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MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Natural Science
Abrams Planetarium

Public Shows

Now showing

(April 3, 2026 - April 26, 2026)

Dark matter visualization
Feature Show

The Dark Matter Mystery

Fridays/Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
Sundays at 4:00 p.m.

Ticket symbol with text that reads "buy tickets"Additional fees apply for online orders.

Four large stars with faces: yellow, blue, red, and white. Text at the bottom reads "Sometimes, being average can also be special."
Family Show

The Little Star That Could

Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Ticket symbol with text that reads "buy tickets"Additional fees apply for online orders.

April 25th - Special Premiere of The Nucleus Factory

Show poster withe FRIB shown

“The Nucleus Factory” takes you inside the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) on the Michigan State University campus! The partnership to create, build, and operate the $730 million FRIB has delivered a world-unique U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC) user facility that ensures the nation’s continued competitiveness in nuclear science. In this show, you’ll meet scientists who use the most powerful heavy-ion accelerator to make discoveries about the properties of rare isotopes, nuclear astrophysics, fundamental interactions, and applications for society, including in medicine, homeland security, and industry.

 
There will be no regular public show on Saturday, April 25, instead there will be a free showing of The Nucleus Factory for MSU Science Festival Statewide Astronomy Night. Advanced registration is required.
 
 

What to Expect

Public shows typically run for an hour and include the scheduled show and a guided tour of the evening sky. Please note that once a show begins, the planetarium doors are locked and there will be no late admittance. This is for the safety and comfort of our visitors. Please be sure to arrive before the stated start time of your show.

 

Ticket Purchases & Pricing

All show tickets can be purchased at the door or online with an additional convenience fee.

In-person ticket prices:

  • Adults - $5.50
  • Students/Senior Citizens (55+) - $5.00
  • Children (12 and under) - $4.50
  • Friends of Abrams Planetarium Members - Free!
  • Museums For All - Free! (with valid EBT, medicaid, or WIC card, as well as photo ID)

 

Museums For All Logo with text below that reads "an initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services" 
 

Season Schedule (Fall 2025 - Summer 2026)

The Abrams Planetarium public show schedule for Fall 2025 through Summer 2026. Each show is approximately 60 minutes long; a 30 minute recorded portion followed by a 30 minute live presentation of the current evening sky.

No shows on April 5th for Easter.

There will be no regular public show on Saturday, April 25, instead there will be a free showing of The Nucleus Factory for MSU Science Festival Statewide Astronomy Night. Advanced registration is required. No tickets will be given at the door.

Dark matter visualization

The Dark Matter Mystery

Feature Show

Fridays/Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
Sundays at 4:00 p.m.
What keeps Galaxies together? What are the building blocks of the Universe? What makes the Universe look the way it looks today? Researchers all around the world try to answer these questions. We know today that approximately a quarter of the Universe is filled with a mysterious glue: Dark Matter. We know that it is out there. But we have no idea what it is made out of. This planetarium show takes you on the biggest quest of contemporary astrophysics. You will see why we know that Dark Matter exists, and how this search is one of the most challenging and exciting searches science has to offer. Join the scientists on their hunt for Dark Matter with experiments in space and deep underground. Will they be able to solve the Dark Matter Mystery?
Ticket symbol with text that reads "buy tickets"

Additional fees apply for online orders.

Four large stars with faces: yellow, blue, red, and white. Text at the bottom reads "Sometimes, being average can also be special."

The Little Star That Could

Family Show

Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
The story about an average yellow star on a search for planets of his own to warm and protect. Along his way, he encounters other stars, learns what makes each star special, and discovers that stars can combine to form clusters and galaxies. Eventually, Little Star finds his planets, and each is introduced to audiences along with basic information about the Solar System.
Video camera with text that reads "Show Trailer."
Paper and Pencil symbol with text that reads "Instructional Materials"

Ticket symbol with text that reads "buy tickets"

Additional fees apply for online orders.

Quasar with jets shooting out

Supermassive Black Holes

Feature Show

Fridays/Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
Sundays at 4:00 p.m.

Leading scientists in observational and theoretical studies of black holes and galaxies, industrial experts in cutting-edge big technologies, and professionals in science dissemination have been brought together to set up research projects which will combine the latest state-of-the-art observations, numerical simulations and innovative analytic tools to compare theory with observation, and shed light on the physics of black hole formation in the context of galaxy evolution. This planetarium show presents the environments of the black holes in an impressive and understandable way to the audience. 

