Home School Days.

Special Days for Home Schoolers

If you are a home schooler and would like to visit the Abrams Planetarium, here are some dates and times we've scheduled for you to visit. Of course you can still call and reserve any other show times, but these special homeschool dates are open to anyone. No reservation needed and no minimum group size charge.

We've set aside the first Wednesday of the month for the 2022/2023 school year. Tickets will be sold at the gift counter starting at 1:00 p.m. Showtimes are at 1:30 p.m. There will be no late seating. Tickets are $3.00 per person.

Audience members must follow MSU COVID safety rules while attending. Six feet spacing must be observed between groups from different households.

Living in Balance
October 5, 2022

Living in Balance: Anishinaabe Star Knowledge highlights Anishinaabe stories of constellations and moons in relation to contemporary insights about environmental changes. Teachings shared by Native Skywatchers Carl Gawboy, William Wilson, and Dr. Annette S. Lee are narrated by Aarin Dokum with Anishinaabemowin translations by Alphonse Pitawanakwat set to art by Elizabeth LaPensée.
Grades 5 and Up


Dinosaurs
November 2, 2022

Like almost all children, Celeste is fascinated with dinosaurs. She is preparing a talk for her class about how they went extinct when Moon, a very wise and magical character, poses a tantalizing question: what if I told you that there are still dinosaurs among us? Celeste will join Moon in a journey through time. An exciting adventure that will show them the Earth as it was in the very, very distant past. They will see the fascinating transformations that these animals underwent over millions of years, creating giant creatures, armored beasts and super predators, until the day that a cataclysmic impact event caused a mass extinction on Earth. But all is not lost. Celeste will discover the key to their survival.

George and Oatmeal Save Santa
December 7, 2022

Santa Claus is missing! Mrs. Claus is worried and asks Oatmeal the snowman to help find him. Join Oatmeal and his friend George, the planetarium wizard, as they travel the world in search of Santa. Along the way they are told constellation stories from many cultures and how to use the stars of the Big Dipper to find north. This holiday show is particularly appropriate for young children and their families.
Grades K - 3

Zula Patrol: Under the Weather
January 4, 2023

The stalwart heroes of The Zula Patrol are on an expedition collecting samples of weather for scientist Multo's research. When the Zula gang inadvertently hurts their loyal pet Gorga's feelings, he decides to leave Zula and find another planet to live on. Villain Dark Truder then tricks Gorga into helping with his latest nefarious scheme to rule the universe. The Zula Patrollers find out and go after him-in the process learning all about weather, both terrestrial and interplanetary. Based on the hit TV series.
Grades Pre - 3

Instructional Materials
Show Trailer

Skywatchers of Africa
February 1, 2023

For thousands of years, Africans have used their knowledge of the sky to build their societies, shape their spiritual lives, and meet their physical needs for survival. Skywatchers of Africa highlights the diversity of African astronomy, examines cultural uses of the sky that developed throughout history, and celebrates our shared human experience.
Grades 5 and Up

Imagine the Moon
March 1, 2023

Explore how the Moon has inspired human creativity, learning, and exploration ever since we have looked to the sky. Each discovery has brought new opportunities to contemplate and imagine, until, driven by dreams, we left Earth and went there in the amazing journeys that culminated in astronauts walking on the Moon. People have imagined the Moon as a glowing disk in the sky, a destination in space, and a world that shares its origin with the Earth. The power of human imagination continues to inspire our relationship with the Moon as our partner in space and companion in our sky.
Grades 5 and Up

Show Trailer

Big Astronomy
April 5, 2023

It takes many people with diverse backgrounds, talents, and skills to run a world-class observatory. Meet a few of these people as they share the wonder of the sky--and the excitement of discovery. Explore the world-class observatories nestled in northern Chile’s mountains and learn why Chile, is an ideal environment for studying the cosmos.
Grades 5 and Up

Instructional Materials
Show Trailer

Wayfinders
May 3, 2023

This full-dome program puts you on the deck of the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa as you explore the nearly lost art and science of non-instrument navigation in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Produced by Bishop Museum in collaboration with Polynesian Voyaging Society and 1001 Stories.
Grades 5 and Up

Out There
June 7, 2023

Out There: The Quest for Extrasolar Worlds shows how our perception of our place in the Universe has changed and how the discoveries of exoplanets we made in the last decades even surpassed the dreams of science fiction authors.
Grades 6 and Up

Show Trailer

Planetarium Parking (Click for Map):

Weekends and weekdays after 6:00 pm free parking is available in the lot directly across the street from Abrams Planetarium (Lot 41). Weekdays from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm public parking for the planetarium is limited. Busses and other marked vehicles may park directly in front of the planetarium, in the bus loading zone while their presentation is being given. Passes are also available for up to six vehicles for the bus loading zone on a first come basis, if busses are not using the area. On weekdays the closest public parking to the planetarium is in the parking ramp directly behind the building (Shaw Lane Parking Ramp, Ramp 1/Lot 51). Public parking is in the basement sublevels and is Pay by Plate. For more information about Pay by Plate, please visit to the MSU Parking Services website.

Adult Supervision

This is not a drop-off program. All students must be accompanied by an adult and supervised at all times. Parents and chaperones also must buy a ticket for $3.00. Children under two years of age will be admitted at no cost, but we strongly suggest children under two years of age stay home. If a child becomes noisy and disruptive, we may ask that you leave the planetarium theater.

Recommended Ages

The recommended grades given for the above shows are our recommendations based on the show's content. However, students of all ages will be permitted to any of the shows.

Click here for information about the MSU observatory public observing dates. The MSU observatory houses a 24" telescope used for astronomical research. One weekend a month, the telescope is set up for use by the public. Smaller telescopes are set up in the parking lot in front of the observatory. The telescopes will be looking at the Moon, planets and other celestial sights. The dates are typically the weekend closest to the First Quarter Moon

Click here for information about the MSU Astronomy Department lecture series. Once a month, an Astronomy Department faculty member gives a public talk about their current research. The lectures are geared towards general audiences. The lectures are free. Talks start at 7:30 p.m. and usually last about an hour.