The Visitor Orientation Center offers a reception desk with information about the area's historical attractions, interactive maps and information kiosks, and a high definition (HD) video presentation on California's early history and statehood. The 14 minute presentation was produced by Norman Kurtin of Design Media, San Francisco. The movie was shot on 35mm film and transferred to Sony's HDVS format at the Sony Culver City Columbia Pictures facility. The HDVS tape was subsequently transferred to HDVS laser disc by Sony in Japan.

The theater uses the Sony HDL-2000 high definition laser disc player and a Sony 1271Q projector. The facility was also designed with the capability of projecting 16mm film using an EIKI EX6100 projector and a Pioneer LD-V8000 NTSC format laser disc player as backups to the HD system. There are also provisions for VHS tape input and multi-projector slide presentations.

The 90 seat theater has state of the art acoustics and a comfortable ambiance thanks to well designed audio, lighting and air conditioning systems. Daily operation of the large amount of equipment available would have presented a challenge to the center's docets, but it was made simple by a customised control system engineered and installed by Visual Database Systems.

The theater has been automated so that three time each hour the docets open the doors and invite visitors inside then close the doors behind them. From the reception desk, pressing a single button causes the lights to be dimmed, the video to play, the light to automatically brighten and the disc re-positioned at the conclusion of each performace. From the front desk a closed circuit TV allows monitoring of the performance and security of the theater. A pnaic stop button is also provided to bring the lights up and stop the performance should the need arise. If the NTSC version is used, there is a single button selection inside the projection room that allows the switch over as well as allowing selection of the VHS sources or AV input. Use of a Sony PC-1271 switcher selects the feed for the projector and the audio system. VDS SuperBox II controllers operate the laser disc players and automate the lighting.

Since installation in October 1993, the HD video equipment has required no maintenance beyond an occasional check of the projector convergence which has been remarkably good since the initial installation. The HD laser disc has operated flawlessly.