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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, March 21
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Friday, March 22
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Saturday, March 23
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Sunday, March 24
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Monday, March 25
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Yoga Under The Stars (SOLD OUT)
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Thursday, March 28
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Friday, March 29
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Saturday, March 30
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Sunday, March 31
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Monday, April 01
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Thursday, April 04
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Friday, April 05
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Saturday, April 06
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Sunday, April 07
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: ECLIPSE
Thursday, April 11
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Friday, April 12
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Saturday, April 13
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Monday, April 15
Planetarium: The Constellations
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Thursday, April 18
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Friday, April 19
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Saturday, April 20
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Sunday, April 21
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Monday, April 22
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Thursday, April 25
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Friday, April 26
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Saturday, April 27
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Sunday, April 28
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Monday, April 29
Planetarium: The Sky Tonight
Planetarium: The Little Star That Could
Planetarium: Yoga Under The Stars
Monday, May 20
Planetarium: Yoga Under The Stars
Now Showing at the McDonnell Planetarium
The Constellations
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!
ECLIPSE
Are you ready to get eclipsed?
Explore the nature of eclipses and get prepared to safely observe the upcoming solar eclipses in October 2023 and April 2024. Learn what to expect from these awe-inspiring events and make sure you can safely get eclipsed!
Each ticket includes a pair of solar glasses for safe solar viewing.
The Sky Tonight
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.
The Little Star that Could
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.
Planetarium Star Shows rely heavily on live, spoken narration. Sign language interpreters or Communication Access Realtime Transcription (CART) can be provided with advanced notice. Please contact the reservations department to request accommodation prior to scheduling your visit.
We also offer hearing assist devices for Planetarium Star Shows. When ordering tickets, please let your reservationist know you are interested in a hearing assist device, or speak with a Planetarium team member before your program begins.