I can't express enough how much my family and I enjoy our visits to the HR MacMillan Space Centre. While it isn't a large venue, it's packed with engaging activities, immersive experiences, and educational exhibits--making it perfect for both kids and adults. They also offer fun spring break programs and special after-hours events. The Planetarium is also next level! In fact The DOME Vancouver has its home here. Highly recommend visiting for a relaxed family outing. read more

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre - Space Centre and Museum of Vancouver building - Planetarium Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Such a great way to engage with your inner child or lean into your curiosity of space. The building itself is a wonder and I love how it's surrounded by so much green and the entrance feels so grand. Adjacent to the Space Centre is the observatory which is free and accessible to the public on select nights. The Space Centre has an actual moon rock you touch, exhibitions and simulations, and on the third floor is the planetarium itself. Being under the dome for about 30-45 minutes was super cool and very relaxing. The H.R. MacMillan Space Centre was a great reminder how we are truly just a blip in the concept of space and galaxies. read more

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The exhibit was very small and limited. The live presentation was nice. Enjoyed it . Like to have more space info and exhibits. read more

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The exhibit was simple but was limited in terms of technological scope and experiences. There were a very few which we were interactive in nature. You wouldn't spend more than 30-45 minutes there. The Planetarium show was interesting. It was a theater with 360 degree projections on the roof. The designs were somewhat related to space and were inspired from a Pink Floyd song. The show is long. I was there for 45 minutes and felt it was enough. The animation and video quality was fantastic and the team was really nice. I felt the show can be more specific to a certain theme or story to improve the Experience. read more

The Pink Floyd light show was the best thing I've seen in awhile! It was such a unique experience. I'm looking forward to checking out future shows there. I'm also looking forward to seeing what other activations they will have at the Space Centre going forward read more

Unfortunately it is was overpriced and underwhelming. Went to the Encounters in the Milky Way show. They were late opening the doors to let everyone in, then started the show late and finished early. Online says the show is 30 minutes but it was really only 20. The narration and visual effects were mediocre at best. We felt ripped off. read more

We went here for a family day, and it was a great time with family even in a time where we are restricted. It felt so great to go out and do something together. We were lucky to have most of the space to ourselves as there is a limit on how many guests are aloud in at once. There is so much to read and learn about all the amazing things that have taken place over history within the adventures of exploring space. Within the tour you're able to look at a piece of the moon, see a real rocket, and also see a real space suit that was worn by an astronaut who sadly just past away. It is a great piece of history in science mixed in with some fun learning. I recommend this fun activity for anyone and especially to those interested in space! They had a Mars Rover hands on experiment that was great fun as it was a competition between teams. I won't spoil the fun and give it away what it was, but it was a good laugh for even us adults. Happy learning! read more

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Don't waste your money. Very disappointed. They said it will take about 1-1/2 to 2 hours to go through, so we paid for 2 hour parking. We got 2 different colored wristbands. The guy said go to the planetarium first, cuz it was starting right away, so we did. Messed up our timing on the other show, so we couldn't go. Never again will I go! Rip off read more

Visited during a short layover in Vancouver. This center is located just outside of the downtown area. $12 cab ride will get you here from the cruise dock. Spent $60 for the family ticket to this visit, quite disappointed for the money spent. The exhibition was small, though has some interesting information for the kids. Prior to the visit, all were excited about their dome theater but upon entered the whole show time was done by slides and live person narration. We were hoping the show is conducted by film or movie like. The live narration had lots of pauses which made the experience less exciting. On the day we visited, 2 school groups also visiting. We felt the staffs were giving all the attention to the groups only. read more

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This sounds kinda bad, but I almost burst out laughing when I stepped inside this museum. It's a LOT smaller than what I remember as a kid. Also, you know you're not in Houston or Cape Canaveral for sure. Pay parking is available in the giant lot out front, but why throw money away when you can park for free a block away? Admission here is pretty steep for what you get ($15 for an adult), and several of the exhibits are pretty dated. CRT screens still? Really? Fortunately, the few kids running around were oblivious to this fact. To give them credit, the models of the various satellites sent up over the years are pretty interesting to look at. And of course, there's that famous moon rock that you can actually touch - 1 of 5 touchable specimens in the world. I didn't know the moon was dark brown. If you've never been to a space museum, then this could whet your appetite, but if you've been to any of the NASA ones, then don't bother with this one. read more

