While Kolkata offers locations that can be exciting, entertaining and fun, you will also find some locations which are educational and informative as well. One such location in the city is the Birla Planetarium Kolkata. And as the name suggests this is a Planetarium that offers a knowledgeable and educational experience to its visitors. A major landmark and an important tourist spot in the city, the Birla Planetarium Kolkata is definitely a must visit location if you are in Kolkata. If you are someone who loves exploring various aspects of science and scientific research along with gathering information about the Universe then a visit to this Planetarium would be extremely interesting.
Moreover there are multiple shows here available in different languages that you can attend. Also this is a great location to visit with your whole family as well. So next time you are searching for an educational and informative location to visit in the city, you can consider visiting the Birla Planetarium. Check out the Birla Planetarium Photos and you would already feel intrigued to visit here soon. Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you probably need to know about the Planetarium. This will be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip to this location soon.
Birla Planetarium Kolkata
Location: Maidan, Cathedral Road, Kolkata, West Bengal
Location of Google Map :
Timings: 12 pm to 6:30 pm on all days from Monday to Sunday. On the First Thursday of every month the Planetarium remains closed.
Birla Planetarium Kolkata Show Timings
- Hindi Show- 12 pm, 2 pm, 4 pm
- English Show- 1 pm and 6 pm
- Bengali Show- 3 pm and 5 pm
On Sundays and Holidays there are special shows at 10:30 am in Hindi and at 11:30 am in Bengali
Entry Fee: Birla Planetarium Kolkata tickets for general visitors are Rs. 100 per person. And for Students in a group of 25 or more the ticket fee is Rs. 40 per person. You can get tickets half an hour before the respective show timing.
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the Planetarium is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. From the airport Birla Planetarium is located at a distance of 18.6 km. You can easily reach there in about 45 minutes from the airport. It would be convenient to take a cab or a yellow taxi to reach the planetarium from the airport. However you can take buses from there as well to reach the location.
By train
The nearest railway station to reach the Planetarium is the Sealdah Railway Station. From the Sealdah station Birla Planetarium Kolkata is located at a distance of 4.7 km. You can easily reach there in about 20 minutes. You can take a cab or a yellow taxi to reach there conveniently. Or else you can also opt for the city buses as well to reach the location.
Another major railway station to reach Birla Planetarium is the Howrah Railway Station. From the Howrah Station the location is 6.4 km away. You can reach there in about 25 minutes. It would be convenient to reach there by a cab or a car or else you can take buses as well to reach there.
By metro
It would be convenient to reach the Birla Planetarium by metro as well. In that case the nearest metro station to reach there is the Maidan Metro Station. From the Maidan Metro Station the planetarium is only 550 metres away. You can easily reach there in about 5 to 6 minutes by foot. The Rabindra Sadan Metro Station is also yet another nearest metro station. From there the location is 1.4 km away and you can reach there in about 10 minutes by foot.
Overview of Birla Planetarium
Birla Planetarium Kolkata is one of the most popular tourist spots in Kolkata for both tourists as well as locals. It is further one of the most important landmarks in the city as well. One of the largest as well as the oldest Planetarium, the Birla Planetarium offers its visitors unforgettable experiences. This planetarium in the city is located at an accessible location very close to other major sightseeing spots like St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Victoria Memorial. Closely inspired from the Sanchi Stupa the planetarium is also an architectural marvel in the city. The fact that it is located very close to the Maidan Metro Station makes it an even popular spot to visit.
Popular as the Taramandal, the construction of the Planetarium goes back to 1962. During that time the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the planetarium. Soon the planetarium became a popular tourist spot in the city. Both tourists as well as the locals love visiting here to attend the various shows here. There are multiple shows here throughout the day and mostly they are very popular. The shows are in Hindi, English as well as Bengali languages. Moreover the shows here are of an hours’ duration and depicts and explains various facts on the Universe. Further the show explains things about the Galaxies, Stars, Solar System and more.
