The wonders of the universe in the center of Tel Aviv!
Discover how stars live and die,
why Galileo changed astronomy,
and what astronauts do in training sessions.
A selection of shows for a range of ages that will take you to galaxies far away and back again, without getting out of your seat.
Humans have always tried to understand the stars in the sky and give them meaning. These attempts eventually led to the construction of the Planetarium with its artificial sky: a domed building with a simulacrum of the heavenly arch above us projected onto its round ceiling. The Planetarium enables us to view the stars and their motion through space, making it a popular and effective tool for illustrating and explaining astronomical phenomena. Already in ancient times people invented a range of devices to simulate the sky and stars. The first modern planetarium mechanism, inaugurated in 1923 in Germany, was operated using several projectors moving on different axes which combined to create the effect of the sky and the motion of the stars.
The Lasky Planetarium at MUZA, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv, is a mechanism of the same type. It was dedicated in a festive ceremony in May, 1968, and has been open to the public ever since. The advanced equipment was donated courtesy of a couple of philanthropists and lovers of culture from Chicago, USA, Harry and Sadie Lasky, whose name the building still bears. The building was designed by W. J. Wittkower (who was responsible for the design of several of the museum’s pavilions), and constructed with funding from the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo.
The dome of the Planetarium is 12 meters in diameter and 6 meters high, and the main auditorium has an area of 250 square meters. The auditorium seats 110 (plus a dedicated area for wheelchairs) and is equipped with the largest domed screen in Israel, special sound and lighting systems and air conditioning. The state-of-the-art Digistar 7 projection system includes a laser projector and a computerized control station.
The Planetarium holds screenings of short shows suitable for the general public (from age 5 upwards), as well as after-school classes, meetings and special events that use the unique space and technology provided.
Opening Hours
The planetarium is open on Saturdays and on the last Thursday of every month*
Saturday shows:
- Stars (Hebrew): 10:30 / 12:30
- Astronaut (Hebrew): 11:30
- Stars (English): 13:30
Thursday shows 26.02:
- Stars (Hebrew): 17:00
*Changes may occur; please check the final schedule each month.
General Information
Please note:
- Entry to the planetarium requires a special ticket that includes access to the museum and the selected show. A regular museum ticket does not grant access to the planetarium.
- Shows in English are available by prior arrangement (provision of shows in English is conditional on a minimum number of participants) – for more information contact the Education Wing’s reservation center
- Tickets must be booked in advance and up to 10 minutes before the show starts
- Late entry to the show is not allowed
- Strollers are not permitted inside the hall
- Food and drinks are not allowed in the hall
- Group visits are available by prior arrangement via the Education Wing’s reservation center
Accessibility Arrangements
- The planetarium is accessible to the visually impaired and disabled visitors in wheelchairs
- Due to technical issues, the planetarium shows are not currently accessible with subtitles for the hard of hearing
The Shows
Stars
Set out on a voyage across the infinite universe, between distant galaxies and billions of stars of every type and kind, ever changing as they live, die, and are reborn. A gripping show that tells the story of the most ancient stars and those yet to be born. Discover the beauty and destructiveness of the universe we live in.
Recommended for ages 5 and above
Astronaut
Do you dream of taking off for space? Start training! Space travel is not only a huge technological challenge, it is no less challenging physically. Astronauts have to be in excellent physical condition to handle the extreme stresses of space flight, and become accustomed to weightless conditions. Discover how astronauts train for space flight and what special equipment NASA uses for their training.
Recommended for ages 5 and above