Agree with the other reviewers. This planetarium is a real hidden gem. When we went it was not at all crowded (quite the opposite), but it was mid day during the week. The presentation was beautiful and engaging, and both parents and kid enjoyed it. Parking is plentiful and nearby (and free). There's even a nice cafeteria across the courtyard. read more

Dare I say this might possibly be one of Chambana's best kept secrets. My husband and I just moved to Champaign five weeks ago and I stumbled upon the Staerkel Planetarium while using Yelp! to find "things to do in Champaign." Yay! What isn't there to love about a planetarium? (unless you're prone to motion sickness :-P) We visited at 9pm on a Saturday night for one of their Pink Floyd shows. The young woman selling tickets was very friendly, as was the gentleman (i assume a member of Parkland's faculty) who took our tickets and introduced the show. There were about a dozen other people of all ages in the dome with us. Plenty of seating. Show lasted an hour. Honestly, this is the best $6 you'll spend in the entire county. Talk about a great family friendly, friends or date night out, students, scout troops and more! Appropriate for those aged 1-101. My husband and I would like to see all of the shows they're offering throughout 2018 You can save $3 if you buy tickets to 2 back-to-back shows (total $9 per person). I think we'll do this next time. Facility was very clean and well-maintained. Big parking lot next to the planetarium. Three different shows are offered on Friday & Saturday night at 7pm, 8pm & 9pm; matinees offered during week beginning in June. Check Parkland's website for exact show titles. You can also pickup a 2018 summer show brochure at the planetarium if you're on campus. We'll definitely return. We're so fortunate to have this in the community! read more

Landmark Review: This is an interesting gem tucked away on a community college campus. My wife recently directed me and my son to go see the laser kid show. It is not too hard to find if you follow along with the signs, however the parking for the planetarium is off to the side and again there is a super amount of construction making it difficult to get to the main doors. We came for the Saturday laser show which I guess they occasionally rent the laser machine to put on these shows. The time for the show was reported to be 1 hour, but it was more like 20-25 minute. They went through explaining what can be seen in the stars tonight and then off to the main attraction. The story given was of Perseus and his battles with medusa and co. My four year old enjoyed the show. Total cost for 1 adult and 1 child was 11 dollars. Looking at the website shows there are events all the time here including Artemis Bridge Simulator if you and your techie friends are interested.... Overall if you are into science this is a great place to visit, but for me one visit is enough. Pros: great place for kids, laser shows, astronomy, video games and more. This is a great place for the science lover Cons: Construction all around difficult to get to from parking. Hidden deals: Occasionally science talks for 1 dollar. read more

The Staerkel Planetarium is a hidden gem in the Champaign area. The Good: The planetarium theater itself was beautiful. Located on the Parkland College campus, the planetarium's state-of-the-art digital projection system, operated by the (nicest) planetarium director, Dave Leake, proved to be breathtaking. His storytelling held my son's attention the entire time - and I'm sure seeing Santa up in the sky didn't hurt either! The Bad: At the time of our visit, campus construction blocked the front entrance of the planetarium, making it a bit difficult to navigate our way inside. Overall: We loved the kid-friendly show at the William M. Staerkel Planetarium, and would certainly return for another show! read more

Definitely a hidden gem in the cornfields of central Illinois. Staerkel Planetarium is the 2nd largest planetarium in the state, and as such is very instrumental for educational purposes as well as entertainment. For the public, there are shows at 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm on both Friday and Saturday evenings. It is best to either call their hotline (217-351-2446) or check their website (www.parkland.edu/planetarium) for current listings. The rates are very reasonable, with the highest ticket price of $7.50 for one adult seeing two shows in one evening! Not many other places can you get that much for so little anymore. Regarding the other reviews: Light shows are no longer being shown at the planetarium, but they hope to make a return in the future. The construction on the circle drive is done! It is so convenient when dropping someone off to use the circle drive between the theatre and the planetarium. If you are looking for daytime shows, these are by reservation only. There is a minimum fee for these shows, but you get to select your own time and show! To find out more information on group shows, give them a call at 217-351-2568. read more