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The last time I went to the Planetarium (seriously, who calls it the HR MacMillan Space Centre? Everyone calls it the Planetarium) was three years ago, when I first got the Inspiration Pass. The last time I went before then was.... in the 80s when I was a child? Maybe I went once in the 90s, I don't know. (Wait, I just remembered, in the 90s, I caught a laser show set to rock music like the Smashing Pumpkins. LOL.) Anyway, my point is, I've only gone to the Planetarium a few times, so I decided to hit it up again as I could gain free admission with the Inspiration Pass (plus, it's in the same building as the Museum of Vancouver). When I went three years ago, I caught an evening show on a Saturday evening, but this time, due to my schedule, I went on a Monday afternoon. I realize that Monday afternoons are going to be much quieter compared to a Saturday evening, but the place was practically empty. It was sad. Because I had nothing better to do, I caught a science show on gravity, and while it was pretty cool and interesting, there were only six people, including myself, watching the show. Kind of depressing. I also watched a movie on black holes, and I nearly fell asleep. After the shows, I looked around the Planetarium, and unless I missed something, the Planetarium's exhibit consisted of just the one room. At $18 for an adult admission (children's admission is $13 to $15), it's pretty steep, considering there isn't much to see. I have no idea how it can financially keep afloat--perhaps it gets a lot of business from school groups? I really wanted to like the Planetarium and give it at least three stars, but I just can't. It was just sad, and I wouldn't recommend going, unless you can get a discounted rate. read more

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre - Menstruation caught you by surprise? No worries! You can buy a tampoon for 25 cents! - Planetarium Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Fun and very educational! Highly recommended. A bit of a walk from Granville Market, but very doable!

We came here with two other families during spring break. The last time I was here was in the late 80's and it seems it hasn't changed much since. We walked through their small gallery filled with information about our solar system, touched a sample of moon rock and read about Apollo 5. My kid seemed to be quite intrigued and enjoyed the mini live show they had. For the adults, there wasn't really much to be excited about. We came during spring break and it was very busy. They offered an extra rocket building/launching activity for the kids in the atrium. The kids had the opportunity to build their own rockets from 2L pop bottles and added cardboard nose and fins. Then they took all the rockets outside and launched them with pressurized bike pumps two at a time. The kids seemed to have a lot of fun and relaunched several times until we had to go watch the solar system show in the planetarium. The solar system show was interesting but the commentator had a very very soothing story telling voice that put all the adults to sleep after 10 minutes. I think it's a great experience to take the kids for at least once. Bring your own food and snacks as there is no cafeteria there. Admission is $18 for adults (20% discount if you have an aquarium membership) and children 5 and younger are free. read more

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Came here because we've been curious about the Space Centre. The exhibit is small but interesting, the presentation before the planetarium portion was a little long, and I feel like more catered to kids, I wish we were able to opt out and go straight to the planetarium portion, that was fun and interesting. Overall pretty cool to visit, especially if you have kids, and happen to be in the area. read more

It's a cool idea, but the video was like being back in high school listening to a sceintist try and explain how earth rotates and all the scientific data etc. I was bored out of my mind and couldn't follow anything that was being talked about because of it being sooo monotone, and just dry. (I guess some people are into that somehow) If you want to go and have small kids, just take them to the park instead. It just went on and on and onnnn kinda like this review. read more

The space shows in the planetarium are still a good experience with knowledgeable live narrators. The Ground Shows which are more for the kids I still also really enjoyed for the fun humor and made space fun. I found the exhibits a bit outdated and not that interesting. And they really need more space to have just more stuff to show. I don't know if the are short of funding but it really needs an reboot because space exploration and the universe is and should be exciting. the Entrance fee is not cheap so it visitors will expect more than what they currently have. read more

