FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 24, 2025
Ohio: Wild at Heart brings the state's great outdoors to the state's biggest screen
Wild beauty and nature's resilience dazzle in Cincinnati Museum Center's newest OMNIMAX® film; opening Oct. 24
CINCINNATI - Ohio’s natural wonders are getting their star turn on the state’s biggest screen. Cincinnati Museum Center’s newest OMNIMAX® film showcases the wild beauty of the Buckeye State in a trailblazing adventure across the state’s stunning parks and waterways, narrated by Ohio legend Archie Griffin. Ohio: Wild at Heart opens at Cincinnati Museum Center’s OMNIMAX® Theater October 24.
Ohio: Wild at Heart, from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Academy Award®-nominated producers MacGillivray Freeman Films, is the story of Ohio’s great outdoors and successful conservation efforts to restore its natural wonders. As you soar with eagles and watch fireflies light up the night sky, you’ll rediscover the joy and meaning that come from spending time in the natural world.
“Bringing Ohio’s great outdoors to the big screen is a great way to showcase why Ohio truly is the Heart of it All,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “We hope Ohioans go to the movies and experience the natural beauty and wonder of our state in a whole new way.”
“Ohio is the heart of it all, full of captivating stories of exploration and quiet moments of tranquility, it can all be found amongst the state’s natural beauty,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “Ohio: Wild at Heart is our love letter to the mission of protecting our natural resources and we are excited to share it with the world.”
Ohio: Wild at Heart showcase Ohio’s natural treasures with spectacular aerial cinematography, highlighting the sandstone cliffs of Hocking Hills, the sparkling shores of Lake Erie and the winding pathways of the Buckeye Trail, all on the five-story domed OMNIMAX® screen. You’ll also enjoy the thrill of paddling down the Ohio River, mountain biking in Mohican State Park, dogsledding in Punderson State Park and gazing at fireflies glittering in the night sky of the Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System.
“Ohio is a place of incredible natural beauty, and we are thrilled to bring its story of renewal to the giant screen,” said the film’s producer and director, Shaun MacGillivray. “Ohioans share a deep passion for nature, and our hope is that the film inspires people everywhere to go outside and rediscover the magic waiting just beyond their doorstep.”
“Ohio: Wild at Heart is a dazzling story of the joy of reconnecting with the natural world,” said Tony Lawson, vice president of guest engagement at Cincinnati Museum Center. “Captured for the first time on the giant screen, the beauty of Ohio’s state parks shine all around you. This film is very much a tribute to those everyday paddlers, birders, bikers and anglers who not only find renewal in nature, but are taking steps to protect it.”
Through the film, meet everyday Ohioans restoring the state’s wild spaces – wildlife rehabilitators preparing orphaned bobcats for release, scientists charting the triumphant comeback of bald eagles and volunteers turning once-polluted rivers into destinations for recreation enthusiasts and wild animals.
Ohio: Wild at Heart opens October 24 at Cincinnati Museum Center’s Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater. Tickets and showtimes are available at cincymuseum.org/ohio-wild-at-heart.
Ohio: Wild at Heart is produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films and presented by Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The family-friendly film has a running time of 40 minutes.
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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution and National Historic Landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of a select few museums in the nation with both honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Union Terminal has been voted the nation's 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, The Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and Cincinnati History Library & Archives. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes more than one million visitors annually. For more information, visit https://www.cincymuseum.org/.
About Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
About MacGillivray Freeman Films
Based in Laguna Beach, California, MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world’s foremost independent producer and distributor of giant screen 70mm films with nearly 50 films for IMAX® and giant screen theaters to its credit. Throughout the company’s history, its films have won numerous international awards including two Academy Award® nominations for The Living Sea and Dolphins and three films inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame, including Everest, the highest grossing giant screen film of all time. MacGillivray Freeman’s films are known for their artistry and celebration of science and the natural world. It is the first documentary film company to reach the one-billion-dollar benchmark for worldwide box office.
