Embark on a breathtaking journey to the stars in the new Thomas Planetarium. Through 3-D graphics, surround sound and a dome screen, the planetarium offers a fascinating way to learn about astronomy, the solar system and more.
The planetarium is home to a wide variety of interactive astronomy demonstrations, educational programs and films.
Buy tickets online or at the museum front desk. Prices do not include museum general admission: You must purchase a museum general admission ticket in addition to your planetarium ticket unless you are a museum member. Seating is limited, so it's recommended that visitors purchase tickets in advance. Planetarium doors close promptly on the hour, so please arrive at least 10 minutes early.
Planetarium show tickets vary from $4 to $10. Museum members receive a $2 discount on planetarium show tickets.
The planetarium has 39 seats and is accessible to people with disabilities.
Astronomy workshops and other planetarium activities are available to school groups September through May.
Many of our most popular shows were developed with young learners in mind, and the Anchorage Museum offers these shows on Saturday mornings. Check the schedule below to find a show that's right for your family.
The Thomas Planetarium features a state-of-the-art Digitarium Kappa Fixed model digital planetarium system manufactured by Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc. Our Digitarium system generates immersive images on the interior surface of a 180-degree dome that's 24 feet in diameter.
Some content generously provided by The British Fulldome Institute.
View images from the annual Royal Observatory Greenwich Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year international competition. Let these 2016 competition images spark imagination and interest in astronomy and photography. $6 plus museum admission.
Global Soundscapes takes you on an ear-opening journey into the science of sound and the exciting new field of soundscape ecology. Experience basic acoustics through fun interactive activities and incredible slow-motion footage of pulsating musical instruments, vibrating vocal cords, and slobbering raspberries. Learn how animal sounds occupy unique sonic niches in lush, orchestral soundscapes. Discover how soundscape ecology can be used to assess the biodiversity and health of global ecosystems. $6 plus museum admission.
The aurora borealis are a notable feature in the land of the midnight sun. Above Alaska takes you to the remote forests and mountains of Alaska to experience a night under the northern lights. Shot in vivid, high-resolution full-dome format, the presentation features some of the best aurora displays from the last two years, as filmed from different locations throughout the state. You'll see and experience the aurora the same way Alaskans do, but without the frostbite. $6 plus museum admission.
From lunar to total solar, this show is all about eclipses. Look back at how eclipses helped prove the theory of general relativity, and look forward to upcoming eclipses and where to see them. Witness what happens when you are caught in the shadow of the moon, and the sun plunges into a total solar eclipse. $6 plus museum admission.
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The aurora borealis are a notable feature in the land of the midnight sun. Above Alaska takes you to the remote forests and mountains of Alaska to experience a night under the northern lights. Shot in vivid, high-resolution full-dome format, the presentation features some of the best aurora displays from the last two years, as filmed from different locations throughout the state. You'll see and experience the aurora the same way Alaskans do, but without the frostbite. $6 plus museum admission.
Observe Alaska's iconic brown bears as they nurture cubs, fish for salmon, and play in their natural environment. This immersive, full-dome planetarium show plants you in the middle of the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, where more than 100 brown bears congregate each summer to bulk up for the harsh winter. Learn how the bears' remarkable intelligence and instincts help them survive in the Alaska wilderness. $6 plus museum admission.
Watch a story about how the airplane has changed the world. Filmed in 18 countries across all seven continents, “Living in the Age of Airplanes” renews our appreciation for one of the most extraordinary and awe-inspiring aspects of the modern world. The film is produced and directed by Brian J. Terwilliger (One Six Right), narrated by Harrison Ford, and features an original score by Academy Award-winning composer James Horner. $6 plus museum admission.
Immerse yourself in Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. This new full-dome music and light show expands on the classic album through captivating HD graphics. Not a typical laser show, but the next generation of computer generated imagery. Audience advisory: Adult subject matter. Please enter through the south entrance (7th Ave. between A St. and C St.). $10 per person/$8 members.
Be transported by mood-altering art and 3-D graphics choreographed to Led Zeppelin’s biggest hits, including Whole Lotta Love, Immigrant Song and Ramble On. This immersive experience plays out on the museum's full-dome planetarium screen in concert with a state-of-the-art sound system. Audience advisory: Adult subject matter. Please enter through the south entrance (7th Ave. between A St. and C St.). $10 per person/$8 members.
Lose yourself in Pink Floyd’s masterpiece The Wall. This full-dome music and light show interprets this classic album through mesmerizing HD graphics. This is not a laser show, but the next generation of computer generated imagery. Audience advisory: Adult subject matter. $5 plus museum admission. Museum admission is half-price as part of Polar Nights, the museum’s Friday after-hours series.
Be enveloped by the multimedia compositions of Alaska-born sound artist Matthew Burtner. Burtner’s powerful planetarium performance will intertwine technology and soaring musical compositions through immersive visuals and sound. $10 General Admission, members receive a 10 percent discount.
Matthew Burtner is an Alaska-born composer and sound artist specializing in concert chamber music and interactive new media. First Prize Winner of the Musica Nova International Electroacoustic Music Competition (Czech Republic), a 2011 IDEA Award Winner, and a recipient of the Howard Brown Foundation Fellowship, Burtner’s music has also received honors and awards from Bourges (France), Gaudeamus (Netherlands), Darmstadt (Germany) and The Russolo (Italy) international competitions. He is Professor of Composition and Computer Technologies (CCT) in the Department of Music at the University of Virginia. As a technologist, Burtner develops systems for human-computer-environment interaction featured in his music. He invented the NOMADS telematic system, the MICE human-computer ensemble and orchestra, the Metasaxophone augmented instrument, and a number of ecoacoustic approaches.
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