I went here recently for the Vancouver Browncoats charity event for Can't Stop the Serenity. The facility was clean and the theatre was comfortable. The staff that I encountered were pleasant and helpful upon our arrival. I can't review their offerings because we were just there for an event but from what I saw, it looked interesting. The bathrooms were clean and so was the facility in general. My only dislike was the parking. It was plentiful but it was rather pricey. According to the staff there, they advised us to be mindful of the time change and ensure there was the proper amount paid. Around six o'clock, I saw several people dashing outside to be sure they had enough on their tickets so they wouldn't GET a ticket. By the way, there were two families of ducks in the fountain in the front. In the centre of the fountain, there was a massive metal sculpture which I loved. A stylised crab with its massive claws reaching upward toward the sky. It looked like some sort of beast one would best in order to gain the treasure in its grasp... what? I'm a gaming geek. Don't judge! read more

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Everyone who has grown up going to elementary school in Vancouver has probably visited this place and those that haven't should definitely come and check it out. Their laser shows during the warm months make it a fun place to go for people of all ages. It's one of those places you go and learn without realizing you're learning. read more

I really enjoyed this museum outside and in. It's like going back into the 70's and 80's with the building and displays. I know people have complained that it's not modern enough, but I'm actually okay with a museum not being flashy with all the bells and whistles and crowds. While we have it this way, I'm taking advantage. Last show I saw was the one on Black Matter. It blew me away. Loved it! I came to this site to find out what current planetarium shows are really good. I want to take my adult son. Any suggestions for March 2019? read more

Like the Science World, this is a interesting place to take curious teenagers and people who naturally dig understanding why/how things happen. Not all the attractions were actually working, what is a bit frustrating, but it is a cool, fun experience. Besides the exhibit hall, go to the theater and planetarium shows. read more

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre - Planetarium Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Space. The final frontier. If you were ever looking for a low-key everyday place to geek out, then look no further. We watched two shows: Nightwatch and Quest for Origins. I had low expectations but it was SERIOUSLY entertaining. And even on a dreary winter evening, so many people had the same idea as us - the place was so popular it was surprising! Not only was the show itself a lot of fun, but the gentleman hosting the after-show was really knowledgeable as well, which made for a great presentation about what to see in our night sky. We even hung back afterwards to ask a ton of questions about space and about the projector as well (which itself is super cool - you should totally check it out before it gets replaced with a digital projector in the future). We also checked out the museum on a separate day, and it was smaller than we expected but the interactive shows they had were great for kids as well. It's enough to keep you occupied for an afternoon, but if you're there for the night show, you should also check out the planetarium next door - We got to see a close up of Jupiter, the moon, and a few stars around the sky. LOVE this place. Thank you Vancouver for having such an awesome spot in the city! read more

When we first moved to Vancouver after living in Asia for seven years, we were really excited by the fact that we had a local planetarium. We drove up, signed up for a family membership for a year - all without even looking inside. Boy was this a mistake! We went through every exhibit, half of which was broken, in less than 15 minutes. I kept saying to myself this is going to be better when we see the planetarium show - only to find out that this really is just an overhyped theatre showing recorded videos from either the BBC or the Discovery channel (similar to the 4D movies you would see for free at the Vancouver Aquarium). What I was really hoping for was either a laser show or a Zeiss projector show narrating the night sky above Vancouver and the universe in general. You cant find this here. At this point all I can say is save your money and buy your kids the Starwalk app for the iPad instead, or if you really want to get out of the house, go to the Museum of Vancouver which is great and just next door. read more

This place seems like it would have been fantastic when it opened in 1968. However today it feels like not much has been done since. There was upgrades in 1997 but the place feels run down and tired. Numerous hands on exhibits were out of order and the ones that worked had issues. A space centre should wow you with technology and inspire you to what is out in the great beyond. Taking a kid to this museum is like showing the a Sony Walkman and expecting them to be impressed. Perhaps they should move the entire space centre inside the museum next door because that is where it belongs. read more

