Planetarium Shows

Visit the planets, travel to a black hole, observe spinning galaxies or study the Earth from space in the Virginia Living Museum’s 71-seat Abbitt Planetarium Theater. Using our digital full-screen projection system, we can recreate the many wonders of the universe, including the stars and constellations of the sky for any season of the year – all from the comfort of an armchair.

All daytime programs cost $4 plus Museum admission. VLM members are admitted free to day-time programs. Tickets are available at the front desk.

The Abbitt Planetarium is open daily.

List of Shows

Fright Light

Dates: October 19 and 20

Time: 8:30 pm

Cost: VLM members $3, non-members $6

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Dates: October 27

Times: Vary

Cost: VLM members $3, non-members $6

Fright Light planetarium show

It’s a howling good time in the Abbitt Planetarium with this frightfully awesome mix of terror-ific tunes! Wild and weird laser images accompany songs from Black Sabbath, Garbage, The Who and so many more! Come enjoy this laser spook-tacular!

Please note that a selected group of the songs listed here will be played at any given show. Your show’s playlist will be determined by your laserist.

Show Playlist

Thriller by Michael Jackson
Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult
Monster Medley by Various Artists
Close Encounter of the Third Kind by John Williams
Enter Sandman by Metallica
Men in Black by Will Smith
Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters by Weird Al Yankovic
Re: Your Brains by Jonathan Coulton
Firestarter by Prodigy

Dead Man’s Party by Oingo Boingo
Iron Man by Black Sabbath
Horror Movie Medley by Various Artists
Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd
Push It by Garbage
Frankenstein by The Edgar Winters Group
The Devil Went Down to Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band
Feed my Frankenstein by Alice Cooper

Cocomong: A Space Adventure

Dates: October 10 and 11 (times vary). Check the calendar.

Cost: VLM members free, non-members $4 plus Museum admission.

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The playful prankster monkey and his friends travel through space to save an alien from the Virus King!

Cocomong: A Space Adventure planetarium show

Legends of the Night Sky: Perseus and Andromeda

Dates: October 15, 16, 17, 18 (times vary). Check the calendar.

Cost: VLM members free, non-members $4 plus Museum admission.

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A star shows kids the planets of the night sky and then shares the classic constellation story of Perseus and Andromeda.

Larry Cat in Space

Dates: October 22, 23, 24, 25 (times vary). Check the calendar.

Cost: VLM members free, non-members $4 plus Museum admission.

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Take off on a lunar adventure with a curious stowaway cat! A delightful cartoon feature for children of all ages!

Larry Cat in Space planetarium show

Kaluoka'hina: The Enchanted Reef

Ongoing: days and times vary. Check the calendar.

Cost: VLM members free, non-members $4 plus Museum admission.

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The vastness of our planet’s oceans guards unimaginable secrets. One of its most precious is “Kaluoka’hina”, the enchanted reef whose magic protects it against humans finding it. Kaluoka’hina’s colorful inhabitants have thus always lived in peace… until the volcano erupts, and the spell is broken.
Now it’s up to the young sawfish Jake and his paranoid pal Shorty to restore the magic of Kaluoka’hina. Their only lead: the ancient legend that tells of touching the moon.

Journey to Mars

Ongoing: days and times vary.Check the calendar.

Cost: VLM members free, non-members $4 plus Museum admission.

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An exploration of the long history of man’s fascination with Mars and a NASA “commercial” for future human Mars exploration.

Virginia Skies

Ongoing: days and times vary. Check the calendar.

Cost: VLM members free, non-members $4 plus Museum admission.

Explore the evening skies above Virginia in this classic planetarium presentation. A staff astronomer will discuss seasonal constellations as well as any planets visible. Additional topics may be explored depending on celestial happenings around the time of your visit.