A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to bring my boys (ages 6,4, and 1) to the Fredric and Jean Edelman Planetarium (their website) at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. We attended a free homeschooling group presentation geared toward children grades K-2. I’m not sure who was more excited about going – me or my older two. Fortunately for us, the show – and the planetarium itself – did not disappoint!
What we liked about our trip to Edelman Planetarium
- There are no bad seats. Since the planetarium is a 360° dome with the shows projected on the ceiling, there’s no need to worry about your small child sitting behind a super tall adult. And, as a bonus, the seats were actually pretty comfortable, too!
- The show was a perfect length. The whole show was maybe 45 minutes, tops. There was a short presentation about the sun, moon, stars, and constellations with time for questions before the actual movie portion.
- The theater boasts to be one of the nicest looking on the East Coast. And it shows! Everything was clean and well taken care of. And the projections were great quality.
The Edelman Planetarium is located right on campus in Science Hall with limited free parking available on campus as well. Check their site for a map or call for directions.
Edelman Planetarium is located directly inside Science Hall at Rowan University
Things to keep in mind when visiting Edelman Planetarium
- There is no late seating! Allow yourself at least an extra 15 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the planetarium. Also, there is no re-entry once the show has started, so allow some time to use bathrooms prior to the show.
- No food or drinks are allowed in the planetarium, so leave all snacks in the car.
- Most public shows are not recommended for children younger than 5 or 6. The ideal minimum age is 8 or 10. If you are unsure, call the planetarium ahead of time to ask their recommendation. (NOTE: I was told for the Holiday show, my 6-year-old would most likely be fine, but my four- and 1-year-olds would not be allowed.)
- There are no advanced ticket sales or reservations for public shows. The ticket booth opens 30 minutes prior to the show.
The Edelman Planetarium offers public planetarium shows on weekends during the regular school year when Rowan is open. For show description and more info on public shows, click HERE.
Admission fees for public shows at the Edelman Planetarium are as follows:
- $5 Adults
- $3 Children
- $3 Rowan students with ID
- $3 Seniors over 60
Please note that the ticket booth does not accept credit cards, Rowan cards, or BoroBucks.
This blog post about the Edelman Planetarium was written by Melissa O. while she was a blogger for Jersey Family Fun.