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Nehru Planetarium

A Must-Visit Place for Kids and Grown-Ups

Nehru Planetarium is one of the most popular destinations for both children and adults looking to understand and explore the numerous mysteries of the universe.  While the Planetarium focuses on various aspects of astronomy, visitors to the place also enjoy the visuals that depict the life and times of the first Prime Minister of India and an important figure of our freedom movement, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. 

History

Nehru Planetarium is located on the Teen Murti Marg which was the official residence of the Prime Minister for 16 long years till he passed away in 1964. Earlier, it was also the official residence of the Commander in Chief of the British forces during their rule. Nehru Planetarium was established by setting up the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund to bring to reality the wish of Nehru to promote astronomy education. The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library is also part of the Planetarium now.

The Sky Theater

Smt. Indira Gandhi, the late Prime Minister and the daughter of Nehru inaugurated the place in 1984. Build with a unique blend of archaeology and modern designing; the Planetarium has an air conditioned sky theater which is one of the main attractions of the place. The dome shaped theater has a viewing screen made of fiber glass made of 26 curved patches and millions of hand drilled holes to deliver brilliant acoustics. The theater can easily seat 270 people who can view shows about astronomy on the uniquely-created screen for a different experience altogether.

Another key attraction is the Space Flight Projector, Carl Zeiss. It is placed at the center of the theater in specially-created well on a specially-created mechanical lift which makes its operations easy. The slides and the special effects are stunning and leave visitors to this place completely mesmerized.

Exhibitions and Shows

The Planetarium also includes an exhibit area where interactive pictures and models related to space and astronomy are on display. The space module which carried Rakesh Sharma, India’s first cosmonaut, the Soyuz T-10 is on display here along with space suit. There is also a mission journal on the event available for visitors. Photo exhibitions on various space-specific events are held here regularly.

Great Place for Acquiring Knowledge About Space

Nehru Planetarium also organizes taped shows and events on topics of special and current interest. Topics covered in such shows are usually related to the cosmic heritage and the solar system. Information in audio-visual form and live lectures are provided to students about popular celestial events. Curriculum-based shows are also held for schools and educational institutions. Innovative ways of imparting education such as story-telling are used to provide information to students in a more impactful manner.

An astronomy magazine, Krittika was launched by the Planetarium recently with the aim of providing information to students on various topics associated with sky-watching and astronomy. There is a forum in which teachers and students can participate and discuss issues relevant to the subject.

Information for Visitors

Timings for shows in English – 1130 Hrs to 1500 Hrs. Hindi shows are held from 1330 Hrs to 16 Hrs. The planetarium is open to visitors from 930 Hrs to 1645 Hrs on all days except Mondays.

How To Reach

Visitors can reach Teen Murti Road using local buses, autos or taxis from any part of New Delhi. The nearest railway station is New Delhi Railway while the Central Secretariat is the nearest Metro Station. Indira Gandhi International Airport is the nearest airport.

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