Thursdays at 2pm May 2 - June 20

Every star has a story. Some are as old as time, faint and almost forgotten. Others burn bright and end their lives in powerful explosions. New stars are created every day, born of vast clouds of gas and dust. Through every phase of their existence, stars release the energy that powers the universe. Journey to the farthest reaches of our galaxy and experience both the awesome beauty and destructive power of Stars. Narrated by Mark Hamill.

Fridays at 2pm May 3 - June 21

From the journey of protons racing through the world's largest particle collider in Europe, to up-close views of the Big Bang and emergent cosmos, this show will immerse audiences in the search for dark matter. A collaboration of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, University of Texas at Arlington, Michigan State University, IFIC at University of Valencia, as well as other institutions. Narrated by Oscar-winning actress, Tilda Swinton.

Saturdays at 2pm from May 4 - June 22

Imagine the ultimate space vacation!  Discover our solar system through a different set of eyes – a family from another star system seeking the perfect vacation spot. Fly over the surface of Pluto, our best-known dwarf planet, dive over the ice cliffs of Miranda, sail through the rings of Saturn, feel the lightning storms of Jupiter, and walk on the surface of Mars. Which destination would you choose? A solar system journey for space travelers of all ages.
 

 

Saturday, April 13 - May 25 at 3:30pm

Dark Universe brings audiences to the cutting edge of cosmic exploration to reveal the breakthroughs that have led astronomers to confront two great cosmic mysteries: dark matter and dark energy.

Saturdays at 3:30pm June - August
Not showing July 6

The aurora is the greatest wonder a human can experience in nature. Now, you can experience the actual aurora with the world's first 4K x 4K real-time hemispherical immersive video. Animations and CG depict auroral myths and the science behind the aurora, also known as the northern or southern lights. The show tells the story of how auroras are formed, the secret behind the colors, the best places to see them, their different shapes, auroras on other planets, and more.

 

Wednesday at 12:30pm June 26 - August 28

A spectacle of light and color as Elmo, Big Bird and their newest friend - Hu Hu Zhu - watch the stars and constellations over Sesame Street. During the show, children can interact, tracing out constellations and counting the time it takes the sun to set. The journey includes a trip to the Moon.
 

Wednesday at 2pm June 26 - August 28

From Earth to the Universe begins with a tour of the various worlds in the solar system. We then leave our home to take the audience out to the colorful birthplaces and burial grounds of stars, and still further out, beyond the Milky Way, to the unimaginable immensity of countless galaxies.

Thursdays at 12:30pm June 27 - August 29
Not showing July 4

A hamster named Elon is a scientist who lives in a junkyard. One day, he hears a loud crash and finds a damaged robot in a crater. After fixing the robot, Elon learns that it came from a spaceship. Will Elon be able to return the robot back to its ship before it leaves?
 

Thursdays at 2pm June 27 - August 29
Not showing July 4

Journey from the depths of the Pacific Ocean into the far reaches of space on a quest to find something that changes everything...signs of life, somewhere else in the universe. This immersive voyage takes audiences from the surface of Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter to the extreme lava fields of Hawaii and thermal vents deep beneath the sea. In these harsh environments, astrobiologists look for clues to how life takes hold. The Search for Life will make you re-examine such fundamental questions as: Where did we come from? How did we get here? Are we alone? Narrated by Malcom McDowell.

 

Fridays at 12:30pm June 28 - August 30

Explores the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun with the help of Coyote, an amusing character adapted from Native American oral traditions who has many misconceptions about our home planet and its most familiar neighbors.  The show looks at how the Earth, Moon and Sun work together as a system.
 

Fridays at 2pm June 28 - August 30

Dubbed 'inland seas' by early European explorers, the Great Lakes have some of the most spectacular wilderness scenery on earth, and a fifth of all the planet's fresh water. It takes a drop of water nearly 400 years to travel from the headwaters of Lake Superior to the edge of Lake Ontario. Along the way, the water passes by towering cliffs dotted with early Native American pictographs, caribou and moose grazing on the shores, over giant prehistoric sturgeon lurking among thousands of shipwrecks and past nearly 40 million people who live along the more than 10,000 miles of coastline. It is a dramatic journey through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.
 

Fridays at 3:30pm June 28 - August 30

Shift your perspective and relax a while in the dark cozy comfort of the Planetarium’s Dome360 Theater and be treated to beautiful music with breathtaking views of space, mind-provoking immersive art, and panoramic environments. You'll return to your world renewed and refreshed!  All are welcome, but this program may not be suitable for young children. 

Saturdays at 2pm June 29 - August 31
Not showing July 6

An exciting journey through time to discover the incredible variety of dinosaurs that ruled our planet's past. Celeste, a young girl fascinated by dinosaurs, travels with her wise and magical friend Moon on an amazing adventure and learns that not all dinosaurs went extinct. Appropriate for all ages.

 

Friday, May 17 at 7pm

The Planetarium will host a special talk by Craig Whitford from Michigan State University about meteorites, ancient debris that falls to earth from space.  Whitford is the Meteorites Collection Coordinator at the university’s Abrams Planetarium in East Lansing and was lead designer of their new $100,000 meteorite exhibit. The program will focus on the identifying characteristics of meteorites, where they come from, the different types, and their significance in understanding the formation of the solar system.  Craig will also look at meteorite finds from across the state, including the most recent specimens from the 2018 fireball explosion near Hamburg Township in southern Michigan.  A question and answer period will be included.

Friday, July 19 at 7pm

July 20th marks the anniversary of the first Apollo moon landing that took place in 1969.  Join us for a special showing of “Capcom GO! – The Apollo Story” followed by a short program by Planetarium Manager Mike Murray with rare footage, astronaut accounts, and fulldome imagery.