The B.M. Birla Planetarium in Kotturpuram runs six sky shows a day: English at 10.45 am, 1.15 pm and 3.45 pm, and Tamil at 12 noon, 2.30 pm and 4.30 pm, according to the Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre (TNSTC), which runs it. The science halls next door at the Periyar Science and Technology Centre are open from 10 am to 5.45 pm.
The campus is open on weekdays, weekends and most public holidays. It shuts only four days a year: Pongal, Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanthi. TNSTC is a body under the state Higher Education Department; the department’s 2025-26 policy note budgeted ₹4.40 crore for it that year. Here is what to expect and how to plan a family or school visit.
The planetarium dome
The planetarium was inaugurated on 11 May 1988 by the then President of India, and seats 236 people under a perforated aluminium dome, TNSTC’s planetarium page says. It has produced 35 programmes over the years, on subjects such as the solar system, the life cycle of stars, comets, the Moon landings and Earth as a living planet. The projector can recreate the daily and yearly motion of the sky, how it looks from different latitudes, and the slow wobble of Earth’s axis.
The theatre was rebuilt as a hybrid planetarium at the end of 2019, according to ZEISS, which supplied the equipment. A ZEISS Skymaster ZKP 4 star projector now works with five high-resolution video projectors for full-dome digital shows, on a 15-metre dome. It replaced a Japanese projector that had run for about 30 years. ZEISS put total visitors since 1988 at more than 5.5 million.
Show times at a glance
| Language | Show times |
|---|---|
| English | 10.45 am, 1.15 pm, 3.45 pm |
| Tamil | 12 noon, 2.30 pm, 4.30 pm |
| Science halls | 10 am to 5.45 pm |
The halls close at 5.45 pm, so the 4.30 pm Tamil show is the last one of the day. If you want both the dome and the galleries, arrive by late morning, see a show and spend the afternoon in the halls.
The Periyar Science and Technology Centre
The science centre shares the campus and opened in the same period. TNSTC exists to design and build science exhibits, demonstration equipment and teaching aids for science education, according to the national India Science, Technology and Innovation portal. The galleries are hands-on, with things to push, turn and look through rather than read.
A state upgrade announced in 2022 covered galleries on energy, life science, materials science, transport, electronics, communications and innovation, along with the planetarium’s solar system, star and Moon-landing exhibits, DT Next reported. The Union Tourism Ministry’s Incredible India page also mentions astronomy workshops for children and lectures.
Planning a school or family visit
- Getting there: the campus is in Kotturpuram in south Chennai. Allow time for parking on weekends and school holidays.
- Tickets: tickets are sold on site. TNSTC’s fee page could not be opened when we checked, so confirm current rates at the counter or with the centre before bringing a large group.
- School groups: contact the centre in advance so a show can be matched to your group’s language and size. With 236 seats, a large school may need two shows.
- Contact: TNSTC lists tnstc.science@gmail.com as its email on the national science portal.
- Other branches: TNSTC also runs the Anna Science Centre planetarium in Tiruchi and centres in Vellore and Coimbatore. Tiruchi holds four Tamil and two English shows a day.
A new science-and-library complex, Periyar Arivulagam, which includes a planetarium, opened in Coimbatore on 16 October 2026, ANI reported. It is separate from the Kotturpuram campus.
Getting the most out of a visit
A few practical points help, especially with children. Pick the show language before you set out, because the English and Tamil shows alternate through the day and the next one in your language may be more than an hour away. Reach the counter well before the show time, since a full dome means waiting for the next slot. Younger children usually enjoy the hands-on galleries more than a long sky show, so for them it can work better to start in the halls and end with the dome.
The dome recreates the night sky as seen from any place on Earth and at any date, which is why teachers use it for lessons on seasons, latitude and the Moon’s phases. If you are bringing a class, tell the staff what the students are studying; the programmes on stars, comets and the solar system line up with school syllabuses. Older students who want more can look for the astronomy workshops and lectures mentioned on the Incredible India page, and the Tiruchi centre is an option for families outside Chennai.
Quick answers
What are the Birla Planetarium show timings?
English shows at 10.45 am, 1.15 pm and 3.45 pm; Tamil shows at 12 noon, 2.30 pm and 4.30 pm.
Which days is the planetarium closed?
Only on Pongal, Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanthi. It is open on Sundays and other public holidays.
How many people does the dome seat?
236 at a time, according to TNSTC.
How much are the tickets?
TNSTC’s fee page was not reachable when we checked, so we have not printed a figure. Check at the counter before you go.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- B.M. Birla Planetarium (Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre)
- Visiting timings (Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre)
- Chennai planetarium upgrade (ZEISS)
- BM Birla Planetarium, Chennai (Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism)
- Tamilnadu Science and Technology Centre, Chennai (India Science, Technology and Innovation portal)
- TN planetariums to get a facelift (DT Next)
- Policy Note 2025-26, Higher Education Department (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- Tamil Nadu CM Vijay inaugurates Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore (ANI)
