Skip to main content
Department of State

New Jersey State Museum

The Hon. Tahesha Way, Lt. Governor and Secretary of State
Museum

Learn At The Museum

Planetarium - Educational

Our Planetarium features a fully upgraded Ultra-High Resolution 8K projection system, so your experience is sure to be out of this world!

From the ancient Maya to adventures on Mars, we have shows for all age groups and interests.

Shows are 25-45 minutes long. Most shows also include a New Jersey Sky Talk. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled show time.

Advance reservations and payments are required. Show times are 10:00am, 11:00am and 1:00pm Tuesday through Friday from September through June. The first group to book a show time chooses the show; suggested shows are listed below.

**Spanish version available, please indicate interest when making reservation.

Cost: $5 per person, including leaders and chaperones.

Trenton Public Schools and Title 1 schools receive a 20% discount.

Group Size: Planetarium seats 140 people, larger groups will be scheduled for two or more shows. Minimum group size of 15 attendees.

When a reservation is complete groups will receive a confirmation and an invoice. Payment is due two weeks before arrival. Groups can update total attendance numbers at the two week deadline before final payment. If payment is not received within that two week period the New Jersey State Museum reserves the right to cancel the reservation.

Shows begin promptly at the scheduled time. We are unable to issue refunds for late arrivals.

Reservations and Information: Email Reservations.njsm@sos.nj.gov

Please Note: All in-person programs are subject to change per COVID-19 health and safety regulations. We reserve the option to reschedule or cancel programs if we are unable to safely serve you.

Planetarium Programs

Featured Shows

The following shows have been suggested by our Planetarium staff, keeping NJ curriculum standards in mind, ordered for our youngest students at the top to our oldest students at the bottom.

The Moon

The Moon

The Moon teaches young children about the Earth and the Moon, and how observations can help us better understand the world around us.

 

• One World, One Sky/ Un Mundo, Un Cielo **

Grades: PreK-2 (Run Time: 26:58)

One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure begins on Sesame Street when Elmo's friend, Hu Hu Zhu, visits from China. Big Bird, Elmo and Hu Hu Zhu take viewers on an exciting discovery of the sun, moon, and stars. They also learn about the Big Dipper and the North Star. Elmo and Hu Hu Zhu then take an imaginary trip to the Moon where they learn that the Moon is a very different place from the Earth. They even pick the North Star as their friendship star to always remind them of their shared joy of looking up at the sky together.

 

Magic Tree House: Space Mission

Grades: 1-4 (Run Time: 32:28)

Based on the book series by Mary Pope Osborne. Adventure through space with brother-sister team of Jack and Annie….and their Magic Tree House! Learn about what it is like to live in space as well as where we are going in the future.

 

Astronaut

• Astronaut/Astronauta **

Grades: 3-6 (Run Time: 23:00)

The exploration of space is the greatest endeavor that humankind has ever undertaken. What does it take to be part of this incredible journey? What does it take to become an astronaut? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Discover the perils that lurk in space as we subject ‘Chad’, our test astronaut, to everything that space has to throw at him.

 

Earth, Moon & Sun

Grades: 3-6 (Run Time: 28:33)

Explore the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun with the help of an amusing character Coyote (adapted from Native American oral traditions). Examine how the Earth, Moon and Sun work together as a system, with a look the Moon's orbit, craters, phases and eclipses. Young children and audiences of all ages will appreciate learning the science behind the myths.

 

STARS

Grades: 4-8 (Run Time: 26:00)

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. Suitable for general audiences..

 

Season of Light

Season of Light – Seasonal Special!

Grades: 4-12 (Run Time: 35:14)

Season of Light explores the reasons humans are so fascinated with lighting up our lives during the December holiday season. It’s an exploration of the astronomical meanings behind seasonal traditions, including the “Star over Bethlehem”. Season of Light is a specialty program with an emphasis on astronomical and cultural themes related to the holiday season. Its educational impact is achieved through a set of multidisciplinary ideas woven through the program that help relate different holiday traditions and astronomy to the lives of students, families and the general public.

 

• Tales of Mayan Skies/Cuentos de Cielos Mayas **

Grades: 4-12 (Run Time: 34:02)

Tales of the Maya Skies immerses viewers in the wonders of Maya science, cosmology and myth, as we are taken back in time to the jungles of Mexico and to the cities and temples of the ancient Maya. The beautifully illustrated story reveals how the Maya scholars developed a sophisticated understanding of astronomy, architecture, and mathematics that enabled them to predict solstices, solar eclipses, weather patterns and planetary movements, and through this knowledge make sense of the world around them.

 

Wildest Weather in the Solar System

Grades: 4-12 (Run Time: 24:03)

Join us on a spectacular journey to witness the most beautiful, powerful and mysterious weather phenomena in the solar system. From a storm the size of a 100-megaton hydrogen bomb, to a 400 year old hurricane, to a dust tempest that could engulf entire planets, you’ll be glad you live on Earth!

 

To Space and Back

Grades: 4-12 (Run Time: 25:10)

Join us as we take audiences on an incredible journey from the far reaches of our known universe to our own planet. It is an extraordinary story of human ingenuity and incredible engineering, describing how the technology that transports us through space is paving the way for devices and applications (apps) we use every day. Discover how space exploration is shaping your world in this new fully immersive show.

 

• Dynamic Earth/La Tierra Dinámica **

Grades: 4-12 (Run Time: 24:14)

Dynamic Earth is an ultra-high resolution full-dome production, narrated by actor Liam Neeson. The show explores the inner workings of Earth’s climate system. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere. Audiences will ride along on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a monster hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and gigantic whales, and fly into roiling volcanoes.

 

EXO: Are We Alone?

Grades: 4-12 (Run Time: 33:15)

Humankind has always sought to understand the mysteries of the Universe and speculated about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Today we know of thousands of exoplanets — planets located outside our Solar System — that offer valuable information about our own planet, its origins and life on Earth. We’re on the cusp of making some fascinating discoveries. But how will they change our lives? Suitable for all audiences.

 

• Touch the Stars/Tocar las Estrellas(ALL NEW in 8K Resolution!) **

Grades: 4-12 (Run Time: 38:00)

“Touch the Stars” dramatically showcases the robotic spacecraft used in the exploration of our solar system and the galaxy beyond. The film traces the path to space through the history of NASA’s probes, orbiters, and landers—from the heart of our solar system and the surface of its planets and moons to the grand tour of the Voyager spacecraft through the outer planets and beyond. Created with the cooperation of NASA and Lockheed Martin, and using the latest high definition imagery and scientific data, fulldome show “Touch the Stars” engages audiences through the use of real footage and 3-dimensional vistas, transporting us to planets and distant stars alongside these heroic robot explorers for an unforgettable voyage.

 

Áróra

Áróra is an immersive full-dome show that transports audiences to Iceland to learn the story of the aurora, the northern and southern lights. Voyage through time and space to find out how auroras are caused by the Sun, how Earth’s auroras have siblings across the solar system, and how different cultures have explained this majestic and mysterious phenomenon.

 

 

 


Back
to top