Celebrate 59 years of the UWM Planetarium with our annual open house. Enjoy free cake while supplies last, plus a live, indoor presentation and stargazing show that will take audience members on a live, interactive tour of the night sky. Shows will run every half hour and highlight some favorite astronomical topics and seasonal constellations such as Orion, Taurus, and the Winter Circle. 

This event is free and open to the public. No advance registration is required. Not recommended for children under 4.

Event Schedule

Activity	Start Time	End Time
Planetarium Show	1:00 PM	1:30 PM
Planetarium Show	1:30 PM	2:00 PM
Planetarium Show	2:00 PM	2:30 PM
Planetarium Show	2:30 PM	3:00 PM

Instructions for Attending Planetarium Show

To attend the planetarium show, check in at the ticket table in the hallway outside of the Planetarium starting 30 minutes before the show start time to reserve your free spot. Seats are first come first serve. We do not accept ticket reservations for free shows in advance.

The planetarium is a theater that projects stars, planets, the Sun, and the Moon on a 30-foot dome. Portions of the show involve complete darkness and may not be suitable for children under 4.

Doors close 5 minutes after the planetarium show starts. Sorry, no late admissions.

Location & Parking

Address

The Manfred Olson Planetarium is located inside the UW-Milwaukee Physics building:

Physics Building Room 139
1900 E Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, WI, 53211

The main entrance to the Physics building is on Kenwood Blvd.

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Accessibility

There is one wheelchair-accessible entrance via the path between the Physics building and EMS building off Cramer St. (see map below).

Unfortunately, our rooftop stargazing deck is not wheelchair accessible.

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Map

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Parking

There is no free parking on campus. Please allow extra time to park when you visit.

Cunningham Lot parking is available for purchase just north of the Physics building. The entrance is at the corner of Cramer and Hartford. Please be sure to avoid the spots that are for permit holders (they say “This spot is reserved for staff/faculty”). The spots are $1.50/hour (as of September 2024).

You may be able to find street parking (both metered and free) but be sure to read the street signs for restrictions.

Payment for parking spots can be done by using the Parkmobile smartphone app or pay stations located on the perimeter of the lot. Purchase a parking ticket from one of the booths by entering your license plate number and the amount of time you will be parked. The booth accepts cash, Visa, and Mastercard.
For additional information, please visit Transportation Services.

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Transportation

The Green Line and 66 bus routes have stops near the Physics building. Other nearby routes with on-campus stops are the Red Line, Gold Line, 22, and 30. For more info see the MCTS website.