Barlow Public Schedule
The Barlow Planetarium offers public programming everyday of the week except Mondays. Family shows are geared for the young and young-at-heart. Feature shows are geared for the older student or adult that already has an established interested in astronomy. Wisconsin Skies is for the visitor that wants to get the most current and in-depth astronomy information possible. Each show ends with a tour of the current nighttime sky – stars, constellations and planets – as seen from the Fox Valley and Northeast Wisconsin.
Admission
$7 for Adults
$6 for Students (age 13-18)
$5 for Children (age 3-12)
$6 for College Students (with ID)
$5 for Seniors (age 60+)
Purchase Tickets Online or click the show links below.
SHOW TIMES: May 1 - June 1, 2012
- Tuesday at 3:30 pm | Larry Cat in Space
- Wednesday at 3:30 pm | Ring World
- Thursday at 3:30 pm | Larry Cat in Space
- Friday at 3:30 pm | Ring World
- Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 pm | Larry Cat in Space
- Saturdays & Sundays at 3:30 pm | Ring World
SHOW TIMES: June 2 - July 1, 2012
- Tuesday at 3:30 pm | Bear Tales & Other Grizzly Stories
- Wednesday at 3:30 pm | Ring World
- Thursday at 3:30 pm | Bear Tales & Other Grizzly Stories
- Friday at 3:30 pm | Ring World
- Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 pm | Bear Tales & Other Grizzly Stories
- Saturdays & Sundays at 3:30 pm | Ring World
SPECIAL EVENTS
Venus Transit Watch

Tuesday, June 5, 2012, 5:00 pm to Sunset
Barlow Members Admission: $6/person
non-Barlow Members Admission: $9/person
Experience the rarest of all astronomical events with the Barlow Planetarium. On Tuesday, June 5, 2012 Venus will pass in front of the Sun as seen from Earth. How rare is this event? Since Galileo first pointed a telescope at the starry nighttime sky in 1409 there have only been seven Venus transits. In comparison, there have been 254 total solar eclipses and 266 total lunar eclipses in the same time frame. In fact, there have been only three Venus transits since the United States became a country! The next one will occur on December 10, 2117 - in 105.5 years!
- See a special TEDTalk-like presentation in Perry Hall about the orbital mechanics, history and significance of Venus transits. Presentations at 4:00 pm, 5:30 pm (if needed) and 7:00 pm (if needed).
- Each member of the audience will receive a special pair of "Eclipse Shades" for safe viewing of the Sun.
- Have access to telescopes that will be tracking the Transit from 5 pm until sunset.
Additional "Eclipse Shades" are available for $3/each at the Barlow Box Office
during normal operating hours.
PLEASE NOTE: The Venus Transit program will occur rain or shine. Refunds will not be given in the event of cloudy/rainy conditions.
Purchase Venus Transit Watch Tickets
Barlow Family Astronomy Night
Saturday, June 2, 2012, 6:00 to 9:00 pm
Get the full Barlow astronomy experience: planetarium shows and telescopes all on one astronomy-packed evening.
- 6:00 pm | Bear Tales & Other Grizzly Stories
- 7:00 pm | Ring World
- 8:00 pm | Wisconsin Skies
PLEASE NOTE REGARDING BARLOW FAMILY ASTRONOMY NIGHT
- SINCE ALL SHOWS ARE NOT AGE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL VISITORS, EACH OF THE SHOWS IS PRICED INDIVIDUALLY.
- FOR VISITORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING ALL THE SHOWS THERE ARE MULTIPLE SHOW DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE AT THE BOX OFFICE.
Laser Shows
NEWSTAR Astronomy Club Meeting Wednesday, June 21, 2012
NEWSTAR is the Fox Cities local astronomy club. Our meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month at 7:00 PM at the Barlow Planetarium. Meetings are free and open to the public. Meetings usually include lectures, demonstrations or discussions on all things astronomical. Additional information about NEWSTAR can be found here.