Planetarium shows and astronomy talks

The Peter Harrison Planetarium is located at Royal Observatory Greenwich, within Greenwich Park. It is on the lower floor of the Modern Astronomy Centre (often referred to as the ‘South Building'). If you come to any part of the Royal Observatory site, staff can guide you to the Planetarium.  

Please note that the Planetarium is a 15-minute walk from the National Maritime Museum and farther from Greenwich town centre, at the top of a steep hill. Check your route and give yourself enough time to walk, since planetarium shows do not admit latecomers.

We have an exciting and diverse programme of shows, which vary depending on the date and time of your visit.

Most of our shows are presented live by Royal Observatory astronomers, who make each show unique based on their own specialisms and interests. These shows include The Sky Tonight, Meet the Neighbours and Starstruck, plus Ted’s Space Adventure which is suitable for under 7s.

The other shows feature pre-recorded narration. These are hosted by Royal Observatory astronomers who are happy to answer your questions at the end. Our current pre-recorded shows are Moons Beyond Counting and Audio Universe - Tour of the Solar System.

Our Community programming is created in collaboration with specific groups and partners, designed to showcase how diverse the world of astronomy can be. This programming includes Morning Stars, Bilingual Families, Astronomy and Islam and Chinese Astronomy.

Generally shows run at the following times, although please check the booking calendar for live availability.

Weekends and school holidays

• 10.30am Community show
• 11.30am Ted’s Space Adventure 
• 12.30pm Pre-recorded show (changing every 6-12 months) 
• 1.30pm The Sky Tonight 
• 2.30pm Meet the Neighbours/Starstruck/Moons Beyond Counting (rotating each month) 
• 3.30pm The Sky Tonight
• 4.30pm The Sky Tonight

Term-time weekday afternoons (except Thursdays)

• 2.45pm The Sky Tonight
• 3.45pm The Sky Tonight

Different shows are suitable for different age ranges.

Ted’s Space Adventure is recommended for families with children aged 3-7. Older or younger children of any age will be admitted, provided accompanying adults understand the fact that the show may not be suitable for them. Adults without children will not be admitted to Ted’s Space Adventure.  

All our other public shows are recommended for adults and families with children aged 7+. We will admit younger children aged 5 and above to these shows, provided accompanying adults understand that the show may be too advanced for them. Under 5s will not be admitted.

Community shows are suitable for various age groups. Please check the individual pages of these shows for more information.

All children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. 

Our shows are very popular, so we highly recommend booking tickets online in advance. 

Click through to the booking site to open the calendar and see the standard show schedule. For Ted’s Space Adventure click here, and for community shows book via the individual webpages. Once you've picked a show, select the number and type of tickets you require and complete your booking. Tickets will be emailed to you when you check out.  

Public planetarium show tickets go on sale roughly one month in advance.

You can also book by phone by contacting the Bookings team on 0208 312 6608 (open Monday-Sunday, 9am-5pm). 

Tickets on the day can be purchased at the Planetarium box office, but these are subject to availability and we cannot guarantee entry. Tickets are not available to purchase online or by phone less than two hours before the show start time.

Please note: Planetarium shows and Royal Observatory entry tickets must be booked separately. Plan your visit to the historic Royal Observatory Greenwich here. 

From choosing the best show and ticket type to the experience of being inside the Planetarium, check out our full accessibility information here.  

You can also find full accessibility information for all of our museum sites here. 

If you have more questions about visiting the Planetarium or booking tickets, visit our FAQs page.

Frequently asked questions