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 Planetarium Shows
Navigating by the Stars
3rd Wednesday of February, May, August, and November
Fall Planetarium Show Schedule
(through Dec. 16, 2022)
This family-friendly program explores why Hawai‘i is a great place to learn about Earth system science. Also discover how NASA satellites help us in our explorations of our home planet.
45 minutes, all ages.
This full-dome program puts you on the deck of the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa as you explore the nearly lost art and science of non-instrument navigation in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Produced by Bishop Museum in collaboration with Polynesian Voyaging Society and 1001 Stories.
45 minutes, recommended age 8 and up.
Traverse the largest ocean on Earth with Moko, an intrepid teenager who follows the star paths of her ancestors as they sail across the Pacific towards her homeland, Aotearoa New Zealand. She time travels between centuries and cultures to witness life onboard the waka hourua (sailing canoes) of her Māori forefathers, and the ships of English captain Lt.
James Cook and Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman. She takes in the view of Earth from space, stands alongside the navigators, experiences their traditions, uncovers their science, and wraps it all up in the space knowledge we have today. Co-producers Experience Wellington and Island Productions Aotearoa.
45 minutes, recommended age 8 and up.
Kari Byron from Crash Test World and MythBusters launches us on a journey beyond the Earth towards a sustainable future in space. NASA’s 21st century Artemis program, named after the Greek moon Goddess and twin of Apollo, is the next step in our mission to explore the universe and land the first woman and person of color on the surface of the Moon.
Produced by Fiske Planetarium in collaboration with TEND Studio with funding from NASA SSERVI and Lockheed Martin.
45 minutes. All Ages.
Saturdays, Sundays, and select holidays
10:00 a.m. – Eyes On Island Earth
11:00 a.m. – Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
12:30 p.m. – Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators
2:00 p.m. – Forward! to the Moon
3:30 p.m. – Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
Wednesdays
No shows
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
11:00 a.m. – Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
12:30 p.m. – Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators
2:00 p.m. – Forward! to the Moon
3:30 p.m. – Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
For daily showtimes, including adjustments for holidays and special events, please visit our Daily Programs and Programs and Events calendars.
2023 Spring Planetarium Show Schedule
All Showtimes are for Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays (March 11– June 16)
10:30 a.m.
$3 with valid museum admission
This family-friendly program explores why Hawaiʻi is a great place to learn about Earth system science. With a friend on the International Space Station as your guide, discover how NASA satellites help us in our explorations of our home planet.
25 minutes, recommended age 10 and below.
11:30 a.m.
3:30 p.m.
$3 with valid museum admission
This full-dome program puts you on the deck of the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa as you explore the nearly lost art and science of non-instrument navigation in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Produced by Bishop Museum in collaboration with Polynesian Voyaging Society and 1001 Stories.
45 minutes, recommended age 8 and up.
12:30 p.m.
$3 with valid museum admission
Traverse the largest ocean on Earth with Moko, an intrepid teenager who follows the star paths of her ancestors as they sail across the Pacific towards her homeland, Aotearoa New Zealand. She time travels between centuries and cultures to witness life onboard the waka hourua (sailing canoes) of her Māori forefathers, and the ships of English captain Lt. James Cook and Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman. She takes in the view of Earth from space, stands alongside the navigators, experiences their traditions, uncovers their science, and wraps it all up in the space knowledge we have today. Co-producers Experience Wellington and Island Productions Aotearoa.
45 minutes, recommended age 8 and up.
2:30 p.m.
$3 with valid museum admission
Hidden Pacific profiles some of the Pacific Ocean’s most beautiful islands and marine national monuments. The film explores the storied histories of Palmyra, Midway and other atolls through science and human stories. Hidden Pacific is produced by Tandem Stills + Motion, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
45 minutes, all ages.
Upcoming Planetarium Events
Daily Planetarium Shows Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Click here to get your tickets.
Eyes on Island Earth
Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators
Hidden Pacific
Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
Eyes on Island Earth
Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators
Hidden Pacific
Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
Eyes on Island Earth
Wayfinders: Waves, Winds, and Stars
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.
