Planetarium Shows at the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park

Visit the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park and see a star show to experience the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere. Star shows are led LIVE by one of the Planetarium's educators, creating a new and tailored experience for every audience.

Shows include a 40-45 minute Planetarium show in the Orthein StarBay and a self-guided tour of the Boeing Space Station exhibits. Shows include:

Planets of Rock. Take an out-of-this-world look at the rocky planets in our Solar System in Planets of Rock. "Our small, rocky neighbors tend to get overshadowed by the giants like Saturn, but these worlds play a huge role in our understanding of space,” says Will Snyder, Manager of the McDonnell Planetarium. “Mercury, Venus, and Mars all provide a treasure trove of observable phenomena from our own backyards, and our modern exploration of these planets now helps to guide our search for life beyond our Solar System.”

In producing this new show, the McDonnell Planetarium team hopes to highlight research happening in St. Louis. Snyder says, “we are lucky to have an internationally recognized Earth and Planetary Science department at Washington University. It is so cool to know that St. Louis helped to send rovers to Mars, and probes to Mercury and Venus!” This 45-minute live star show will be offered daily at the McDonnell Planetarium.

The Little Star That Could. Great for kids! The Little Star That Could is the story of an "average" star that travels the universe in search of planets. Along the way they make many discoveries about stars, planets, galaxies and themselves.

Science of the Zodiac. The 12 constellations of the zodiac hold a special place in our popular culture, but what makes these patterns different than any of the others found among the stars? Explore how these constellations and how they have shaped humanity's scientific understanding of the sky in Science of the Zodiac!

The Sky Tonight. Relax under the clearest night sky in St. Louis as skilled presenters lead you on a tour of the best the night has to offer. This live show is different every time, so stop back again to discover the changing stars, planets, and other celestial events visible from your own backyard.

Shows are subject to change. Please call ahead at 314-289-4400 to confirm show availability.

Admission is free for members of the Saint Louis Science Center, non-member adults (ages 13-59) are $6, children (ages 2-12) and seniors (60+) are $5, and military personnel are $4.

Most shows play Thursday through Monday. For a schedule for each show, tickets and more information, go to slsc.org