Journey into outer space via movies projected onto a giant screen, spot stars and planets through telescopes and see artefacts such as meteorites.
While in Buenos Aires, visit the Planetario Galileo Galilei, a planetarium, exhibition center and museum. Learn about our solar system by attending family-friendly movies at a wraparound cinema. See astronomical instruments, real meteorites and lunar rocks, and have fun gazing at a starry sky. Resembling a UFO, the Planetario Galileo Galilei stands in a park that hosted Argentina’s first recorded soccer match.
Book tickets for a show at the planetarium’s theater, which boasts a 66-feet (20-meter) dome screen, reclining seats and surround sound. Movies will boost your knowledge of the universe, its planets, stars and galaxies. En Movimiento teaches us how everything around us on a cosmic level is constantly in motion. Bring the kids to watch Cuentos Para no Dormir, a cartoon exploration of Earth and constellations.
Come after sundown on a weekend for the chance to see a million stars and the Milky Way. The planetarium has projectors dedicated specifically to viewing the moon and the sun. Lucky visitors might also get an up-close glimpse of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Star-gazing enthusiasts can sign up for multi-week astronomy courses, conducted in Spanish.
A series of hands-on and touchscreen exhibits in the museum area bring you even closer to space exploration and scientific developments. Highlights include an interactive robot, a virtual reality experience and a gallery of photos taken by Argentine astronomers. Don’t miss the fragments of lunar rocks collected by astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission. Outside the planetarium you’ll find a meteorite, sundial and a globe that portrays a parallel world.
The planetarium is located in Parque Tres de Febrero, in the Palermo neighborhood. Several public bus lines stop nearby and it’s a 20-minute walk from the Plaza Italia metro station. Nearby is El Rosedal rose garden, the Japanese Garden and the MALBA art museum.
Planetario Galileo Galilei is open from Tuesday to Sunday. Purchase tickets in advance via the attraction’s official website.
