Beijing Planetarium

Image from the official website of the Beijing Planetarium. [Photo/bjp.org.cn]

Built in September 1957, the Beijing Planetarium was the first of its kind in China. At regular intervals, 45-minute presentations take the visitor on a trip through the heavens made possible by projectors installed in the center of the hall which faithfully reproduce an image of the starry sky on the inside of the cupola.

History

Covering 20,000 sq m, the Beijing Planetarium opened in 1957 and was the largest large-scale planetarium in Asia at that time. It is now a 5A level tourism site.

Collection

In the courtyard are two astronomical observatories, one of which is equipped with a huge telescope measuring 13 centimeters in diameter through which visitors can observe moons, planets, nebulae and star clusters. On the west side of the planetarium is the astronomy square with further observation devices.

The observatory, built in 1442, displays astronomical instruments of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), such as a celestial globe, plane sundial, rotary star dial, and so on. It includes a cluster of buildings such as the Ziwei Hall, Sundial Shadow Hall and other auxiliary structures.

Right below the observatory are three halls which exhibit the astronomical achievements of ancient China as well as epigraphs from Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Address: No 138, Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Open hours: Wednesday to Friday 9:30-15:30

            Saturday and Sunday 9:30-16:30

            Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (except on national holidays)

E-mail: bjtwg@126.com 

Ticket: Depends on different exhibition halls