the 3 PM showing which was the last show of the day, so he said he was a lot more relaxed and not in a rush for us. There are Beanie bags, folding chairs, and also these rocking bed-like seats. Those were really cool! You can lean back and get a full-on view experience from top to bottom as simply as leaning forward and back. I would recommend finding one of those to sit on, but there's a limited amount so try to get there early. I was maybe... the 12th person that entered and we got the last 2 but that didn't mean there was 12 rocking seats. I think there was eight. OK so why the missing 5th star? First, I don't know if it was where i was seated but it was absolutely freezing cold! Like uncomfortably cold. My husband was wearing a thermal long sleeve and he said he was cold too. So bring a cover or dress warm. Also bad : The male voice over that they used, for what felt like half the show, was so deep and low that you really couldn't hear the story telling, like at all. :( And, I thought it was just me, but it turned out my husband confessed that he couldn't hear or understand the deep voice either. The music was so loud that it overshadowed the voice. So it just felt like we were looking at a video while trying to Make out any little part we can understand. Otherwise, I do think this was a cool experience. I love that kids can participate, but I don't think it's appropriate for the little, little ones. One kid was running around during the show (this dome doesn't have a lot of running space) and I noticed when the show ended, parents were carrying out their sleeping children lol. NAP TIME!

Perfect family outing for a Biblical time for children and adults alike! For us adults, it was like the 'art' of slowing down to breathe deeply. highly recommend for ages 4 and up..their tickets are only $10. each ours was $18. and worth it all. We will return with friends. Excellence in associate greeting us!

The Journey is an awesome, fun, and exciting experience for the whole family! Would highly recommend for all ages! Can be a fun family event or a fun date night! Very relaxing, interesting, and definitely worth your while! I've never experienced anything quite like it! Also a must for Teen Youth groups to experience together. Or even a school field trip once we get passed Covid!! Definitely a MUST see for DFW!

This experience for my family and I was incredible! We did not feel like this was just a movie but a Christian film that made us feel as if we were actually there. This creative, entertaining, experience will grab the attention of your kiddos as it did for us and cause even you to be captivated as you look up and all around the dome while watching. We will definitely be back!

Very unique experience. There is nothing around like is really like this. I love the way they utilized creativity of multimedia to embrace and expand on the Word of God. Would love to see what else they have planned

Great visuals, sound and message. Activated fine art in the Immanuel show, real high definition visuals in Creation, Animation in Jonah and visuals of the cosmos in the Reflection Prayer. Worth experiencing! Take the kids!

I've seen both films in the dome. The entire inside of the some is the movie screen. The Jonah section the kids just loved. I found the stained glass and reflection section mesmerizing. The Immanuel section had beautiful activated paintings that I felt a part of. I'm going to go back and see them again. There is so much going on there is a lot to take in. I felt encouraged and inspired by what I experienced. This is a truly unique offering and helped me reflect on why I'm here in the world. I loved it. It's well worth the trip and the admission price.

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Saturday, January 1, 2022

We visited the journey dome in southlake and loved it.

In today's post, I'll tell you about our experience at The Journey Dome in Southlake, TX.  This unique experience was amazing!  Let me share more details.

Here is the overview:

" The Journey Dome has launched a Christian experience in Southlake, which will entertain, educate, and enlighten people of faith and people seeking clarity and guidance in life. Through state-of-the-art technology, The Journey allows the mind, body, and soul to journey through the stories and words of the Bible. The 50-foot diameter dome offers an immersive experience surrounded by high-resolution video and high-fidelity sound. With a run time of approximately 40 minutes, the presentations are family-friendly and suitable for people of all ages. Currently, there are two shows available for patrons -- The Journey: In the Beginning” (covers the Creation, the Book of Jonah, and a Christian Reflection Prayer) and Immanuel: The Nativity” (featuring immersion within ancient and contemporary oil paintings of the Annunciation, the Star of Bethlehem, and the Nativity). Additional shows will be added in the coming months."

We arrive approximately 15 minutes early and found that there was plenty of free parking. We showed our tickets on my phone and were welcomed into the dome where we could choose any seat. The options included benches, stools, or places to lay on the floor.  I chose to sat, but my husband and children laid on the floor. In hindsight, I would lay on the floor with them next time because the screen surrounds you and it's very cool to see the imagery on the ceiling.  

