Staring into space

An experience that is out of this world.
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Grand Rapids Public Museum - Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium. Courtesy Experience Grand Rapids

A perhaps hugely underrated piece of the city’s entertainment landscape is the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium.

The theater in the museum offers an immersive experience into the universe, and recently added a new hearing loop system, which provides an effective way to broadcast information to visitors who are hard of hearing.

Along with offering a variety of shows about space and the atomic world, the planetarium also features “Dark Side: The Light Show,” set to the Pink Floyd’s “The Dark of the Moon” at 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

Beyond the regular showings, the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association also hosts events with the planetarium. The two organizations also partnered for public observation nights that started in April and run through early November at the James C. Veen Observatory, 3308 Kissing Rock Ave. in Lowell Township.

Dates align with optimum moon phases and are posted on GRAAA.org but could be canceled if there is cloud cover. Updates will be posted at 6:30 p.m. the night of the event.

This story can be found in the May/June 2022 issue of Grand Rapids Magazine. To get more stories like this delivered to your mailbox, subscribe here

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