Group Shows

About School/Private Group Shows

We welcome school groups of all ages to the Mather Planetarium, as well as other private non-school groups (e.g. homeschool groups, Mom's clubs, senior centers, community groups, etc). However, teachers and parents should be aware that the planetarium gets extremely dark and some young children may find this frightening.

The shows are approximately one hour in length, including time for questions. The price of admission is $3 per person, including teachers and chaperones. There is no charge for children ages two and under. The Mather Planetarium seats 65 people. A minimum of 15 guests are required for all private shows. Groups larger than 65 will need to split into smaller sections. Please remember to include teachers and chaperones when determining the size of your group. We may be able to provide back-to-back shows to accommodate large groups or we can schedule shows on multiple dates. The Mather Planetarium is handicap accessible. There is no food or drink allowed in the planetarium.

Each group may select from one of two formats of shows:

  1. 100% live show: Presentation consists of a tour of the current night sky. This would include pointing out several of the prominent constellations visible at night and some of the mythological stories behind them, talking about the Moon, the planets, and the Sun. Other topics can be included upon request.

  2. 50% live show & 50% fulldome movie: Presentation contains a shortened tour of the current night sky (including all aspects mentioned above), followed by a selection of one of our entertaining & educational fulldome movies. A list of all of fulldome movies can be found here.

ESS Geology Museum

While visiting the Mather Planetarium, you can also explore the Earth & Space Science's Geology Museum following your planetarium show! Located only a few steps from the planetarium, the Geology Museum contains a variety of rocks & minerals, including some meteorites. You will receive a guided tour of the museum including interactive and hands-on experiences.

Please note, the geology museum is not very big, so if you have a large group, you may not be able to have your whole group inside the museum at the same time. We can offer an alternative activity for your party while waiting to view the museum.

Adding the Geology Museum to your itinerary comes at no additional cost, but will add 30-45 minutes to your visit, depending on the size of your group.

Scout Troops

We are excited to welcome all scouting troops to the Mather Planetarium! Smaller scout groups (less than 15 people in attendance) are encouraged to attend the public evening shows (see Public Shows page). Larger scout troops are encouraged to schedule one of our private group shows during the summer (May - August). 

Scheduling a Group Show

To request a show for your group, please fill out one of the following request forms:

For shows all other shows: Fall/Spring Reservation Form *only Spring 2027 shows are available at this time*

  • For Fall/Spring shows, select one of the available dates and times provided on the form.
  • The schedule for each semester is posted around halfway through the previous semester.

For shows May 10 through August 13, 2027: Summer Reservation Form

  • For Summer shows, fill in your requested date & time and you will receive an email if your request is approved. Summer shows are only available Monday-Friday from 9AM-5PM.

We are unable to provide evening or weekend private group shows. This form is to be used to request a planetarium show for a school group or other private party. The shows are first come, first served. Your show is not officially booked until you receive a confirmation email.

If you are interested the public planetarium shows, please visit the Public Shows page.

Parking

Parking information will be provided to the group leader based on whether you will be arriving by bus or private vehicles. More information about the location of the Mather Planetarium can be found on the Visit page.