Hayden Planetarium’s Must-See Exhibits

Vibrant galaxies. Stunning star clusters. Mars, Venus, Jupiter. Surreal, chromatic nebulae. That’s what you’ll see when you look up, in the midst of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History.  

It’s a veritable celestial oasis in the heart of New York City — it will transport you billions of miles away into the breathtaking depths of the universe, yet you’ll never have to leave the ground.  

Part of the Museum of Natural History’s Rose Center for Earth and Space, the Hayden Planetarium originally opened in 1935, but it was completely rebuilt in 2000. The planetarium itself appears to be a floating sphere; one of its architects, Polshek Schliemann, has called it a “cosmic cathedral.”  

Offering immersive viewing experiences, educational courses, video exhibitions, and lectures, the Hayden Planetarium is a must-visit for everyone, whether you know almost nothing about the cosmos or you’re a serious astronomy fan. Its technology is state-of-the-art, including fulldome video and a Zeiss Star Projector system, allowing visitors to experience the full visuals of space. 

Step into the Hayden Planetarium to be transported into another world. It is a mere four minute drive and 12 minute walk from The Wallace. Whether you’re staying with us or not (although we hope you will), here is our comprehensive guide to the must-see exhibits currently on show at the Hayden Planetarium, which is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm.  

Worlds Beyond Earth 

Built into the dome of the Hayden Planetarium is the 429-seat Space Theater, which uses the aforementioned Zeiss Star Projector system to explore, in hyperrealistic 2-D, the intricacies of the universe. Its exhibits are based off of a 3-D map of the observable cosmos, compiled from millions of independent observations.  

The Space Theater is where Hayden Planetarium holds its aptly-named ‘Space Shows.’ Currently playing at the Space Theater is Worlds Beyond Earth, narrated by renowned actress Lupita Nyong’o. It was the Space Theater’s first new show since 2013, and it began in early 2020.  

Using data from Apollo 15, Voyager, and other space missions, Worlds Beyond Earth takes audiences on an exhilarating journey to the far reaches of the solar system and back. It explores the similarities and differences between our world and the other planets’, in an immersive way only a wide-ranging visualization could pull off.  

From the frozen desert of Mars to the fascinating moons of Saturn, experience the solar system with what the American Museum of Natural History calls the “world’s most advanced planetarium projection system.”

Each show lasts 25 minutes, and showings begin at 10:30am and continue every half-hour until 4:30pm. Adult tickets for non-residents to the American Museum of Natural History start at $28, and Worlds Beyond Earth is a $6 add-on. Purchase tickets here.  

Big Bang Theater 

Also contained within the Hayden Planetarium is the Big Bang Theater, where a concave screen replays the birth of the universe. It’s one potential answer to that unknowable question of where we came from. 

Perhaps, the Big Bang Theater proposes, the universe began as an intensely dense, intensely hot point, from which it expanded outwards over billions of years until it became what we inhabit today.  

The exhibit takes viewers through this process, from the initial expansion to its cooling-down period to the emergence of gaseous clouds that eventually became planets and stars. It even explores the mysterious “dark energy,” a force that serves as a counterbalance to gravity in our current universe. 

It is the perfect show for anyone fascinated by the question of how the universe began, and even for others who just want to see the improbable yet beautiful creation of the cosmos. Visitors of all ages will find the exhibit stunning and educational. 

The Big Bang Theater replays the show every five minutes, and each showing lasts four minutes. That means there are countless opportunities throughout the day to see a full recreation of the birth of the universe.  

Admission is included with your ticket to the American Museum of Natural History.  

Heilbrunn Cosmic Pathway 

In the middle of the Hayden Planetarium, the Harriet and Robert Heilbrunn Cosmic Pathway winds its way from the exit of the Big Bang Theater to the base of the sphere itself. Along its railings are a guide to the 13-billion-plus-year history of the entire universe. 

The 360-feet pathway turns time into something physical, and gives you a sense of how short humanity’s period on Earth has been, in the grand scheme of things. Major points along the way include the formation of our galaxy, and then our planet; the appearance of life on Earth; the evolution of humanity. Using photos, videos, text, and other media, stations along the way present guides to the developmental stages of the universe. 

The pathway even houses certain artifacts that lend a visceral sense of history to the exhibit. Among these are rocks from the oldest rock formation on Earth, a fossil of the first animal to have eyes, and the tooth of a giant dinosaur.  

The pathway is open at all hours that the Planetarium is open, and admission is free. 

All of New York City is within your reach when you stay at The Wallace. Book now!