Ticket symbol with text that reads "buy tickets"Additional fees apply for online orders.

Block-headed cartoon character with mustache, top hat, and red suit standing in front of red curtains and a nebula in the background.

We Are Stars

Family Show

Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

What are we made of? Where did it all come from? Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, and our explosive origins. Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon, and the molecules for life. Narrated by Andy Serkis.

Video camera with text that reads "Show Trailer"
Paper and Pencil symbol with text that reads "Instructional Materials"

Ticket symbol with text that reads "buy tickets"Additional fees apply for online orders.

IceCube neutrino observatory facility

Chasing the Ghost Particle

Feature Show

Fridays/Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
Sundays at 4:00 p.m.

Deep in the ice at the heart of Antarctica, IceCube, the biggest and strangest detector in the world waits for mysterious messengers from the cosmos. Scientists are using tiny and elusive particles called neutrinos to explore the most extreme places in the universe. These ghostly neutrinos give us an exclusive way to study powerful cosmic engines like exploding stars and black holes. In this show, stunning simulations of the most energetic places in our universe, and the galaxies around us, are the prelude to a thrilling journey inside IceCube, looking for traces of neutrino collisions in the ice. From one of the most remote locations on Earth to the unexplored regions of the cosmos, this show will take you on a journey you won't forget.

Video camera with text that reads "Show Trailer"
 

Movie ticket with text that reads "Tickets Coming Soon"Additional fees apply for online orders.

Three alien children smiling while standing on an alien planet.

The Stellars

Family Show

Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Introducing THE STELLARS, a show designed with the youngest audiences in mind. The show weaves important educational themes into a character-driven story. It is the perfect blend of fun and learning, carefully crafted to spark the imagination and curiosity of young kids. The characters even break the “fourth wall” several times to directly engage with the audience about their ideas. The educational content of the show explores the essentials necessary for plant growth, the diversity of Earth's ecosystems, and the critical role of forests as habitats. It underscores our bond with nature and our role in preserving it, along with the importance of the scientific method in understanding our world. 

Movie ticket with text that reads "Tickets Coming Soon"Additional fees apply for online orders.

No shows on July 3 and 4 for the Independence Day holiday.

Spacecraft flying past nebula with planetary surface below.

Violent Universe

Feature Show

Fridays/Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
Sundays at 4:00 p.m.
The beauty of a starlit sky conceals the violent forces at work within our universe. From the upheaval of a giant star that explodes to release its material into space, to a future encounter between the Earth and a large asteroid that is too close for comfort, we will witness the forces that hold the universe together and occasionally try to rip it apart. Narrated by Patrick Stewart of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men films.
Video camera with text that reads "Show Trailer."
 

Movie ticket with text that reads "Tickets Coming Soon"Additional fees apply for online orders.

Five aliens and their dog in a spaceship with a gas giant planet in the background.

The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather!

Family Show

Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
The stalwart heroes of The Zula Patrol are on an expedition collecting samples of weather for scientist Multo's research. When the Zula gang inadvertently hurts their loyal pet Gorga's feelings, he decides to leave Zula and find another planet to live on. Villain Dark Truder then tricks Gorga into helping with his latest nefarious scheme to rule the universe. The Zula Patrollers find out and go after him-in the process learning all about weather, both terrestrial and interplanetary. Based on the hit TV series. 
Video camera with text that reads "Show Trailer."
Paper and Pencil symbol with text that reads "Instructional Materials"

Movie ticket with text that reads "Tickets Coming Soon"Additional fees apply for online orders.

 

Parking

Available parking is dependent on the time of your visit:

Map showing parking available near the planetarium.

Cars on Weekends or Weekdays after 6 p.m.

The lot directly across the street from the planetarium, Lot 41, is free and available to park. This lot is not available to park in weekdays before 6pm.
 

Cars on Weekdays before 6 p.m.

The closest spot to park cars on weekdays is the ramp behind the planetarium, Lot 51. Use the entrances on North or South Shaw lane farther from the planetarium/closer to the Law school to access the basement floors. These spots are metered. You can pay, using your license plate number, on the MSU Spot On app or at the kiosks. If those are full, Lot 39 or the Wharton Center, Lot 19,  are the next closest lots. For more information about Pay by Plate, please visit the MSU Parking Services website.
 
 

Virtual Tour

 
 

Visit - Learn - Discover MSU

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