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The former Imax reopens with an exhibition dedicated to Iniesta
The former Imax cinema in Port Vell is about to begin a completely different life. The building will reopen on Monday, 28 September, as a venue for major exhibitions and immersive experiences, with Andrés Iniesta as the focus of its first production.
Tickets for Iniesta: the inner game will go on sale this Monday, 24 August. The standard price will start at 19.95 euros and reduced rates will be available for young people, families, older people and other groups. The opening will come just after the La Mercè festivities, which this year end on Sunday the 27th.
The transformation of the former cinema has made it necessary to radically change its interior. The large grandstand and the former conventional screening room have disappeared to create an open-plan, high-ceilinged space, ready to host installations that could hardly be set up in a traditional exhibition hall.
One of the most recognisable features, however, survives. The curved dome associated with the former Imax screenings has been restored and repainted, while the main entrance is once again on the façade facing the city. The overall investment in transforming the venue exceeds eight million euros.
The first exhibition will be spread across nine spaces and will cover both Iniesta’s sporting career and his personal life. There will be objects belonging to the footballer, interactive installations and recreations of moments such as the goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2009 or the one that won Spain the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
The exhibition will also address less visible stages of his career, including the mental health problems that Iniesta himself has publicly discussed and his retirement from professional football. The tour is completed with content connected to his training, personal memories and spaces where visitors can take part in different challenges.
The new use brings activity back to one of the most distinctive buildings on Moll d'Espanya. The Imax was for years a landmark of leisure in Port Vell and later hosted the experience linked to the Copa América. It will now operate over the coming years as a space for cultural and sporting exhibitions while the future Liceu Mar project moves forward.
The reopening adds another piece to the change under way in this part of the port, alongside Maremagnum and L’Aquàrium. On 28 September, the former halls where Barcelona residents went to see giant films will welcome the public again, but this time the spectacle will not be on a screen: it will occupy virtually the whole building.