Buhl Planetarium Shows

Looking to enhance your field trip experience with an out-of-this-world opportunity? Blast off on a galactic adventure in Buhl Planetarium! The whole universe is your classroom when you book a 30-minute planetarium show.

Explore available offerings:

Story Time Under The Stars

For Grades Pre-K–1 (Content themes: Astronomy, Space Exploration)
Early learners and their grown-ups are invited to enjoy science-themed stories under a starry sky! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the stars and the storytelling, under a bright and beaming Moon in our planetarium.

Expedition Earth

For Grades 1–4 (Content themes: Solar System, Climate Change, Ecosystem)
Join Quasi the robot, our loveable robot explorer on an adventure through our home planet. Fly with the birds and dive into the Great Barrier Reef in this cinematic journey of Earth. Quasi and students will learn how our planet is changing and how to protect it!

Expedition Moon

For Grades 1–4 (Content themes: Astronomy, Robotics, Solar System, Earth)
Join Quasi the robot, our loveable robot companion on an adventure through the moons of our Solar System! Travel through the volcanos of Io, the icy oceans of Enceladus and follow in the footsteps of the famous Apollo Astronauts as Quasi tries to learn if there could be life in space.

Blueprints to Blastoff

For Grades 3–5 (Content themes: Engineering, Space Exploration)
Follow the engineering process from blueprints to blastoff on an important mission to the Moon – and beyond to Mars. Learn technology and help humanity explore space. The live interactive decisions YOU make will impact the success of our mission.

Produced in partnership with NASA

Stars Over Pittsburgh

For Grades 3–12 (Content themes: Celestial Patterns, Stars & Galaxies)
Take a guided tour through the current night sky in this live presentation. Students will learn how to locate the planets and constellations in their own back yard, as well as the phases of the Moon.

Space Volcanoes

For Grades 4–8 (Content themes: Solar System – Terrains)
Travel from Pompeii to Pluto in a planetarium tour of volcanoes on Earth and in space! Celebrate the festival of Vulcan’s forge in the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii. When in Rome, explore the planets in the night sky on the eve of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius – then voyage to different planets to see how their volcanoes compare! Explore the mighty mountains of Mars and Venus, and even visit the ice volcanoes of Enceladus and Pluto.

Beginner’s Guide to the Universe

For Grades 5–12 (Content themes: Solar System, Stars & Galaxies)
Travel beyond our own Milky Way Galaxy to the farthest reaches of our cosmos.

Two Small Pieces of Glass – also available in Spanish!

For Grades 3–5 (Content themes: Engineering, History, Telescopes)
The film traces the history of the telescope from Galileo’s modifications to a child’s spyglass – using two small pieces of glass – to the launch of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy. It explores the wonder and discovery made by astronomers throughout the last 400 years.

Big Astronomy – also available in Spanish!

For Grades 6–8 (Content themes: Solar System, Telescopes, Research)
Explore the world-class observatories nestled in northern Chile’s mountains and learn why Chile, with its beautiful mountain ranges and clear, cloudless skies, create an ideal environment for studying the cosmos. It takes many people with diverse backgrounds, talents, and skills to run a world-class observatory. Meet a few of these people as they share the wonder of the sky – and the excitement of discovery.

Laser Shows

Available at any grade level!
It is a music, light, and sound experience! Contact our Reservations Team to see what show is available!

Contact us to discuss which option is best for your group!

You can fill out this form!  with all your needs and we’ll connect with you to work through your reservation. You can also call us at 412.237.3400 between the hours of 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday. Our team will help you book the trip that fits your schedule!