Kolkata is the epicentre of Science, Culture and Technology, and the MP Birla Planetarium is a testament to this. It is the very first public planetarium in India and, more surprisingly, one of the largest in the world in terms of seating capacity. Inaugurated by the then Honorable Prime Minister Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, it opened its doors to the public on 29 September 1962. Interestingly, it was the second major planetarium to be established in the Commonwealth countries, with London having one a few years earlier.
It features a huge sky theatre, exhibition galleries, interactive spaces, a state-of-the-art seminar hall, and a modern classroom equipped with modern teaching gadgets. Regular one-hour shows on the wonders of the universe and facts about the galaxies are held here in three major languages: Bengali, Hindi, and English.
It is located in an easily accessible strategic location, on the southeastern edge of the Maidan in central Kolkata, which can be travelled by road and public transportation. It is a 10-minute walk from Rabindra Sadan metro station and a 7-minute walk from the Maidan station. Tickets are available half an hour before each show. You can purchase the tickets online from their website or offline. Children 3 years and above are charged full.
Ticket Rates: INR 120 for general and INR 50 for students (For a group of 25 students or more)
Timing: 12 PM to 6 PM
Google Rating: 4.5/5