What’s more?
It can indeed be a very exciting visit for people of all age groups. If you are someone who loves knowing about the Universe and the Solar System, Planets, Stars and more it will be a great option for you to explore. However you can also visit here with your kids as well who will love visiting here and it would be an educational trip for them as well. So definitely plan a visit to the Birla Planetarium Kolkata to explore the wonders of the Universe.
History of Birla Planetarium
M.P Birla, an industrialist and philanthropist first conceived the idea of forming a planetarium in Kolkata. The founder of M. P Birla Group, he wanted this to be an educational centre as well. Other than being a planetarium this is also an institution of astronomy as well. Along with that it also boosts studies of Cosmology and Astrophysics here. In 1962 on the 29th of September the planetarium started functioning and opened its doors for the general public as well. However in 1963 on 2nd July the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru formally inaugurated the planetarium.
Furthermore the planetarium also offers a free evening course on Astronomy which is one of the famous courses here. It is a 10 month long course which conducts classes once a week. People from all fields of life enroll and take part in this free course here. Not just that the centre also has a Post Graduate Diploma Course on Astronomy and Planetary Sciences as well. For students with a Physics or Mathematics background this course is offered. In 1993 this diploma was initiated that includes a detailed curriculum in Astrophysics and Astronomy.
There are also some graded programmes here which are for the school kids and the courses depend on the age groups. In 1980, the location was the venue for the prestigious 7th International Planetarium Director’s Congress. This is one such event where the Directors of Planetariums from all over the word come and attend the Conference. The foundation of the Birla Planetarium was done with the aim to serve as an institution that will be dedicated to the study of science. Also what makes this planetarium special is that this is the first ever planetarium that was ever set up in Asia and the second one in the Commonwealth country.
Architecture of Birla Planetarium
Inspired by the Sanchi Stupa, the architecture of the Birla Planetarium Kolkata is a massive dome-like structure. It is a recognizable and a very prominent structure which is visible from even a distance. Originally there was the Universal Planetarium Projector here which had been in operation for more than 100,000 hours within a span of 52 years. From the day of its inception this projector has catered to more than 25 million visitors. However in 2017 there were some renovations at the Planetarium. After that the Planetarium upgraded to the Carl Zeiss Projection System which was a much more advanced one. This projector had Start Master ZMP Opto Mechanical along with the 9 Ultra high resolution Velvet Projectors. What is special about this particular projector is that it can provide a full dome projection and accurately depicts the night sky.
Furthermore the dome here has a 23 meter diameter made of high precision aluminium. At one time it can accommodate about 688 visitors. Moreover with columns across the circumference it gives a look of a mini colosseum. You will also find an Astronomy Gallery inside that houses a massive collection of celestial models. There is furthermore an Astronomic Inventory here as well. You will find gadgets like C14 Telescope, ST6 CCD Camera, Solar Filter etc. M L Dalmiya and Co, owned by former BCCI President late Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya had commissioned the construction of this planetarium.
Shows in Birla Planetarium
There are multiple shows here in different languages like Hindi, English as well as in Bengali. Some of the regular shows here are Journey of Antarctic, Zodiac Signs and Stars, New View of the Solar System. One of the most popular and loved shows here are the Our Universe and Cosmic Collisions. Additionally there are some custom shows here as well which gives the viewers an experience similar to sitting in a spaceship. Moreover what makes the shows at Birla Planetarium Kolkata special is the practice of delivering live lectures during the shows. The shows are therefore extremely informative, educational and exciting and interesting at the same time. For every visitor from all age groups watching the shows here will be a great opportunity to interact with some of the greatest experts from these fields.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all the information that you needed to plan a visit to the Birla Planetarium. A visit to the Birla Planetarium will offer you a different experience. So you must not miss out on visiting this location in the city. Let me know if this article on the Birla Planetarium Kolkata is helpful for you in planning a trip to this particular location.
