The OmnIcon of The Realm of Man
Guests explore one of the Realm's painted caves, circa 1979
The Realm of Man was designed to evoke the primordial state of prehistoric humankind.
History
When OmniPark opened in March 1977, this Realm was originally called The Realm of Mind, and was focused on the human brain — specifically, on human consciousness.
Its original attraction was a ride called "The Mystery of Consciousness," which simulated the evolution of human consciousness from a first-person perspective, culminating in a colorful simulation of an LSD trip. Documentation of this attraction (and of the Realm as it originally looked) survives only in the form of storyboards and photos published in the 1978 souvenir book "A Journey Through OmniPark."
Facing intense criticism from parents for apparent endorsement of drug use — an accusation bolstered by the fact that members of the hippie community (including [citation needed] Ken Kesey and Timothy Leary) frequently made "pilgrimages" to the park specifically to experience this Realm and its attraction while under the influence of psychedelics — OmniPark demolished the attraction at the end of the tourist season in October 1979.
The entire Realm was closed until May 1981, when its Grand Reopening introduced its new branding as The Realm of Man, featuring "The Story of Man" as its main attraction.
Realm Layout and Design
Most of the Realm's environment was patterned on mammoth-bone houses and painted caves of the last Ice Age. Certain areas evoked even older human habitats, such as the savannas of Africa.
Attraction: The Story of Man
This attraction invited guests to travel back to the dawn of human evolution.