go to Tulare County Office of Education HomePage go to Tulare County Office of Education HomePage
Planetarium Public Shows
Open to the Public

Important Information regarding
TCOE Student Events and the Coronavirus

March 12, 2020

Tulare County Public Health Department has announced the first positive case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). At this time, Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE) is still being advised that the risk to the students and staff remains low. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are canceling all TCOE student events effective, March 12, 2020 through April 13, 2020.

These TCOE events include, but are not limited to, STEAM Expo, Poetry & Prose, Friday Night Live Lip Sync, Access to Higher Education, Tulare-Kings College and Career EXPO, all SCICON trips and Planetarium shows. The public is encouraged to contact their local school districts for updates regarding district specific events.

We continue to be in regular contact with local, county and state officials, including the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the California Department of Education (CDE) and the Governor, in order to support local school districts plan appropriate practices to keep our students, staff, and community safe. We will continue to keep the community informed as the conditions in Tulare County change. We encourage you to stay informed by visiting the Tulare County Public Health Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites.



Programs are subject to change.
Ticket Prices
Adults: $4
Children 11 and under: $3
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets are available after 5:00 p.m. on the day of the show at the Planetarium & Science Center Office, 11535 Avenue 264, Visalia.
No refunds.

Tickets may sell out.

Please be prompt. The shows will start precisely at the designated time. No admittance to the planetarium will be allowed once the show has started.

Come early and browse through our
Galaxy Gift Shop

The gift shop will open 30 minutes before showtime on show nights. The shop is stocked with an assortment of educational toys, science activity kits, and unique gift items, including lava lamps, astronaut ice cream, sky gliders, star charts, and lots of other great gift ideas. Prices range from 25 cents to $15.


From Earth to the Universe
The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has been the subject of campfire stories, ancient myths and inspiration for as long as there have been people on Earth. A desire to comprehend the Universe may well be humanity’s oldest shared intellectual experience. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos. To learn about this journey of celestial discovery, from the theories of the ancient Greek astronomers to today’s grandest telescopes, we invite you to experience From Earth to the Universe.
 30 minutes
Perfect Little Planet
Discover our solar system through a new set of eyes - a family from another star system seeking the perfect vacation spot. Fly over the surface of Pluto, dive over the ice cliffs of Miranda, sail through the rings of Saturn, feel the lightning storms at Jupiter, and walk on the surface of Mars. This is the solar system journey for space travelers of all ages.
 25 minutes
Target audience: All are welcome.
Saturn: Jewel of the Heavens
Once a planet of great mystery, now we know more than ever before about its amazing system of rings, moons and storms thanks to modern robotic space pioneers. From its bizarre moons with mysterious features to the millions of icy particles that compose the enigmatic rings, this is a three-dimensional tour of the Saturnian system.
 36 minutes
Target audience: Grades 3 and up; all are welcome.
Earth, Moon and Sun
How do the Earth, Moon and Sun work together as a system, and what is the myth and science behind it? Why does the Sun rise and set? Why do we see different constellations during different seasons? What is an eclipse? Learn about the Moon's phases and orbit. Explore past and future space travel to our moon and beyond.
 30 minutes
Target audience: Grades 1 and up; all are welcome.
Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity
There's a place from which nothing escapes, not even light, where time and space literally come to an end. It's at this point, inside this fantastic riddle, that black holes exert their sway over the cosmos. Zip through otherworldly wormholes, experience the creation of the Milky Way Galaxy, and witness the violent death of a star and subsequent birth of a black hole.
 23 minutes
Target audience: Grades 3 and up; all are welcome.
Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope
While looking through the astronomer's telescope, the planetarium audience explores the Galilean Moons, Saturn's rings, and the spiral structure of galaxies, learning about the discoveries of Galileo, Huygens, Newton, Hubble and many others. This program traces the history of the telescope from Galileo's modifications to a child's spyglass - using two small pieces of glass - to the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy.
 25 minutes
Target audience: Grades 3 and up; all are welcome.
The Secrets of Gravity: In the Footsteps of Albert Einstein
This show follows the adventures of 12-year-old Luke, who is far more interested in the universe and its secrets than boring magic spells. He is fascinated by the stars, the universe, and the laws of nature. One night, he sneaks into the Albert Einstein Museum where he meets ALBYX3, a small, clever but rather quirky robot who knows all about Albert Einstein and his theories. ALBY takes Luke on a magical journey through space and time during which they not only uncover the secrets of gravity, but also learn about friendship and imagination.
Phantom of the Universe
Phantom of the Universe showcases an exciting exploration of dark matter. The show reveals the first hints of dark matter's existence, then plummets deep underground to see the most sensitive dark matter detector on Earth. From there, it journeys across space and time to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, speeding alongside particles before they collide in visually stunning explosions of light and sound.
Dawn of the Space Age
Treat your students to a historically accurate reconstruction of man's first steps into space beginning with the launch of Sputnik and ending with the new private space exploration. This program teaches science as well as history providing a greatly enhanced immersive planetarium experience.
 40 minutes
Target audience: Grades 3 and up; all are welcome.
Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
Climb aboard a magical cardboard rocket with two young adventurers and experience a breathtaking, up-close look at each of our Solar System's planets with guidance from their astronomy book. Discover the secret to making this seemingly impossible trip to the edges of the universe and back, and gain a new sense of wonder about space along the way!
 40 minutes
Target audience: Grades 2 - 6; all are welcome.
Mystery of the Christmas Star
This modern reference to the traditional Christmas story investigates possible dates for the birth of Christ and looks at recorded sightings of significant astronomical events during this important time in history. What signs in the sky might have been so intriguing as to cause three wise men to cross a desert in search of a newborn King? Mystery of the Christmas Star will answer all of these questions and more, while charming audiences of all ages.
 Target audience: All are welcome.


The Planetarium & Science Center is on the southwest corner of Mooney Blvd. and Avenue 264 in Visalia (formerly Liberty School campus).

View a map.

Tulare County Office of Education
Planetarium & Science Center
11535 Avenue 264, Visalia



Questions? Contact the Planetarium & Science Center at (559) 733-6433.


to Top of Page





Tulare County Office of Education
Planetarium & Science Center
11535 Avenue 264, Visalia, CA 93277

Conan Palmer
Planetarium & Science Center Coordinator
(559) 733-6433 • fax: (559) 730-2747

Tim A. Hire, County Superintendent of Schools
Tulare County Office of Education
All mail to: P.O. Box 5091, Visalia, CA 93278-5091
Physical address: 6200 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia, CA 93277
phone: (559) 733-6300 • fax: (559) 627-5219

| Home Page | Site Index |
Please direct web site problems or comments to tcoeweb@tcoe.org.
Copyright © 2021, Tulare County Office of Education