Essential information
| Type |
Family fun
Experiences
|
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and times | Dates and times vary: check ticketing page for full details | 10am-5pm |
| Prices | Experience + planetarium: Adult: £18 | Child: £16 | Experience only: £8 |
| 25% off for Members. Not a Member? Join now |
There's a new, interactive space-themed adventure open at the National Maritime Museum.
Astronomers Take Over is a multi-zone, family-friendly experience, perfect for little ones and anyone with a love for all things space!
Meet real astronomers, learn about landing a Mars rover, use a starlight splitter and step inside an awe-inspiring ‘galaxy box’ to find out just how amazing our Universe is.
Plus, while the Peter Harrison Planetarium is closed for refurbishment, we’re pleased to bring you an alternative planetarium experience, with all the excitement of our world-class programming, but in a more intimate space.
[The astronomers'] enthusiasm and knowledge are wonderful. It’s just incredibly rare to go to an... exhibition and find large numbers of helpful staff on hand and heavily involved. It turns out that the ultimate interactive display… is a person.
Andrzej Lukowski, Time Out
Inside Astronomers Take Over
Head into the following zones to meet the team, ask questions and try some space demonstrations.
Every astronomer we spoke to was incredibly knowledgeable, enthusiastic and generous with their time. They explained quite complex astronomy in a way the kids could understand, while also happily going into much more detail when we asked questions. They were patient, engaging and clearly passionate. Having actual astronomers there completely transformed the experience. Rather than simply looking at exhibits, the children could ask questions, explore ideas and actually understand what they were seeing. It was genuinely one of the best and most educational family experiences we have ever been to.
- Alexandra M, Trip Advisor Review, Sept 2026
Plan your visit
How to book
Click through to our booking site to choose between a combined Astronomers Take Over and planetarium show ticket or an Astronomers Take Over only ticket. Members get a 25% discount on tickets.
Dates and times vary: check the ticketing page for full details.
Visiting the National Maritime Museum
Astronomers Take Over is located downstairs inside the National Maritime Museum.
The Museum is a short walk from the centre of Greenwich, with regular DLR, rail, bus and river boat services available.
Learn more about space and astronomy
The Royal Observatory is the historic centre of UK astronomy.
The Observatory is just a short walk from Astronomers Take Over at the National Maritime Museum, so why not make the most of your day out in Greenwich and visit both places together? Find out more.
Frequently asked questions
Here's a link to the Astronomers Take Over FAQs page.
Tickets and Opening
| Astronomers Take Over + Planetarium: | Adult: £18 |
| Child: £16 | |
| Member Astronomers Take Over + Planetarium | Adult: £14 |
| Child: £12 | |
| Astronomers Take Over only | £8 |
Dates and times vary: check the ticketing page for full details
10am-5pm
- Greenwich Station
- Cutty Sark DLR
- Maze Hill Station
- Greenwich Pier
I took my daughter to Astronomers Take Over and the staff made her feel like a VIP. Bella, Clare, Aidan and Obi took her around the exhibition making it super interactive and engaging. Bella in particular helped her with drawing and using her imagination to its fullest... The whole experience helped spark her joy and wonder at the world outside of Earth.
- James C, Trip Advisor review, Sept 2026
Cosmic Journey: for everyone over 11
Our Solar System is a tiny part of our galaxy, the vast Milky Way. In this planetarium show, we'll explore some of its most intriguing objects: enormous nebulae, huge clusters of stars, exo planets, and more. What do these things teach us about not only our own cosmic neighbourhood, but the wider Universe?
The Night Sky: for everyone over 7
The Night Sky planetarium show is a classic guide to the night sky presented live by an astronomer. Explore the night sky as it appears on the day of your visit; learn about the locations of various astronomical objects and how to spot them; and plan ahead for what else is coming up later in the season. Every day (or night!) is slightly different, so the content is constantly changing.
Younger children will not be admitted.
Solar System Sightseeing: for over 5s
Tour the Solar System and learn about the wide range of environments within it, the challenges of exploring this vast region and what lies beyond! Everything in the Solar System is nearby in an astronomical sense, but compared to life on Earth, it is vast and varied. A journey around the celestial neighbourhood will reveal some of its workings and diverse environments including moons, asteroids, planets and more. There’s so much to see; the audience will be asked to help the astronomer choose what to concentrate on.
Younger children will not be admitted.
Animals in Space! For under 5s
From their involvement in the space race to what we see in the stars themselves, animals have played a major role in space and our understanding of it. In this planetarium show, we'll visit the International Space Station and the Moon, explore constellations, and here and there you may just spot Royal Observatory Greenwich’s beloved mascot: Ted the bear...
No adults without children will be admitted.
My 5 year old loves everything to do with space so we often take him to exhibitions. But space exhibitions are often presented at an adult level with lots of text and just a couple of interactives. So we absolutely loved Astronomers Take Over as it was at the perfect level with lots to see and touch and watch. The galaxy room was a favourite along with the Moon room demonstration. It was the perfect size exhibition and felt relaxed and safe for the children to enjoy without running off or feeling they had to be careful of big groups of adults. The Explainers were excellent, great with children and extremely knowledgeable.
Visitor survey, July 2026
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