Plan Your Visit - Manfred Olson Planetarium

Choose Event Type

Experience the wonders of the cosmos and the beauty of the night sky in our awe-inspiring planetarium dome. Our live programs offer something for everyone: a fun night out, an inspiring field trip, a birthday party destination, and a venue to learn more about our place in the universe.

You can choose to join us for a scheduled public event or book a program for a private group. Both types of events can be in-person or virtual. For more information, click on the button below that interests you.

public events

Private groups

Buy Tickets

If you’re ready to attend a public event, visit University Tickets to conveniently make your purchase on our secure website. Please note the date and time of each event in the list to make sure that you are selecting the event of your choice.

If you are a UWM student, UWM faculty/staff, or UWM Planetarium member, be sure to login on the site before making your purchase. This will allow you to access any ticketing benefits to which you are entitled.

Visit University tickets

Map & Directions

Campus Location & Parking

Location

The Manfred Olson Planetarium is located inside the UW-Milwaukee Physics building:
1900 E Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, WI, 53211
The main entrance to the Physics building is on Kenwood Blvd.

Accessibility

There is one wheelchair-accessible entrance via the path between the Physics building and EMS building off Cramer St. (See graphic above.)

Parking

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

Visitors are advised to park in the Cunningham Lot just North of the Physics building. The Sciences Lot to the west of the Physics building is closed due to construction. Free and metered one- and two-hour street parking may also be available. Be sure to read the street signs for restrictions. (See graphic above.)

The entrance to the Cunningham Lot is at the corner of Cramer and Hartford, one block north of the Physics building. 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. You can also pay using the Parkmobile smartphone app. For more information about parking on the UWM campus, visit Transportation Services.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Our live, public events are open to everyone. For a full list of events see our Calendar. We also book private reservations for schools and other groups.

We do not have set opening hours. We are open during public events and by private reservation.

Our live programs, which include stargazing and questions, typically run approximately 60 minutes.

Please note that there is no free parking on campus. Parking in the Sciences lot just west of the planetarium is $1.50 an hour. Please visit Plan Your Visit for maps and more information.

We accept checks, cash, and credit cards.

You can purchase a membership online, by mail (PDF), or in person before a public show.

We can seat 75 people.

Yes! We recommend that your child is four years or older and comfortable to sit in their own chair in the dark.

Yes! Visit the Plan Your Visit page to see maps and more information.

On a clear night, stargazing is held on the 5th-floor observing deck of the UWM Physics building. For the schedule of dates and more information, see Stargazing.

For general inquiries, email us at planetarium@uwm.edu. Visit Contact Us for other ways to reach us.

We ask that you stay seated until the end of the show because opening the door will ruin the beautiful dark sky for the rest of the visitors. Visitors are encouraged to use the restroom in advance.

Our planetarium is indoors. We suggest that you dress in layers because sometimes the theater can be too warm or too cold. We also ask that you avoid light-up shoes.