Planetarium and Exhibits Are Open to the Public
UA Science: Flandrau, on the campus of The University of Arizona, celebrated the reopening of its planetarium and the start of its new expanded schedule on Saturday, April 3, 2010. UA Science: Flandrau is now open to the public seven days a week, offering scheduled planetarium shows, science demonstrations, hands-on exhibits, an extensive mineral collection on display, a special exhibit of Bisbee minerals (Treasures of the Queen), telescope viewing in the observatory, and storytelling and exhibits from the Miners’ Story Project.
A Tucson tradition since 1972, Flandrau reopened under the guidance of The University of Arizona College of Science. It is this new partnership that makes it possible for Flandrau to reopen to the public and showcase other UA Science: departments and programs such as Biosphere 2 in Oracle and the 24-inch telescope at UA Science SkyCenter, at the summit of Mt. Lemmon just north of Tucson.
“We’re excited about this new opportunity to reopen Flandrau and provide residents and tourists with a quality science attraction here in the center of Tucson,” said Joaquin Ruiz, dean of the College of Science. “Universities must do all they can to transmit knowledge to the public and spark the imagination of youth about what their future could hold.”
Flandrau visitors can enjoy many of the same activities and exhibits that made Flandrau one of the most endeared science education attractions in southern Arizona. The planetarium theater offers live sky shows and tours of the galaxy. The public also enjoys hands-on exhibits and science demonstrations in the Galaxy exhibit area. UA Science: Flandrau continues to offer tours of the heavens with its 16-inch telescope.
Hector Vector Star Projector
Tucson Sky Tonight
What can you see when you look up in the sky tonight? A planet, a constellation, a galaxy, or maybe a nebula where stars are being born? Explore the wonders of Arizona’s beautiful night sky as we show you what you can see with your unaided eyes, give you a deeper look through stunning telescope and spacecraft imagery, and answer your questions.
Touring the Planets
Take a journey through our solar system, learning about the planets and viewing spectacular photos and videos — including 3D images of the sun, moon, Saturn and Mars. Find out what we’ve learned about Mars from the UA-led Phoenix Mission, and ask your questions. Visitors of all ages will enjoy this tour around our galactic neighborhood.
Stories From the Stars
Sit back and relax as we spin tales of the constellations and how the ancients thought about the night sky. Learn about the constellations you can see in Arizona, ask your questions, and explore the mythology of the stars.
Follow the Drinking Gourd
Families and younger audiences will enjoy this popular fictional account of how slaves used the stars of the Big Dipper to navigate their way to freedom.
Here are the planetarium show times:
Fridays
7:30 p.m.: Stories From the Stars
Saturdays
11 a.m.: Follow the Drinking Gourd
1 p.m.: Touring the Planets
3 p.m.: Tucson Sky Tonight
7:30 p.m.: Tucson Sky Tonight
Sundays
1 p.m.: Touring the Planets
3 p.m.: Tucson Sky Tonight
Flandrau is open seven days a week.
Monday through Thursday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m.
Admission
Adults: $7.50 ($5 Monday through Friday afternoon)
Children (4 to 15 years old): $5 ($3 Monday through Friday afternoon)
Children under 4 years old: Free
Cat Card holders: $2 off
Arizona college students: $2
Flandrau General Information
For general information call 520-621-STAR (7827)
To schedule a field trip, call 520-621-4516 for more information
See us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/uasciencecenter
You’re welcome to join the conversation on Twitter at username: @FlandrauAZ
Flandrau Parking Information
UA Science: Flandrau is located on the University of Arizona campus on the northeast corner of Cherry Avenue and University Boulevard. Free parking is available on the University of Arizona campus all day Saturday and Sunday, and after 5 PM Fridays in metered spaces and many parking lots. Parking is also available in the UA Cherry Avenue Garage.
March 30th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Welcome back, Flandrau! We have missed you, and all of Tucson is delighted!!!!
March 30th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Yay! Great news that Flandrau is reopening. I offer a huge “Thank You!” to everyone’s fastidious efforts.
March 31st, 2010 at 11:02 am
Good to hear that the mineral collection will be available to the public.
March 31st, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Great to see Flandrau back open to the public. The absence has been felt! Welcome home!
March 31st, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Thanks to your diligence and commitment to a thriving science community which is public-focused, the people of Tucson can again experience space and science in sense more meaningful than online simulations and sites. It’s a welcome return for something very much missed. As sky city, Tucson must be committed to providing for the wider education of its residents.
April 1st, 2010 at 11:18 am
[...] This makes me SO HAPPY!!!!! [...]
April 1st, 2010 at 11:21 am
Yay Hector! As the mother of two little ones, I’m SO happy to know that we’ll have another option for indoor entertainment this summer (especially since mama likes learning about the skies too!!!)
April 1st, 2010 at 11:56 am
Such great news! Thank you thank you thank you!
April 1st, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I really missed the Falndrau every time my grandchildren came to town. You are opening just in time for the next visit. Can we still get memberships?
April 1st, 2010 at 11:35 pm
We miss you, Flandrau. All of Tucson and science community are glad to have you back!
April 2nd, 2010 at 8:16 am
My Mom has told me about the wonderful shows she remembers seeing at the Planetarium. I am so excited that I will finally be able to experience shows too!
April 3rd, 2010 at 10:50 am
I’m so glad Flandrau has reopened and Hector Vector Star Projector is back in action! Please consider bringing back the music/laser shows, such as Pink Floyd. A couple of suggestions for themes would be Led Zeppelin laser or a classical music laser show. That would be great. Anyway, thanks for coming back….and please don’t leave us again.
April 6th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Our family is SO GLAD! We will spread the word, what a great thing to do throughout the hot summer months with little learners! Just back from UNC campus, maybe Magic Tree House can head this way too? LOVE the idea of bring back music/laser shows, that sure was a fun part of growing up in TUS.
April 8th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Flandrau was one of my favorite places to visit 25 years ago! I am SO happy to see it re-opened and plan to take my family. The one thing I would like to see are printable versions of the theater shows and possible advance ticket purchases online. Glad you’re back!
April 11th, 2010 at 1:05 am
I was so excited to see Flandrau open again. I moved back to Tucson this past month and took my 6 year old son there for first time. He liked the science show presented by one of the U of A Science students. I was so excited to take him to the show but unfortunately they did away with the recorded shows which I remember as a child. Now it is more adult oriented with an someone talking through the whole show pointing to stars and planets in the Tucson night sky. My son was bored after 10 minutes. My recommendation to Flandrau would be to have some shows during the day that are more geared to kids with much less talking. Also if they could put more science exhibits over to right instead of the minerals an mining which there are plenty of downstairs. I think that would bring in more money and make it more exciting for everyone. It would be cool to see it more like the Arizona science center in Phoenix, with something like simulated weather of Forces of Nature. Also any chance of bringing back the Laser Light shows with different featured music artists on Friday and Saturday nights?
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:36 pm
YYYYAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!! I got to the Flandrau site through a link from an email (from the UA’s CRR). What a great surprise to run into! This is awesome news!!!
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:33 am
Thank you College of Science for making that a short-lived tragedy. I’ll come visit soon.