Programs
Bring Your Group to Flandrau!
Kids love Hector Vector Star Projector!
The UA Science: Flandrau planetarium is available by reservation on weekdays for groups of 20 or more. It’s your chance to bring your school, youth group, camp, or community group for a complete, interactive science experience! Contact us for pricing and reservations for group visits for adults.
What you get:
* An age-appropriate, interactive planetarium show, for your pre-kindergarten through high school group, presented by a knowledgeable astronomer.
* Explore hands-on exhibits in the Galaxy Room, representing various sciences.
* Learn about the history of Bisbee and see its most amazing minerals in our special exhibit, “Treasures of the Queen.”
* View the only scale replica of the Martian surface.
* Take a self-guided tour of one of the largest mineral collections in the country.
Price:
* $5 per child
* 1 chaperone required for every 10 children (Chaperones are free!)
* $5 for each additional adult chaperone
Kids learn the importance of minerals in their lives.
Add the UA Mineral Museum to your group reservation, and take a private tour through our amazing collection and special Bisbee exhibit, “Treasures of the Queen.”
What you get:
* An interactive tour experience, guided by an experienced mineralogist.
* Mineral Scavenger Hunt: A game that involves finding minerals on display in the museum based on drawings of their physical appearance.
* Living in a Mineral World: This interactive game helps young people of all ages realize the importance of minerals they use in their everyday lives.
Price:
* $4 additional for each child
Schedule Your Visit Now!
1. Select an available date from the calendar below (at least 14 days in advance).
2. Tell us how many are in your group (we require one free adult chaperone for every 10 children) and select a 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., or 12:30 p.m. reservation.
3. Add a Mineral Museum program or additional adult chaperones, if you’d like.
4. Complete the customer and payment information (we require a 50% deposit to confirm reservations) through our secure system. Speed up your confirmation by using a credit card or P.O. number.
(Note: We can not confirm reservations until receiving the deposit)
E-mail us or call us at (520) 621-4516 with questions or to request an earlier reservation than 2 weeks in advance.
Junior Astronomer Camp-Ins
Junior Astronomer Camp-Ins at the Flandrau Science Center are a great way for your group to immerse themselves in a science experience never to be forgotten! In addition to an evening of science and astronomy activities, Camp-Ins are overnight adventures where students can sleep amongst the exhibits.
What you get:
* Hands-on activities, such as making star finders
* Science center galleries all to yourself
* Age-appropriate planetarium show
* Viewing through our Observatory telescope (weather permitting)
* Late night snack
* Movie
* Sleeping bag sleepover
* Breakfast
Who can attend?
* Any group with children in the 2nd grade and up.
* Ideal for scouts, church groups, birthday parties and any other youth groups with a sense of adventure!
* Any size group is welcome (with 1 chaperone required for every 8 campers) but we must have a minimum, with all groups combined, of 30 campers to run the event. All dates will be subject to cancellation if the required total is not met.
Camp-In Times & Dates:
Camp-ins can be booked on Friday or Saturday evenings throughout the year. All dates are subject to availability. Campers should check-in in the Science Center Lobby at 6:00 p.m. on the evening of the camp-in. Departure is at 8:30 a.m. the following morning.
Meals:
After registering at 6:00 p.m., your group can start with pizza dinner for an additional $6.00 per person, or you can instruct campers to eat dinner before coming if you would rather get right into the fun! The Science Center will provide a late night snack and a light breakfast in the morning. (Group leaders must bring food for campers with special dietary needs.)
Price:
* $40 per camper
* $20 per chaperone (1 chaperone for every 8 students is required)
How do we sign up?
Fill out the online reservation form to request a date. You will hear back from our reservation specialist to confirm. A 50% deposit is required to hold your reservation. Final payment can be made when you check in for your camp-in. A 25% cancellation fee will be charged to all groups who cancel less than two weeks before the event.
Click here for the Camp-In Request Form.
Birthday Parties
Let Flandrau be the setting for your child’s next birthday party for a fun and educational celebration!
What you get:
* A two-hour birthday party in our upstairs special events room.
* Science center exhibits.
* Explore the Mineral Museum.
* Enjoy a planetarium show.
* Optional: Slime/oobleck science demonstration ($25 additional charge)
* Optional: Liquid nitrogen ice cream ($50 additional charge)
(Note: You will need to bring your own food, drinks, and decorations)
Availability:
* Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
* Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
Price:
* $150 (up to 15 guests)
* $10 each additional guest
* $25 clean-up fee
Let Flandrau Come to You!
Portable Planetarium Shows
NOW YOUR GROUP, SCHOOL or HOME CAN HAVE THE SCIENCE CENTER BRING A PLANETARIUM TO YOU!
Flandrau: The UA Science Center presents five new portable planetarium shows designed to inspire, teach, and entertain . . .
Our shows are based on the Arizona state science standards, and are designed to help teachers fulfill their curriculum requirements as well as provide an enriching and entertaining astronomy experience. The shows are also a great way to entertain and educate groups of all ages!
The Little Sky Show
3 yrs. – 1st grade (20 min) . . . Price: $100 for the first show, $50 for each additional show, minimum 2 shows or $150.00.
