Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium

«This is ground control for Major Tom» from David Bowie 1969, why you ask that I mention this? Because, I love this song and Bowie so it just seemed to fit together, and moreover I love the planetarium and all things spacey, planetary, terrestrial, and non-​terrestrial including the word terrestrial. There are all kinds of events and displays, as well as the wide variety of shows. Membership is also a great gift for friends and family. So if you haven’t checked it out get over there and get on board.

Just saw the Pink Floyd laser show. Pretty amazing! Only two complaints… my neck hurts from looking up (I guess that’s to be expected) and I thought there would be a smoke/​fog machine involved in the show for the lasers to shine through, but… no smoke or fog.

Officially added to things to do with kids! I was required by my AST 102 course to do an outside project. I came here!
We arrived 15 minutes prior to the 4pm show starting but spent that time trying to find a parking spot that didn’t require a permit/​20 mins parking. It was definitely a challenge so be prepared with your defensive driving skills.
The presenter knew his stuff. He showed us the constellations, the sun, Saturn’s rings, and Mars. It was $ 5 per person.
My kids enjoyed it as well. I kept having to quiet them down from their loud «awwwweeesome!» «Woooooow!»

Growing up in the Tucson area, I hold a special place for Flandrau in my heart– it was THE place to go for fieldtrips and it was AWESOME. Actually, it’s still awesome and the folks running this place are über passionate about education and of course maintaining a high quality facility. It turns out that the planetarium has not been updated since it was built– crazy, right?! The science center also houses one of the top 5 mineral and gem collections in the country, something like 26,000 specimens. Word is that they are working on updating the exhibit too. Flandrau also offers Science Camp-​ins, Star Parties, Portable Planetarium shows, and Laser Light Shows.
Well, the dome has officially been updated– and now it’s known as the «Fulldome» New high tech projection with epic sound and super duper HD. So worth is to visit the center if you haven’t been back for a while. The experience is well worth it and it’s fun and easy on the wallet.

I have been to many planetariums, this is not too big or too fancy, but the laser show is just amazing.
The demos they have at hand are also great, and is a very interactive museum to bring your kids to spend a fun afternoon.
It is a bit small to my taste, but nevertheless great. The guys working there are top notch and incredibly helpful.

the flandrau science center & planetarium is located near the cherry pull out on the university of arizona mall.
we had been wanting to go to the lazer light show of pink floyd’s dark side of the moon and since my dad was in town, we thought it was a great time to go.
the admission is $ 5, but if you check-​in to the flandrau science center on Unilocal they give you a $ 5 credit to use for the show! (i didn’t know this until i had already paid, but they said i should use it for next time).
the lazer show is soooooo awesome. i had never listened to the dark side of the moon album and it was a pretty cool first experience.
i highly recommend this!

Friendly staff and while I was here they had an amazing mineral exhibit from China. I need to check out the Planetarium and Flandrau’s own mineral collection when I return. Nice little book shop at the entrance and the place seems ideal for grade school children — the staff is very helpful and everything focused on informing the public and grade schoolers.

Confession: I think the «I effing love science» FB group is a load of bull. If you REALLY love science, don’t just make goo goo eyes at Neil Degrasse Tyson and angrily protest Pluto’s declassification as a planet: get up close and personal with science. Learn how awesome the world is, and get excited about legit scientific discovery.
Flandau is a great place to do it! You can learn about the mission to take a chunk of outer space moon rock and fire it back to Earth through videos, posters, bits of meteorite and other rock to get your hands on, and even games on ginormous touch screens. You can test your space knowledge by playing «true or false» with scenes from ‘Armageddon’ and ‘The Simpsons’ while letting your kids look at pictures and goof around with foam space rocks. Something for everybody!
The astronomy program is neat, too. For five bucks, you can head to the planetarium and see the current star alignment projected. Through the magic of an experienced narrator with a laser pointer, you can find out what constellations are currently visible, and know what the heck to look for in the sky.
If you want to get REALLY into science, we’re talking full-​contact astronomy here, you can head upstairs and take a peek into the jumbo telescope and chat with LEGIT scientists. I got to look at the Orion Nebula– over a thousand light-​years away! Is there a Facebook graphic for that? I think not!
When the night is clear, you need something to do, and you’ve got $ 12 in your pocket, go check out the Flandau museum and planetarium and REALLY see some science. (There’s also a Pink Floyd laser light show, which isn’t science, but we won’t tell anybody.)