The film was nicely done.  I don't want to spoil any surprises, but I'll tell you that it reminded me of an OmniMax film in many ways and that we felt immersed in the film's imagery such as viewing the world from mountains, being in bodies or water, and more.  The movie included biblical references, including the story of Jonah. My family love the unique telling of this story thanks to the state-of-the-art technology in the 50-food diameter dome that provided an immersive experience.  We can't wait to see another movie at The Journey Dome!  We loved it much more than seeing a movie at a regular theater because this dome theater had a fantastic Christian movie in an immersive environment. It was nice to watch the movie with a small group of other families.

After the film, my family went to Southlake Town Square for dinner and dessert. There are plenty of great restaurants near The Journey Dome . We highly recommending a family movie night at The Journey Dome followed by a night out for dinner and/or dessert in Southlake!  Visit the Journey Dome website for tickets here .

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Journey Dome

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Journey Dome (Fort Worth, TX): Hours, Address - Tripadvisor

• Mon - Thu 12:00 - 18:00
• Fri - Fri 12:00 - 20:00
• Sat - Sun 11:00 - 20:00
• (8.29 mi) Hilton Garden Inn Fort Worth Alliance Airport
• (8.12 mi) Kimpton Harper Hotel.
• (4.28 mi) Hyatt Place Fort Worth Alliance Town Center
• (2.38 mi) Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Worth-Fossil Creek
• (8.13 mi) Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Worth Downtown
• (0.14 mi) Starbucks
• (0.17 mi) Joe's Coffee Shop
• (0.17 mi) Joe's Pizza & Pasta
• (0.15 mi) Main Street Cafe
• (0.24 mi) OC Burgers

Recent  

JOIN US SUNDAY!  

Here at Journey Fort Worth, we believe in stepping into people's lives and sharing in the ups and downs of their unique journeys. Our community is built on the foundation of love, support, and a deep desire to experience life together.

Join us on Sundays for a worship experience like no other. Our services are infused with dynamic worship that lifts your spirit and practical, Biblically-rooted teaching that guides you on your path.

Whether you're taking your very first steps in faith, seeking answers to life's questions, or have been walking with Christ for years, our church is a safe and welcoming place for you to explore, grow, and learn more about what it truly means to follow Jesus.

A CALL TO PLANT!

About our pastor.

For over two years, we have felt a deep calling from God to make a difference in our City and community. Having served as student pastors for over a decade, we knew the time had come to take action. We saw a void in our area, a lack of the kind of church we longed to be a part of and see. That's when it became clear to me that the church God was showing us was within me, waiting to be born.

We are filled with immense excitement as we embark on this incredible journey, ready to put in the hard work and dedication necessary to bring to life what God has placed in our hearts. However, we don't want to undertake this journey alone. We wholeheartedly invite you to join us in the creation of Journey Fort Worth. Together, we can build a church that reflects our passion and vision, and impacts the lives of countless individuals in our community.

LEAD PASTORS

Diego & asia fuller, peo ple  to  , equip ping  , you to be  , become who      , god called   .

Plan Your Visit

Join us | this sunday, services | 10:30 am.

We are absolutely thrilled by the recent launch of our new church, a momentous occasion that unfolded on April 2nd, 2023. This memorable event was marked by the powerful and spiritually enriching presence of the Lord.

With great excitement, we invite all of you to join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM. Our mission is to Step up, Step out, and step into people's lives to make a difference, equipping individuals to wholeheartedly embrace the distinctive journey that God has prepared for them. We firmly believe that every step taken on this journey carries profound significance and purpose.

If you're considering visiting us, we warmly welcome you to plan your visit in advance. Let us know you're coming, and we will make sure to have someone ready to greet you upon your arrival. They will be there to assist you in finding a seat and provide you with a anything you may need. 

We believe that together, we can create an environment where everyone feels valued, inspired, and connected. So mark your calendar and get ready to experience the powerful messages and warm fellowship that await you at our church on Sunday mornings at 10:30 AM

A Church that looks like Heaven

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Pianist Anton Nel's musical journey from South Africa to Texas

The prize-winning pianist performs with the dallas chamber symphony april 30, by kimberly richard • published april 27, 2024 • updated on april 27, 2024 at 11:10 am.

