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| - Arg, it pains me so much to give 2 stars, honestly. As a child I remember going to the Planetarium and being dazzled by it all. But it closed, and 10 years later, here it is, again, sponsored by a steel giant. I was very enthusiastic. Space! Joy!
The layout is very awkward. To my surprise, very little is exhibited, a couple of meteorites, a half-hidden telescope.. The planetarium wants to attract children, and only children. The displays are touch screens, interactive games etc.. The displays are incredibly bright and become hard on the eyes after a while. Another unpleasant thing is the focus of the place: life in space. That, coupled with the kid-friendly tone of the exhibit makes for a grating experience as an adult. You can learn to name planets, see them in space, retrace the timeline of the Earth, what water is made out of, and are asked ad infinitum "IS THERE LIFE IN SPACE?" but nothing gets in depth ever. No Big Bang Theory, no up-to-date feed on the Mars rover, what is a nebula? Where is our very own Commander Hadfield? Julie Payette? Whatever.
The architects banked on both the immersive cinemas which mimic the night sky and space itself. The projections are booked at certain times, and you should either buy tickets online, or come a full hour before your desired projection time. The first presentation "Continuum" is stellar, you lounge around, while space opens up around you, to the sound of classical music. Epic. The second is alright: your guide introduces you to constellations, and then the space surrounding the Earth. I could have enjoyed myself if two teenaged airheads next to me hadn't decided otherwise.
You can easily skip this. I think Continuum is worth seeing, but the entry price is too steep for that alone. If ever you crave space-stuff, and are on the American West Coast, go to the Griffith Observatory.
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