J. Watumull Planetarium
Hawaiʻi’s Gateway to the Stars
Daily Planetarium Shows
All planetarium tickets must be purchased in conjunction with general museum admission. Planetarium tickets are available for purchase on-site only.
Special Evening Online Planetarium Shows
1st Saturday of every month:
The Stars Tonight Online
Special Evening Online Planetarium Shows
3rd Wednesday of February, May, August, and November:
Navigating by the Stars Online
Celebrating Bishop Museum's J. Watumull Planetarium
Mid-Century Aloha is excited to announce the release of this custom-designed J. Watumull Planetarium poster. Art by Scott Sugiuchi for Mid-Century Aloha. 100% of profits support Bishop Museum!
Bishop Museum’s Jhamandas Watumull Planetarium opened its doors on December 12, 1961. Originally called the Kilolani Planetarium, the Watumull Planetarium has served over six million visitors and students over 60 years of continuous operation. The Planetarium was instrumental in the recovery of the nearly lost art and science of traditional, non-instrument navigation in Hawaiʻi. Nainoa Thompson spent countless hours in the Planetarium with Will Kyselka and other Planetarium staff in the late 1970s learning how to read the night sky. We are honored to continue that legacy by serving as a training space for today’s navigators.
Our GOTO Chronos II optical star projector provides one of the most vivid, realistic recreations of the night sky available today, with 8,500 pinpoint stars and realistic, bright planets. Our Digistar 4K full dome video system covers the entire dome in immersive video, allowing us to fly through the rings of Saturn, into the depths of the Orion nebula, out to the edge of the universe, and even simulate a voyage across the Pacific.
The Planetarium has 64 seats and serves 70,000 people a year. The planetarium focuses on programs about Hawaiʻi, blending live and prerecorded elements within each program.
Upcoming Planetarium Events
Daily Planetarium Shows Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Click here to get your tickets.
Navigating by the Stars Online: Kaiwikuamoʻo
Edge of Darkness
Planetarium: Wayfinders
Hidden Pacific
Edge of Darkness
Planetarium: Wayfinders
Hidden Pacific
Edge of Darkness
Planetarium: Wayfinders
Hidden Pacific
Planetarium: Wayfinders
Edge of Darkness
There is an additional $2.95 fee per person for each daytime Planetarium show.
Bishop Museum members continue to enjoy FREE admission to the daily Planetarium shows; members just need to pick up a Planetarium show ticket first at the Admission Desk.
Tickets are for a specific show and are available onsite from 9 a.m. on the day of the show.
About the J. Watumull Planetarium
Bishop Museum’s Jhamandas Watumull Planetarium opened its doors on December 12, 1961. Originally called the Kilolani Planetarium, the Watumull Planetarium has served over six million visitors and students over 60 years of continuous operation. The Planetarium was instrumental in the recovery of the nearly lost art and science of traditional, non-instrument navigation in Hawaiʻi. Nainoa Thompson spent countless hours in the Planetarium with Will Kyselka and other Planetarium staff in the late 1970s learning how to read the night sky. We are honored to continue that legacy by serving as a training space for today’s navigators.
Our GOTO Chronos II optical star projector provides one of the most vivid, realistic recreations of the night sky available today, with 8,500 pinpoint stars and realistic, bright planets. Our Digistar 4K full-dome video system covers the entire dome in immersive video, allowing us to fly through the rings of Saturn, into the depths of the Orion nebula, out to the edge of the universe, and even simulate a voyage across the Pacific.
The Planetarium has 64 seats and serves 70,000 people a year. The planetarium focuses on programs about Hawaiʻi, blending live and prerecorded elements within each program.
