Experience the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere
Star Shows in the Orthwein Starbay Theater are your gateway to the stars and beyond. Let the beauty of a clear, dark sky be your window into the universe as one of our skilled Planetarium Presenters leads each audience on a live exploration of the cosmos.
Shows are offered on a variety of topics and include a 40-45 minute live Planetarium program powered by our world-class ZEISS Universarium Mark IX star projector underneath our 80-foot dome.
After each show, explore the exhibit galleries on the 2nd and 3rd levels of the McDonnell Planetarium available only to guests who attend a Star Show.
Live. Current. Unforgettable.
Current Star Show Schedule
Thursday, February 03
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Friday, February 04
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Saturday, February 05
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Sunday, February 06
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Monday, February 07
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Thursday, February 10
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Friday, February 11
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Saturday, February 12
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Sunday, February 13
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Monday, February 14
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Thursday, February 17
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Friday, February 18
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Saturday, February 19
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Sunday, February 20
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Monday, February 21
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Thursday, February 24
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Friday, February 25
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Saturday, February 26
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Sunday, February 27
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Monday, February 28
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: Live Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Gateway to the Solar System
Now Showing at the McDonnell Planetarium
The Constellations – Limited Time!
NOW SHOWING: Thursday – Monday at 11:30am and 3:15pm
Constellations are your map to the night sky. These patterns have been passed down from culture to culture and help us locate objects of interest in astronomy while providing us a way to travel back in time to explore the people who gazed upon these same stars before us.
Explore the patterns that change overhead throughout the year in this live star show!
Live Sky Tonight
NOW SHOWING: Thursday – Monday at 11:30am and 3:15pm
Relax under the clearest night sky in St. Louis as our skilled presenters lead you on 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.
Gateway to the Solar System
NOW SHOWING: Thursday – Monday at 2:00pm
Exploring the solar system – and worlds beyond our own – is not science fiction. Gateway to the Solar System empowers audience members to discover planets, moons, and more by simply looking up.
Discover where the planets are tonight and more about our solar system that you can observe from your own backyard in this live star show.
The Little Star that Could
NOW SHOWING: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday at 10:15am
A tradition in St. Louis for over 30 years! Developed for our youngest stargazers, experience the timeless story of an “average” star in search of what makes him special. Along his journey, we will discover the differences of stars, planets, and galaxies in the night sky. Note: Not a live performance.
Membership
Members stargaze for free.
Love the Planetarium? Become a Science Center member and watch star shows for free with every visit, as well as get a full year of additional members-only benefits.
Plus, members help support the Science Center and our mission to make science learning open to everyone.
Accessibility
Elevators and ramps serve all public areas of the McDonnell Planetarium.
We also offer hearing assist devices for Planetarium star shows. When ordering tickets, please let your reservationist know you’re interested in a hearing assist device, or speak with a Planetarium team member before your program begins.
Due to the surge of COVID-19 within our community, the Saint Louis Science Center is temporarily closed. We are planning to reopen Thursday, February 3, 2022. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.