Website:  Ontario Science Center

The spiritual journey to Mecca is actually a difficult physical trip, on foot.  It is an important part of Muslim Hajj pilgrimage and millions of them take time to make it.  Many years ago, the Kaaba structure containing the Black Stone was built in the city of Mecca.  It supposedly fell from the sky according to their history, which means it probably is a meteorite.  Ibn Battuta was a scholar hundreds of years ago who travelled many years on horse and foot and one of his journeys was a trip to Mecca.  He kept travelogue journals detailing his trips. For Muslims, their history dates back to the common ancestor of major religions, Abraham or Ibrahim and his second wife Hagar who bore Ishmael, the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran. Their descendants comprise the majority of Muslims in the Middle East and Central Asian regions.  Muslims have been making this pilgrimage to see their historical landmarks and reenact their religious history which their ancestors had experienced.  Ibn Battuta is one of millions of Muslim pilgrims who made it but he is unique because he kept a written account of his travels through many miles on foot and horse, over desert sands, barren landscapes.  He was also attacked on the way by horsemen but he was released as they found from his belongings that he was only another pilgrim.  He finally made it there and did the rituals but he did not return to his family and home for 3 decades after seeing other Asian and Middle East countries.  The Hajj, especially back in his day was so arduous a trip that some people to this day do not survive it and die on route! Most of the pilgrims are Muslim males but there are also Muslim females among them.  The whole area surrounding the Kaaba is crowded and all walking around it do so in a  counter-clockwise movement.  One would have to be Muslim to know the significance of this Hajj pilgrimage but foreigners can view this movie or do research to find out its meaning.

This OMNIMAX movie is based on this journey and his hardship in getting there.  To this day, non-Muslims are not allowed entry in so this movie is a great way to see an inside view of the pilgrimage.  The projection is semi-circular and larger than life with surround stereo speakers.  The cinematography is also done with a special IMAX movie camera.  It almost feels like being right there inside the movie with its intense effect on one's eyes and ears.  Many kids and families attended the screening during the Spring Break.  Ontario Science Center offers various memberships for entry to the science exhibits and discounts to the OMNIMAX movies.

Reference: 

Mecca
Kaaba
Ibn Battuta