Of late, you may have noticed many IMAX installations invading your local multiplexes, malls, McDonald’s, day-care centers, tree nurseries and dolphin rehabilitation centers. You may have also shelled out $20 for a movie ticket and then were disappointed by how the screen failed to live up to memories of humongous screens in stuffy natural history museums.

Why is that? Well, the majority of newly installed IMAX screens across America are shams — they use two digital projectors in conjunction with screens not significantly larger than your typical cinema’s screens.

If you really want to see The Dark Knight Rises on a legit, obscenely huge IMAX screen, your only option in the Washington metro area is one of the Smithsonian’s IMAX theaters. And of these IMAX theaters, the theater that most frequently features blockbusters is the Airbus IMAX Theater in the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

The best part of the Airbus Theater is its glorious 2D-only projector and sound system. The IMAX screen is intimidatingly massive and immersive, the image is crisp and vibrant and the sound system is suitably deafening. Thankfully, the theater proprietors have mostly eliminated dead zone seats, allowing almost everyone in the room to get a good, unobstructed view of the screen.

Unfortunately, the screen is just about the only good part of the Airbus Theater.

Since it is a Smithsonian institution, the feature-length movies are only shown in the late afternoon or evening. There are no trailers and no concession stands. In fact, you aren’t allowed any food or beverage inside the theater. Water is the only exception, offered for the exorbitant price of about $4 a bottle.

If you do attend the late afternoon screening, your bags will be subject to a brief inspection by the TSA-lite security guards out front.

All screenings, however, are preceded by a ridiculously long line coming out of the theater. If you want prime seats or even seats right next to your companion(s), you should plan on arriving at least 15 minutes prior to the showing.

Arriving there 15 minutes early is complicated somewhat by the Airbus Theater being in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere, in this case, is in Virginia and beside Dulles Airport. Transportation options are limited to driving there through a toll road or … driving there through a toll road. Thankfully, parking is free in the evening.

Is the IMAX screen really worth all this trouble? That will depend on the movie. But, for anything less than the year’s biggest, most obnoxiously pervasive blockbuster, Airbus Theater really isn’t worth that extra effort.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Tickets: Regular — $15.00 (no matinee/3D) Food options: No restaurants in the immediate area. A McDonald’s is located within the museum. No food or beverage (except water) allowed in the theater. Transportation: No bus or train service available. Parking after 4 p.m. is free. Earlier parking costs $15. chzhang@umdbk.com