If you don’t know… you HAVE TO GO!
A perfect fit for our family, The Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium is a hands-​on wonderland for all ages and has earned the title of «our family’s new favorite place in Tucson.»
When you ask our three-​year old what his favorite thing is, he will answer with pure delight, «black holes!» While he gravitates the most towards black holes, he loves all thinks outer space. The Flandrau Center is an infinite universe of information for all things out of this world.
Our two year old LOVES rocks. Whenever we venture outside, he will pick up a «special» stone, hold it in his hands or stash it away in his pocket so he can add it to his box of rocks when we return home. With Flandrau’s staff geologist on hand to provide a wealth of knowledge and point us in new directions we even got to discover what some rocks «taste» like. Her passion and enthusiasm for her field was contagious, I even got excited about rocks.
For both of our ever-​active, curious and inquisitive boys, The Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium is an out of this world experience and beyond fun place to spend the day. The abundance of information and opportunities to discover we experienced today was a perfect fit for our family, and there is something here for everyone.
Today was the first of many more visits to come. Thank you for providing a fantastic place to learn and show that science rocks!
Proud new member for 2013!

We went for the Halloween event this weekend. What an amazing time! The staff was so nice and helpful and treated my children wonderfully. We had never been before. I know will highly recommend it to any family. I am so impressed!

Transit of Venus at Flandrau Science Center, Tucson, AZ
On June 5^th of this year, 2012, Tucson’s own Flandrau Science Center hosted a celebration of a very rare celestial event… The Transit of Venus! Humanity won’t get to see another one until the year 2117, so missing it was not an option. After arriving there around 3 p.m., I wanted to experience and participate in as many of the planned activities as possible, and had a wonderful time!
The University of Arizona Astronomy Club generously brought a wide variety of different kinds of telescopes, safely outfitted with sun filters, for people to view Venus’ journey across the face of the largest star in our solar system, the sun. These were set up on the lawn in front of Flandrau. Enthusiastic club members on hand answered questions about their respective scopes and helped field any and all questions about the transit being viewed. There were also some shade tents. This thoughtful touch was much appreciated. Even though it was early June, the infamous Arizona temps had already started to rise.
The variety of scopes at the event was amazing. Pictures of some of them accompany this article. After viewing the transit through them, I went inside Flandrau to cool off a bit and to purchase a pair of «solar glasses» at the bookstore to safely view the transit. The bookstore is a treasure trove. Seriously. There’s a huge variety of books for all ages– dedicated to astronomy, space exploration, earth sciences and more. There are sky maps and charts that can come along on camping trips, or to one’s backyard to locate constellations, galaxies and points of interest in our night skies. Along with all the other goodies, the store has science-​themed shirts, mugs, models of various spacecraft, polished semi-​precious stones, mounted mineral specimens, dinosaur-​related items and a wealth of other items all relating to earth and sky sciences. I’ll remember this shop whenever looking for gifts as there’s truly «something for everyone» here.
I asked one of the Center’s knowledgeable docents about what sorts of activities and programs are available there and the gentleman was a veritable encyclopedia of information, starting with the observatory schedule available at NO charge, 7 – 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, weather permitting, year round. You can even rent the Observatory for your own event on Monday and Tuesday nights. But there’s SO much more. There’s Discovery programs, Camp-​ins, Star Parties, laser light shows, a planetarium, a beautiful mineral museum right on the premises-​did you know that Arizona is called «The jewel box of America?» Visit here to see why!
Exhibits are always changing. Going on now, is one entitled: «Biters, Hiders, Stinkers and Stingers.» While this might sound like a gathering of politicians, the rest of the title is: «Toxicity and Other Amazing Adaptations.» The exhibit actually explores nature’s strategies for survival among its inhabitants… and a few of those interesting inhabitants are here for all to see. Another part of the building hosts: «100 Years of Arizona’s Best-​The Minerals That Made the State,» and features a glittering array of exemplary examples of mineral specimens and historic photos celebrating the States history of mining and exploration.
A question puzzled me though as I admired the myriad examples all around me of earth and sky science, the denizens that share the planet with us and how it all relates. I posed the question to a friendly and very knowledgeable gentleman by the name of Mr. Shipherd Reed. Shipherd is the Digital Media Producer for Flandrau Science Center. I asked: «Shipherd, I see that Flandrau features not only astronomy-​related exhibits, but a great deal more than just that. Why is that so?» He replied: «That’s a big world out there with so many fascinating things going on within it. The Center wants to inspire people to learn about science AND technology. Here, we make science fun!» I agree. I’ve only mentioned a few of the many activities and programs available here year round. Come visit Flandrau, let it inspire you and perhaps instill a lifelong interest in learning about not only our world, but those beyond! Their website is:

If you’re a student anywhere in Az, both the laser show AND the planetarium showing is ONLY $ 2! What an awesome deal!
Each showing is about 45 minutes and is an inexpensive and awesome way to spend your night. However, I must say the laser show would appeal particular to students eating some grass. You can definitely tell the show is something out of a hippy scene. Planetarium showing was narrated by a speaker and they point with a laser at the constellations. The seats make you comfortable and want to sleep. Overall, $ 2 for these showings is quite a steal! Good Job UofA!

Flandrau holds a special place for me as a child who visited it many times growing up. This was a magical place. It was free for me and my parents so we went often. There was so much to see and do. And I imagine this is still that way for kids today!
Going back as an adult doesn’t quite capture all the mystique but I still like Flandrau. At 18 we were there for a laser show set to the music of Pearl Jam and Nirvana, and they added a nice farewell message to the recently deceased Cobain. And these days they are still kicking at the planetarium, letting you explore the night sky through their outdoor telescope, playing cool games and learning science and other magical things, and walking through a kind of lava cave. It’s a neat place and I am glad families are still exploring it together!

We went to Flandrau for a cheap date night using a Groupon. The students that were on staff were lazy and unhelpful, and the museum was a joke. There is a reason this place closed down a couple of years ago. I am surprised it is still open now. For a town and university so supportive of astronomy and space-​related work, it is surprising to see such a poor excuse for a museum and planetarium.

Flandrau: The Haiku Review
You love Led Zeppelin?
Is Pink Floyd your daily jam?
Flandrau is for you.
Every weekend night,
The dome fills with laser light,
Light and music fuse.
The most epic show?
There’s no doubt, Hypnotica,
Electronic dream.
The Crystal Method,
Bjork and lasers: Perfect match
An hour of awesome.
A unique night out,
When movies and dive bars bore,
Laser shows are great.
We live in Tucson,
The nation’s optics valley,
Lasers for us all!

Flandrau gets 3 stars only for the Planetarium show and the basement Mineral exhibit. The museum is tiny and has almost nothing in it, and if you don’t have a CAT Card you are obligated to pay $ 7.50 which is really absurd.
That said, the mineral exhibit is really cool… you know if you are a geek whole loves looking at rocks (I am). It is a huge selection of both native and semi-​native rocks, stones and metals. The planetarium offers regular shows and the one I happened in on was Tis the Season about the history of winter holidays and how astronomy affected the lives of everyone from the egyptians to chinese to romans. There is also a little bit about christmas and hannukah and the interplay of religious dates with astronomical occurences. It was cool. At the end the program leader showed us the Tucson night sky and what stars we could go out and see that same night. Also very cool.

Visiting my sister in Tucson last year she suggested I come to the planetarium because I work at one in California. Unfortunately it was close. But I came back again with an ASTC card getting us all free admission. The center is fairly small compared to most science centers, but I guess the exhibits are going through upgrades at the moment. My girlfriend, my sister, and I had a lot of fun with the stop motion movie maker, it was empty inside, so I’m sure we could have stayed for a couple hours at least. I guess their main exhibit is the meteor exhibit, which tells all about meteors, asteroids, comets, and impacts on earth as well as other planets. I wanted to see Larry Cat in Space, which is recommended for 2^nd graders, but I wanted to compare it to the 2^nd grader show Secret of the Cardboard Rocket where I work. But the cashier told me I really shouldn’t, so I saw Under Tucson Skies, which tells all about which constellations, planets, etc you can see in the sky during the current season. Half is a movie, and the other half is narrated by an astronomer with the aid of the planetarium screen. Overall, I had a good time, and I even bought a shirt saying Science is AWESOME!