Explore the Wonder of Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City
Over the years, we’ve taken our kids to the Clark Planetarium in downtown Salt Lake City. It’s a great place for younger kids because of the interactive exhibits. For older kids and teens, there are still opportunities to learn. But there are also some spectacular films and laser shows that provide that added level of entertainment. A show in the planetarium is great for a couple’s date night, too.
And best of all… the exhibits are free. You just need to make reservations online in advance of your visit.
Here’s a rundown on why you should visit the Clark Planetarium next time you’re in downtown Salt Lake City.
Reserve tickets to an IMAX movie or cosmic laser light show
One of the best things about the planetarium are the laser light shows in the Hansen Dome Theater. Over the years, I’ve been to laser shows to the music of The Beatles, U2 and Led Zeppelin. The laser light shows are reserved for Fridays and Saturdays, which are great for a weekend adventure with the kids or a date night.
The IMAX Theater shows various films – but not like the films you’d see at the local movie theater. These ones are more documentary in style, but on the big screen, they immerse you into the theme. For example, there are ones about dinosaurs, the Antarctic and the lost empire of Cambodia. Some of the films are in 3-D.
RELATED ARTICLE: Explore the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix.
Show times vary, so check out their website for movie showtimes and to book your tickets. Adult ticket prices range from $5.50 to $9, which children (ages 3-12) ranging from $5.50 to $7. If you plan to make multiple visits to the Clark Planetarium to see shows, you should consider getting an annual membership.
Learn about the science of space
Since this is a planetarium, you can expect to find interactive exhibits that teach about space. They’ve organized their exhibits into three sections – earth, near earth and beyond. Each one is fascinating in it’s own space. (see what I just did there? Haha!)
The Beyond exhibits focus on the planets in our solar system and “beyond”, including asteroids and black holes. One of the most iconic areas of the entire museum is the row of planets hanging above you. You can see the colors each planet has to offer, and read about what things are like on that given planet. There are also areas where you can see how much you would weigh if you were standing on that planet – based on the strength of the gravitational pull.
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One area allows you to explore the surface of Io, Jupiter’s largest closest moon, and even grab a selfie. You can walk among the red rocks (not to be confused with the red rocks of southern Utah) with the large orange planet in the distance. If you want to try driving a rover, there’s an area where you can write some code and see what results from it.
I had fun trying to land a lunar module, while the kids enjoyed building a virtual rocket. They selected the parts, height and fuel capacity to see if their rocket would launch the highest.
There are so many interactive exhibits that you could spend hours exploring this place.
See earth science in action
Since the Earth is a planet, it would be amiss to not include some of the science we experience every day. You can watch Foucault’s pendulum and learn about the rotation of the earth. It may seem like it’s only moving back and forth, but if you watch it long enough or time it just right, you’ll see it’s knocking down little pegs one at a time.
FUN FACT: Did you know there’s a Foucault Pendulum in the Pantheon in Paris?
It’s always fascinating to learn more about the moon. You can watch the moon go through each of its phases in one exhibit. You can also see moon rocks they have on display.
If you’re worried about an asteroid hitting the Earth, you can try your hand at blowing them up before they reach us. The interactive game is pretty fun and you can challenge your friends (or kids) to see if you are better at blowing up asteroids. You can also learn about meteorites that have hit Earth.
DID YOU KNOW? There’s a meteor impact crater just east of Flagstaff, Arizona? You should visit it.
Weather is another fascinating area of planet Earth. You can see how clouds form or watch winds whip up a tornado. In fact, you can stand inside a giant tornado! Watch how crystals form when water freezes.
Don’t forget about the Earth Science areas of volcanoes and earthquakes. Do you think you can create readings on a seismograph by jumping? Challenge your kids to see who can make the biggest earthquake. You’ll have to experiment and find the right technique to win the challenge.
Grab some unique presents in the gift shop
I love exploring the gift shop at Clark Planetarium. There are some pretty unique gifts, from creative t-shirts to rock tumblers and slime. One of the items I would love to purchase – but it’s out of my price range for now – is a telescope. Not a glorified pair of binoculars, but a genuine telescope that I can see the rings on Saturn or the spot on Jupiter. They sell many models of telescopes, so if you’re looking for one or have questions, they’re the people to ask.
The Details
Address: 110 S 400 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 (Located at The Gateway shopping complex)
Costs: The science exhibits are free. Individual movie tickets range from $5.50 to $9 depending on age and the start time of your movie selection. Annual memberships are $30.
Hours of Operation: Exhibits are open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Movies and cosmic laser light shows may run later.
Parking: The Gateway shopping center offers a parking garage. Costs range from free (less than one hour) to $12 for more than 6 hours.
How long to spend: You can spend 45-60 minutes exploring the exhibits. If you tack on a movie or cosmic laser light show, plan to spend a little more time there.
Website: https://slco.org/clark-planetarium/
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