First of all, I need to confess that I am obsessed with learning about the cosmos. I am the type of person who will spend hours and hours watching documentaries about planets, black holes, galactic cannibalism, dark matter, dark energy, and (my current favourite) quasars, among other things. I tell all my friends that in an alternate reality, were I more proficient in math and physics, I would have been an astrophysicist. Carl Sagan is/was amazing -a poetic mastermind of popular astrophysics. There's just something that's so captivating about the universe, and personally I find it comforting to know that we are all a part of something unfathomably greater than ourselves. We truly are all made of stars. Whew... I geeked out there for a minute. ANYway, all that being said, it was only natural that I visit the HR MacMillan Space Centre. I remember coming here as a kid, and I thought it was SO cool. Now as an adult, I still find it to be interesting, but the space centre is very family-oriented (read: tailored to a younger crowd). Even so, the HR MacMillan Space Centre has evening events happening throughout the year that are worth checking out. Also, though not space related, the laser shows are a lot of fun. Pink Floyd lends itself perfectly to the laser show experience, and other bands are laserfied on a rotating basis. Even if you're not SUPER into the band that's playing, you're sure to at least get a giggle from watching all the stoner kids trip out around you. Overall, the HR MacMillan Space Centre is A-OK -I'd say closer to a 3.5 out of 5. As an adult, it's worth a visit if there's a special presentation going on, and if you've got kids, take them here to stimulate their imaginations. I've been to observatories in other cities that were better, but then again, perpetually cloudy Vancouver may not be the best place for an observatory. Ah well, you can't win them all, right? read more

Such a strange experience. The architecture, and layout, are so great... But the content is SO outdated. Sort of like a "Life After People" episode. My 5 year old got bored in both the exhibits and the show. The exhibits, I'd say, are somewhat anti-learning. Example: There's a fire alarm bell in a vacuum to show how sound does not travel in space. The rubber seal appeared to be 20 years old, and was defunct. So the experiment didn't work. You could just hear the fire alarm when the bell rang. Every kid walked by saying "fire alarm." So, no one really learned anything. For 30 bucks to get in, I feel like a new rubber seal should be on the short list of things to order. The planetarium show was cool for like 5 minutes, and also really outdated. Not great production, and unfortunately, the speaker was not at ALL engaging... The excitement was really just in going... But won't be back. Still interested in an evening observatory visit, not sure if it'd be good or not. read more

Another chidlhood memory! I just remembered it being bigger! Or was it because I was smaller?!!? ;) They should give patrons a discount if they go to the Vancouver museum next door. They have people on a hallucinogenics on the weekends due to the laser light shows. Bring your kids here to watch all the messed up people and it might deter them from doing the yayo, shrooms and weed. read more

There's not much to say here, sadly. As most reviewers already pointed it out, this place is a bit outdated (the building is shared with the Museum of Vancouver). A lot of the displays were not in order. My husband was really looking forward to visiting this, since our last time was in Chabot Space Centre more than a year ago. If I thought CSC was small, this really threw me. It's very, very small. I don't think it's even worth bringing the kids. The place was not crowded (as such venues usually are), which I didn't find suspicious until I entered the room. The only plus side of this was the planetarium on the upper floor. The show was about Stars and it was interesting. The narrator was good and answered all the questions that turned up during the show. The price ($15) is too steep for what they're offering. I'd skip it and opt for something else (preferably Museum of Anthropology). read more

The Space Centre is a great place to geek out and learn more about space and our planet. Although I am partial to these kinds of attractions, I found the Space Centre looked as though it had been created after there was the buzz of space travel and the moon landing, but not much has been updated since. I'll start with my favorite part of the visit - there are presentations throughout the day, and I attended a presentation on rockets. It was an informative and fun presentation, and it also got audience involvement with the on-stage experiments. Things I didn't enjoy as much included the frustrating space games (several of which weren't working). If you take the time to play the games you'll be delighted with the nostalgic '80s throwback style, however I wasn't able to complete any of the games successfully due to both frustration with controls and difficulty with understanding the objectives. Screens are still CRT televisions. Although there's good information on the TVs, the dated veneer makes the place feel less than futuristic. I'd recommend you go to the Space Centre only if you enjoy reading information on the planets and space travel, or wish to attend some presentations. If you're a visual person, this might not be for you. read more

This place is a dive! Outdated, expensive, many displays broken. We decided to check this out today with my Inspiration Pass from the library, which is great, because if we had paid to go inside we would have been furious! So ghetto, don't waste your money. read more