(Birthday parties: ADD $100.00)
Young children now have the opportunity to learn about the sky in a planetarium show designed just for them! In our portable planetarium, children will develop an awareness of changes that occur in the sky. Using story and song, children learn about constellations, and the sun and moon. Children also become more comfortable with the dark as they learn about the differences between day and night.
Arizona State Science Standards, Strand 6 Concept 2 (Grade 1: PO1, PO2, PO3)
There’s No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System
3 yrs. – 1st grade (20 min) . . . Price: $100 for the first show, $50 for each additional shows minimum 2 shows or $150.00.
(Birthday parties: ADD $100.00)
Set to the rhymes of Dr. Seuss and the words of Tish Rabe, There’s No Place Like Space takes young children on a journey through our solar system. Using story and images, children learn about the planets, the sun, the moon and the mysterious place we call space.
Arizona State Science Standards, Strand 6 Concept 2 (Grade 1: PO1, PO2, PO3)
Follow the Drinking Gourd
K-5th grade (20 min.) . . . Price: $100 for the first show, $50 for each additional show, minimum 2 shows or $150.00.
(Birthday parties: ADD $100.00)
Follow the Drinking Gourd tells the story of how slaves used the stars of the Big Dipper to find their way to freedom. Participants will learn to identify circumpolar constellations like the Big Dipper and will develop an awareness of seasonal changes in the night sky while sitting under the stars in our portable planetarium.
Arizona State Science Standards
Strand 2 Concept 1 (Kindergarten & Grade 1: PO1, PO2 Grade 2: PO1)
Strand 3 Concept 2 (Grade 2 PO1, PO3) • Strand 6 Concept 2 (Grade 1: PO2, PO3)
Constellations
4th-8th grade (50 min.) . . . Price: $175 for the first show, $75 for each additional show (Birthday parties: ADD $100.00).
Learn about constellations and develop an understanding of how motions of the earth result in observable changes in the night sky. Construct and keep your own star finders and learn to identify and find constellations. Participants will practice using their star finders under a realistic sky in our portable planetarium theater.
Arizona State Science Standards
Strand 6 Concept 3 (Grade 5: PO3, PO4, PO5, Grade 7: PO4, PO5)
Seasons
5th-8th grade (50 min.) . . . Price: $175 for the first show, $75 for each additional show (Birthday parties: ADD $100.00).
Learn the “reason for the seasons” by engaging in full-body (kinesthetic) activities and exploring the sky in our portable planetarium. Participants develop an understanding of the effects of the Earth’s position and motion on seasonal changes. In our portable planetarium we will move through space and time to show the seasonal constellations and help connect the changes we see in the sky to the three-dimensional motions of the solar system.
Arizona State Science Standards
Strand 6 Concept 3 (Grade 5: PO4, PO5, Grade 7: PO4, PO5, PO6)
Requirements (update 3 – 1/4/10)
Our inflatable planetarium systems require a 15×20 foot area and a minimum ceiling height of 10 feet (12 feet is preferable). Each show can accommodate up to approximately 30-35 students (up to 40 very small children) depending on grade level. Virtual planetarium programs can accommodate many more children (see below).
Click here for the Portable Planetarium Shows Request Form.
Virtual Planetarium
Don’t have enough space for our portable planetarium, or want to accommodate more students? Consider our ‘Virtual Planetarium’ large flat screen programs (different from inflatable planetarium programs). Our virtual planetarium is great for auditoriums, and is highly adaptable to all types of settings. Shows can include a variety of content and imagery to suit your programmatic needs.
• Large (8 foot wide) screen, large group showing (up to 75+ kids for a single show)
• Time of program: up to 45 minutes to one hour for planetarium show (time flexible)
• Cost: $195.00 for single show OR for 2 or more shows: $175.00 for first show, $75.00 for each subsequent show
Virtual planetarium shows are adaptable for grade level and include:
1. The Moon (discusses phases, craters, NASA landings/missions, includes 3-D imagery)
2. A Tour of the Solar System (the Sun and cause of seasons, NASA missions to the planets, moons/satellites, asteroids, etc., includes 3-D imagery)
3. A Tour of the Milky Way Galaxy (contrasts the Solar System and Milky Way, discusses distances/position in space, star color, view types of galactic objects, Hubble Space Telescope images of deep space and includes instruction for students to find objects from their backyard with binoculars)
4. Constellations: The current Arizona Night Sky (shows sky motion and sky changes, object identification, star patterns and how to find, stars vs. planets, star colors, etc.)
5. Follow the Drinking Gourd – Ideal for younger children, includes constellations and some history
Call our Astronomy Coordinator at 520-621-3646 or email him at miket@ns.arizona.edu to schedule a virtual planetarium program.
Star Parties
Imagine having a first-hand view of Saturn’s rings or a peek at Jupiter’s turbulent cloud belts and its brightest moons. The Science Center offers special star parties for an evening of stargazing in your backyard, or at just about any location you choose.
For your star party, we will provide one or two experienced student or non-student volunteer astronomers from the Center, a pair of giant binoculars, and one or more powerful telescopes depending on the size of your group. The astronomer will point out the constellations, stars, star clusters, visible planets, galaxies, and other bright objects of interest the night of your event.
Click here for the Star Party Request Form.