Arizona Science Center announces reopening date for Dorrance Planetarium

The Arizona Science Center announced when the Dorrance Planetarium will reopen and released new information about its high-res LED dome.

BY JEFF VINTON

Jul 15, 2025, 4:30 AM Updated: Jul 21, 2025, 1:27 pm

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PHOENIX — After being closed for more than a year, the Dorrance Planetarium at the Arizona Science Center is officially set to reopen this fall.

The planetarium has been closed since the spring of 2024, but will reopen to visitors on Oct. 18, the downtown Phoenix venue announced on Monday.

The Arizona Science Center is partnering with Cosm to update its planetarium using technology that "will transform this visitor experience." (Arizona Science Center renderings)

The planetarium’s new LED dome will now feature a resolution of 8K+, twice that of a high-resolution television, which the Arizona Science Center said will allow visitors to feel as if they are looking at the night sky instead of a video screen. The dome will be powered by the CX system from sports and entertainment tech company Cosm and will be 100 times the brightness of a normal projector.

“Visitors aren’t just watching,” Guy Labine, the Hazel A. Hare president and CEO of the Arizona Science Center, said in a press release. “They’re immersed in storytelling, space exploration and scientific discovery. The Dorrance Planetarium is reimaging STEAM education while setting a new standard in scientific storytelling.”

What will Dorrance Planetarium capacity be?

The planetarium will have a seating capacity of 194 guests, including 106 premium fixed seats and 88 mobile seats to allow for flexibility for the planetarium to host various events.

Tickets for the planetarium will go on sale in August. More information can be found on the Arizona Science Center’s website. For early access, the Center suggests signing up for the planetarium’s newsletter.

The reopening of the Dorrance Planetarium is part of the Arizona Science Center’s Visitor Experience Renewal Plan.

The Arizona Science Center is located at 600 E. Washington St.