Anton Nel is a Texan via Johannesburg.

“My heart was always here,” said Nel, the South African native who became an American citizen in 2003.

The Austin-based pianist will perform with the Dallas Chamber Symphony at the Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District on April 30.

Growing up on a farm in Johannesburg, Nel began playing the piano at age 10. His mother, a talented pianist and singer, recognized his natural talent and arranged piano lessons for him. As Nel performed and won first prize in all the major South African competitions as a teenager, his mother was his greatest supporter.

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“She was of the generation where those kinds of things were not to be pursued. She was supposed to get married and have a family and so on so when I took to it, she was just delighted,” Nel said.

He made his European debut in 1982 and came to the United States in 1983 to earn his Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Cincinnati. In 1987, Nel won first prize at the Naumburg International Piano Competition at Carnegie Hall.

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Over the last four decades, he has performed in the United States with the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Seattle, and Detroit Symphonies. With his repertoire of more than 100 works for piano and orchestra, he has appeared throughout Europe, Japan, China, Korea, and South Africa.

“To be this person that can recreate all these masterworks and be the one to present it to people is really nice,” Nel said. “And I also love being onstage. There’s something wonderful about being able to read these little black dots on a page and somehow without you knowing it, can amuse, or move, or entertain people who have absolutely no understanding of it, but there’s something magical about that whole experience.”

One of his most unusual performance experiences was appearing in 33 Variations, a play by Moisés Kaufman at Austin’s Zach Theatre in 2013. Nel knows the pianist who performed in the Broadway production starring Jane Fonda. He suggested the show to Dave Steakley, Zach Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director.

The play is about a musicologist trying to understand Ludwig van Beethoven’s obsession with creating variations on a melody by Anton Diabelli as she struggles with ALS.  Nel carved out months in his schedule to rehearse the variations. He appeared in each performance and was onstage for the entire show.

“I loved living at the theater,” Nel said. “It’s just one of those things I’ll never forget.”

Beethoven wrote the 33 variations as he struggled with deafness near the end of his life.

“The whole story was really interesting about how it came to be, and how he undertook the journey of writing this giant piece when he was only supposed to write one variation and was completely, madly obsessed with it. It was an interesting project to learn it,” Nel said. “I came out of it a different person.”

In his early 20s, Nel came to Texas to teach, joining the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin. It was his first job out of school. Having benefited from extraordinary teachers and mentors such as Adolph Hallis, Bela Siki and Frank Weinstock, he chose to make teaching a major aspect of his career.

“I felt like it was something I want to start passing on early,” Nel said.

He taught at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan. He also gives an annual series of masterclasses at the Manhattan School of Music and the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. During the summers, he is on the artist-faculties at the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival, and the Orford Music Academy in Quebec. Now in his 38 th year of college teaching, he is currently the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Endowed Chair at the University of Texas at Austin- Butler School of Music.

“The act of teaching, the act of transferring knowledge, especially one-on-one, you can make such a difference to the lives of people, even if they don’t take up music as a career. Anything you teach, anything you do as a musician, including discipline, the goal setting can be applied to your daily life. It’s very fun. I never tire of it,” Nel said.

During the first half of the Dallas Chamber Symphony’s concert, Nel will perform two pieces: Hayden’s Piano Concerto No. 11 in D Major and Schumann’s Introduction and Allegro Appassionato. The second half of the concert will feature Brahm’s Symphony No. 3 in F Major.

Hayden wrote at least 11 keyboard pieces.

“This is the last one and probably the best and it’s something I really, really love. It’s a piece that I’ve never actually played on the piano before. I’ve played it on the instrument it is written for many times: the fortepiano,”  said Nel, an accomplished harpsichordist and fortepianist.

Nel calls the Schumann work his “desert island piece,” having first played it as a teenager after his music theory teacher gave him five volumes of Schumann’s work.

“It speaks to me,” Nel said.

Although he has gratefully played it several times onstage, Nel anticipates most audiences have not heard it performed live.

“For me, it has the absolute essence of Schumann in it,” Nel said. “It is super beautiful and exciting.”

Learn more: Dallas Chamber Symphony

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