Came here with some friends to check out the Quest for Origins show in the Star Theatre because dude! The universe is cool! The theatre itself is pretty neat, though not as all encompassing as I would have liked. Maybe it was where I was sitting, but I found myself a little distracted by the projector in the centre of the room. The seats are fairly comfortable (too much so, found myself dozing off a couple times only cause it was so dark and I was laid back all cozy-like). The show itself was good, about 45 minutes long. Definitely geared more towards kids than adults, but this is to be expected since I have to assume this is a standard field trip place for the young'ns. We came back later to check out the observatory, and while it was neat to see the giant telescope (and also to listen to some astronomer types argue about distances and mapping and such - I think it might have been a class?), after waiting in line to look through the telescope the view was pretty anti-climactic. Perhaps had we gone a bit later when it was even darker it might have been better? As it was, I looked through the eyepiece for all of 15 seconds at a single, blurry star. I'm glad I came here using a coupon, so I feel like I got my money's worth. We might come back another time to check out the laser show if only cause it could prove to be hilarious and/or totally awesome. read more

I thought I'd do the touristy stuff and visit the planeterium. If you are not a kid, DONT BOTHER. When I got my tickets, I was advised about 2 shows I must check out that day. One was in the planeterium regarding the events and stars to look for that night...very cool. Especially if you are not into that stuff! The other show all the exhibits are for kids. I am still skeptical if you should take your kids there since they've probably seen similar stuff in school etc. If you are looking for a family thing to do, then sure. Overall, I am surprised no one told me that its not for adults...and I am a nerd! I was so disappointed that I did not bother with the museum next door. I have heard good things about the laser shows and would like to see that at some pont. read more

A great place for the kids, but many of the games / demo displays are not working. :( read more

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Totally Informative. We saw Surfing the Solar system and just loved the soothing voice of the live speaker. He was so knowledgeable and could handle all the crazy questions the kids in the audience threw at him. From how we think Mars lost it's water and questions about a supernova to "Are there cows in space that made the milky way?" Before that we caught the smaller show and visited the gallery. Both shows were great. The gallery has the feeling that it could use funding to help update it. Go for the shows that is where you get your money's worth. Apparently they have just started playing a new movie like show so we will come back. Problem is that the website doesn't seem to say when it is playing. read more

Ok folks, if you need a peaceful few hours away from the throngs of tourists and you have an interest in astronomy, go visit the Planetarium and see a show or two. The live talk with the head astronomer was interesting and informative (he showed us just-released photos of Pluto from the New Horizon probe). Then, relaxing under the dim lights of the planetarium in the comfy chairs with the soothing music watching stars and planets swish by ahead of us felt just about as good as getting a massage. Great for kids, better for parents! ;-) PS bring your own food for a picnic at the park afterwards read more

Okay so here is the thing. If your in elementary school this would be a phenomenal learning experience. For the eighteen bucks it cost to get in I don't feel it is worth it for the average adult. Half of the interactive tools did not work, in one of the lectures the girl preforming couldn't figure out how to use.a blow touch and while I will admit it wasn't her fault and she handled her faulty tools in a comical yet professional manner I don't feel I would go back. It was a great experience but not one worth recommending read more

After visiting Planetarium Space Theatre today I believe this the sole reason to visit this museum.

Visiting Vancouver for the first time, hitting up the attractions. There are two separate museums on either side of the facility, with two separate admission prices. We wanted to see the space exhibit, which was a little pricey but came with a planetarium show. The planetarium show was okay, but the projectors were out of focus and the dome had bright stripes that distracted from the image. The space exhibit was... well... tiny. They had a moon sample that you could touch, which was really neat. One interesting feature of the museum was the giant metal crab-on-a-bidet fountain out front. Quite hilarious. read more

It's kind of funny going back to these places when we get older. We always get the sense of "I thought this place was bigger!" Maybe it was, or perhaps our perceptions of size is different now that we are all grown up. I remember this place used to be amazing!!! I was a kid who always gazed up into the stars and wondering about the mysteries of the vast cosmos..... are we alone? Don't come here looking for those answers, you won't find them... however you will get to touch some moon rocks and an old rocket. They have some flight simulators which were alright, but they look dated! I've seen better games from SNES. I'm sure you'll learn something new when you come here, but my socks weren't blown away by this place.... not anymore atleast. read more

Planetarium show was okay, but it's about a trip in the solar system, so nothing really new and surprising. The exhibits seem old, there's a small computer which shows ht you would look like if you are an alien from another planet, the software graphics look like it's been written in the 90s... read more

Disapointing,all you get is 1 show that lasts 45 minutes,and some 20minutes science presentations,and is expensive for what you get.