Vancouver Planetarium — Attraction in Vancouver

I recently visited the planetarium for the first time as an adult, and unfortunately, it was a very underwhelming experience compared to what I remembered as a child. The space centre side is disappointingly small, and the exhibits feel basic and uninspired—even for kids—as if no real effort has been put into updating or maintaining them. The 30-minute space show was equally disappointing, with overly simplistic content. The iconic robot that used to work in the centre is now just a non-functional showpiece, which was a letdown.

The front desk staff were young and lacked basic customer service skills. I had family visiting from out of town, and our group of seven—two teens and five adults—was looking forward to exploring both the planetarium and museum. I clearly informed the front desk that we wanted access to both, paid for what I believed covered everything, and was shocked and embarrassed when we were barred from entering the museum side because they said we hadn’t paid. It was an uncomfortable experience, especially given the high fees.

The building itself also appears neglected and in need of renovation. As a historic site in a metropolitan city like Vancouver, the planetarium should be a standout destination. Sadly, it’s not. It’s clear that more attention needs to be paid to improving the organization, exhibits, and visitor experience.

This isn’t just frustration speaking—I was genuinely excited to visit but left feeling disappointed. I cannot recommend this place to anyone, regardless of age. The planetarium needs to do...

Incredibly out of date, massively underwhelming, and desperately needs a revamp. We went to see the 'We Choose Space' movie and several things stood out. Firstly, it was narrated by Walter Cronkite, who died in 2009! They need new movies, preferably narrated by Neil de Grasse Tyson, Brian Cox, or someone more recent and relevant to space than the person who announced the JFK assassination. Secondly, the movies do not cover the dome screen, and are instead shown over the entrance to the room and cover 1/5 the size of the dome screen. It would be advisable if they let us know in advance so that we did not have to change seats partway through the movie. The presentation by the staff was good and there needs to be more of that as the movie was nowhere close to being up to date. Lastly, the 'We Choose Space' movie projects that the International Space Station will be in operation 'potentially until 2020'. Considering that it's now 2024, this reinforces that the movie is massively out of date and needs to be pulled. The Planetarium is really showing that it is on a shoestring budget, limited exhibits, and is not worth going to unless you're under the age of 10, in which case you'll enjoy it. Compared to the Griffith Observatory in LA and other such buildings the Planetarium is an...

I think this is one of the most representative museums of BC, by the fact that it is terrible. Most of the machinery is not working at all, everything is old and dusty, and the museum funds clearly aren't spent in refurbishing the exhibition. It's a shame when compared to other space museums, like the ones in France or the USA, which are free, or at least very inexpensive. I wouldn't complain so much if that was it, but the most shocking part is the planetarium itself. I know machinery like this, for 360 projection comes to a cost, but come on. The projection lights are way too dark, the projector certainly hasn't been calibrated in years, and even the screen itself needs replacement. Overall, this museum is in the image of the city : Old, rusty, expensive, overhyped, and extremely disappointing. I know how expensive it is to take care of a museum, but at this point, you guys really need to close it completely for renovation, or abandon it and do something else with the structure. This is really sad, and I would really be ashamed if I was in charge of...