Come visit our new digital planetarium where a Real Astronomer will tour you through a fascinating model of the universe. We have special shows pre-made for school and Cub/Guide groups, but we also take special requests.
Our Shows
- Our planetarium is located at 50 St. George Street in downtown Toronto: this is not the McLaughlin planetarium, which is now permanently closed.
- Our planetarium is small: it fits 25 people maximum.
- We do not show pre-recorded videos.
- We have a live presenter using a joystick to fly you through the cosmos.
- Our presenters are real astronomers, and can answer questions.
Your Options
- You can request a show on the topic you want: prices start from $150 whatever the number of people in your group (from 1 to 25).
- You can combine this with a tour of our observatory (ideal for groups between 25 and 50 people).
- You can check our calendar for pre-scheduled shows. All you have to do then is to show up early enough (first-come, first-served) and pay $5 per person (cash).
Directions
50 St. George. St.
Toronto, ON
M5S 3H4
To access the planetarium, enter the building by the entrance on St. George St. and turn immediately to your right upon entering. It’s just down the stairs from the small lobby right off St. George St.
here is no parking at the Astronomy Building, in which the planetarium is located. However, there is a pay parking lot across the road and many places to park on the street. For more information about parking on the University of Toronto campus, please visit parking.utoronto.ca.
For guests arriving by chartered bus, we suggest that your bus discharge its passengers on one of the side streets around the Astronomy Building, rather than on St. George St. itself, which can be quite busy.
The area around the planetarium is well served by transit. We are less than ten minutes’ walk from either the Queen’s Park subway station and only fifteen minutes from the St. George subway station. We are about two minutes’ walk from the many bus routes along College St. and Spadina Ave.
You can contact us by e-mail at planetarium@astro.utoronto.ca
FAQ
Is the planetarium wheelchair accessible?
No. Unfortunately, the planetarium is not wheelchair accessible. The dome itself can accommodate a wheelchair, but it is accessed from street level via a short flight of stairs. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you are unable to access the planetarium, you may wish to use our Ask an Astronomer video-chatting services instead.
Are there age restrictions on planetarium guests?
Guests of all ages are welcome. In our experience, small children (under 6 years old) are usually not willing to sit still for a long show, so we might recommend a shorter show for these audiences.
Click Here to request a Private Show (starting at $150 for groups of 1 to 25 people)
During an observatory tour, your group will be introduced to our collection of telescopes, including our 8-inch and 16-inch telescopes in their domes on the roof of the McLennan Physics building, a 16-story tower with spectacular views of both the city and the sky. During daylight hours, visitors will be able to view the sun through a telescope equipped with a solar filter, providing spectacular new views of this familiar body. Depending on the date and time of your visit, the moon may also be available for viewing during daylight hours. Observatory tours after sunset offer amazing views of double stars, nebulae, and, when available, planets and the moon. Observatory tours are weather dependent. If the weather is inclement on the day of your visit, we may substitute a longer planetarium show for the observatory tour.
Planetarium Show
- Planetarium show with a Real Astronomer
- Full-featured planetarium experience
- Lots of time for questions and exploration
- 1-25 people
- 50 minutes
- Daytime or evenings (evenings $25 extra)
Planetarium + Observatory
- Planetarium show with a Real Astronomer
- Planetarium highlights
- Observatory tour
- 1-25 people
- 50 minutes (25 planetarium + 25 observatory)
- Daytime or evenings (evenings $25 extra)
Large Groups
- Planetarium show with a Real Astronomer
- Planetarium highlights
- Observatory tour
- 25-50 people
- 50 minutes (25 planetarium + 25 observatory)
- Daytime or evenings (evenings $50 extra)
*Prices include HST.
Fun, Educational, and Inspirational
At a University of Toronto planetarium show, one of our Real Astronomers will take you on a tour of the cosmos which combines the most current scientific understanding with the latest digital technology. Our shows are presented live, not pre-recorded, so you benefit not only from the genuine passion of a Real Astronomer, but also from their wealth of knowledge. Ask anything you like! We offer pre-planned curriculum-linked shows as well as free-form shows where anything goes and the sky isn’t the limit–it’s the starting place!
Images courtesy of Uniview, SCISS.
Curriculum-Linked Shows
We offer shows customized for the curricular needs of school and community groups. Or you can have your own custom show!
- Grade 6
- Grade 9 Science
- Grade 12 Physics
- Grade 12 Earth and Space Science
- Scouts and Guides
- Custom Shows
