01-03-2025
Best Planetarium (2025) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Photo courtesy of College of Southern Idaho No. 10: Faulkner Planetarium at Herrett Center for Arts & Science - Twin Falls, Idaho
Part of the College of Southern Idaho's Herrett Center for Arts & Science, this planetarium has been providing educational and entertaining shows about the universe since 1995. Featuring a 50-foot dome and Dolby 5.1 surround sound, the Faulkner Planetarium is the perfect way to start or end a visit to this free museum, where you can also enjoy various exhibits about fossils, Native American culture, and art.
Photo courtesy of Rawpixel / iStock Via Getty Images Plus No. 9: Clark Planetarium - Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City's Clark Planetarium is more than your average place to learn about the stars. This phenomenal facility features three floors of interactive exhibits covering everything from meteors to the moon, as well as space and laser light shows in the Hansen Dome Theatre and nature films in the Northrop Grumman IMAX Theatre.
Photo courtesy of RMSC (Rochester Museum and Science Center) No. 8: Strasenburgh Planetarium at Rochester Museum & Science Center - Rochester, New York
Since 1968, the Strasenburgh Planetarium has been captivating audiences with stellar shows and films in its 65-foot full-dome Star Theater. Check out the "Planet Spectacular" show for an overview of our solar system, or dive deep into a program about gravity, space, and time in "Black Holes Revealed." Be sure to check the planetarium's other exhibits too.
Photo courtesy of Adler Planetarium No. 7: Adler Planetarium - Chicago, Illinois
Located right on Lake Michigan, Adler Planetarium is Chicago's go-to place for all things outer space. From exhibits highlighting moon missions and the Chicago night sky, to multiple daily planetarium shows geared towards amateur astronomers of all ages, the Adler is worth the hype and then some. This planetarium also offers access to the Doane Observatory, which houses the largest telescope in the Chicago area.
Photo courtesy of The Franklin Institute No. 6: Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fels Planetarium is so impressive, people book the location for their weddings. It's definitely more than just a unique event space — locals and tourists alike love the giant dome's galactic projections, as well as the daily shows included in admission to The Franklin Institute.
Photo courtesy of Morehead Planetarium and Science Center No. 5: Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Morehead Planetarium, which is part of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, offers a large variety of shows in the GSK Fulldome Theater. A few riveting options include films about the Carolina skies or Galileo, child-friendly missions with the Magic Treehouse kids, and explorations of dark matter.
Photo courtesy of Nick Letson No. 4: Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium at University of Arizona - Tucson, Arizona
A visit to Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium is sure to impress, thanks to its numerous exhibits focusing on everything from bugs and sharks to the solar system, as well as the state-of-the-art EOS Foundation Planetarium Theatre. With 146 seats and a SCISS Colorspace projection system with 4K resolution, this planetarium is the cherry on top of any visit to Tucson, Arizona.
Photo courtesy of Anna Trankina No. 3: COSI Planetarium - Columbus, Ohio
The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) is the home of this top-of-the-line planetarium featuring a Digistar 7 projection system and a 60-foot dome. Planetarium shows are free with museum admission, so you can explore all the COSI exhibits in between immersive planetarium demonstrations that take you back in time to the age of the dinosaurs, then whisk you to outer space to experience eclipses and more.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Space & Rocket Center No. 2: INTUITIVE Planetarium at U.S. Space & Rocket Center - Huntsville, Alabama
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is home to one of the top planetariums in the country. Indeed, the INTUITIVE Planetarium, which features an 8K dome and 248 seats, hosts multiple shows each day, including state-of-the-art films about asteroids and the James Webb Telescope. Visitors can also attend Cocktails and Cosmos events, in which stellar shows are accompanied by "cosmically created" cocktails.
