Nehru Planetarium

The Nehru Planetarium is located within Teen Murti Bhavan or Teen Murti House on Teen Murti Marg (Road) and is a division of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. Due to its central location, it is easily accessible by local transport and metro rail with Central Secretariat as the nearest metro station.

The Nehru Planetarium came into existence on 6th February 1984 to bring alive the dream of Pundit Nehru who had a keen interest in enhancing the knowledge of people about the World they live in and the amazing Solar System and in order to advertise the study of astronomy. This Planetarium provides interactive programs and showcases innovative ideas for people from all walks of life especially for budding and amateur astronomers.

As you enter the Nehru Planetarium, you are welcomed with an array of photographs and pictures on space education and the astronomers’ contribution to the cosmic society. Along with these pictures, event based and curriculum based exhibitions and activities are also organised frequently by the authorities. A huge model of the Soyuz T-10 Space Module can be seen on display which lifted India’s First Cosmonaut, Rakesh Sharma, along with other two Russian cosmonauts to space and back to earth. Along with this model, the cosmonaut’s Space Suit and a write-up on their Mission and journey are also on display. The Planetarium also homes a massive sky theatre with a seating capacity of 270 people and screens various films about the Solar System and Planets ranging from the evolution of stars, their life cycle and how planets came into existence and many other cosmic attributes.

The Planetarium also issues an astronomy journal named ‘Krittika’ for all visitors who wish to purchase it and the souvenir shop also displays numerous CDs and DVDs on astronomy and cosmic information which are available for purchase too. Various activities for School Children like contests, Quiz, Workshops for making telescopes, Astrophotography and numerous other astronomy related events are organised frequently by the Planetarium authorities especially the Art and Quiz competitions which are organised every year during the months of February and August.

The Nehru Planetarium has also been consistently coming up with various programmes for visitors and amateur astronomers too. It has plans to expand the existing objects and equipments to a world class level in order to compete it with other Planetariums across the globe. Diploma Courses on data Analysis and Image processing for College going students are also in the pipeline.

The Nehru Planetarium also organises daily public shows at 1130 hours and 1500 hours in English and 1330 hours and 1600 hours in Hindi on the New Solar System and recent findings. Shows on Light Pollution and Multi Wavelength Astronomy programmes are also in the pipeline.

Tourists and Visitors can visit the Nehru Planetarium from Tuesdays to Sundays except Mondays and Gazetted National Holidays between 0930 hours and 1700 hours with a small entrance fee of INR 15.00 for Indian Residents. Foreign Nationals need to avail information about the entry fee from the Planetarium counter itself but most probably it will be around INR 100.00 to INR 150.00 (Subject to change) and Photography is strictly prohibited for all visitors.