TUCSON, Ariz. — Exactly fifty years after Arizona’s first planetarium opened in 1975, Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium is inviting Tucsonans to celebrate five decades of inspiring scientific curiosity on Dec. 13, 2025. Guests can enjoy free planetarium shows, science exhibit admission, and interactive ways to explore Flandrau’s history. The celebration runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1601 East University Blvd. on the University of Arizona campus. Free same-day tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis during the event. More information is at flandrau.org/celebrate50. Visitors can expect to see the latest version of the science center with every public space having been renovated within the past six years, creating fresh experiences for returning and first-time visitors alike. Earlier this year, Flandrau opened its latest Universe of Science exhibit and USA Today readers ranked the planetarium the fourth-best in the country.
Dec. 13 Anniversary Event Highlights
• Visitors can now view a new temporary exhibit, the Flandrau History Exhibit, which recalls the important figures, moments, technology, and milestones that brought Flandrau into what it is today alongside a special preview gallery of the themes to be explored in Flandrau’s new astronomy exhibit, Mysteries of the Cosmos, opening in spring of 2026.
• Guests can also explore permanent exhibits including Undersea Discovery, Wild World of Bugs, Sharks: Magnificent and Misunderstood, Fossil Corner and others.
• Flandrau staff will be offering astrobiology demonstrations and activities that explore exoplanets, gravity wells, and eclipses on the exhibit floor at various times during the day.
• Free planetarium shows play every hour. We Are Stars is an animated full-dome show geared towards children and families which explores our solar system’s explosive origins and plays at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Tucson Sky is a classic star talk and original program, presented live by a planetarium operator exploring the constellations and astronomical points of interests in the region’s current night sky and plays at 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Flandrau History
Originally named the Grace H. Flandrau Planetarium, the facility traces its roots to a 1972 bequest of more than $800,000 from the estate of noted author Grace H. Flandrau, a frequent winter visitor to Tucson and a prominent member of the region’s artistic and cultural community. Adjusted for inflation, that gift would be worth roughly $6.4 million in 2025. The University of Arizona used these funds to create a planetarium that could bring the wonders of science to the public.
Flandrau History
Originally named the Grace H. Flandrau Planetarium, the facility traces its roots to a 1972 bequest of more than $800,000 from the estate of noted author Grace H. Flandrau, a frequent winter visitor to Tucson and a prominent member of the region’s artistic and cultural community. Adjusted for inflation, that gift would be worth roughly $6.4 million in 2025. The University of Arizona used these funds to create a planetarium that could bring the wonders of science to the public.
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