Birla Planetarium, Kolkata

Birla Planetarium। Quick Overview। Timing । Entry Fee  ।  What happens in a planetarium । Things to see । How to reach।

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

Quick Overview:

Location:

96, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata 700 071, India.  adjacent to St.  Paul’s Cathedral and near Victoria Memorial.

Contact Details:

91-33-22231516 / 22236610

Fax: 91-33- 2223 5353

Email: info@mpbirlaplanetarium.org

Best Season to Visit:

Any Season

Entry Fee:

General: Rs 100 each

Concessional: Rs 40 each (For Student Group of 25 or more)

Birla Planatarium Timing:

12:00 AM - 6:30 PM

For Show timings and e-ticket click here

Time required:

2-3 hours

 The full name of the Birla Planetarium situated in Kolkata, West Bengal, India is M.  P.  Birla Planetarium and it is known as Tara Mandal.  The exterior of this planetarium is modeled on the famous Sanchi Buddhist stupa. This place is just in a 10-minute (750 m) walk from another sightseeing spot Victoria Memorial.  It is the largest planetarium in Asia or India and the second largest in the world.  Although it is not the only planetarium in India.  In India, there are two more planetariums in Chennai and Hyderabad.  This planetarium is very old and was opened to the public on September 29, 1962.  Then on July 2, 1963, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru officially inaugurated the planetarium.

Birla Planatarium

What happens in a planetarium?

In general, it is like a cinema hall.  Where a hall has a seating area for spectators and various shows are shown by special projectors on the dome-shaped ceiling, such as the location of different stars, planets or satellites, their size, various cosmic phenomena that we do not know, etc.

Things to see at Birla Planetarium:

From 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Birla Planetarium show space related shows in different languages.  The average length of a show is about 1 hour.  The planetarium also has an electronic laboratory and an astronomy gallery that has a large collection of astronomical paintings and models.

An ordinary person can board a plane if he wants.  But he can't travel into space if he wants to.  So you can come here to travel in space vertualy.  Even if you have no connection with space, Birla Planetarium can increase your interest in space.  Not only India, visitors from different parts of the world come to this planetarium.

How to reach:

The easiest way to reach Birla Planetarium is to hire a cab (Ola, Uber, etc.) or yellow taxis from the airport or Howrah Railway station parking.  The place is easily accessible from all major locations of the city.

Nearest airport:

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport

Nearest Railway Station:

Howrah Station

Nearest Metro Station: 

Maidan Metro Station

There are also local buses and mini buses that ply regularly from Howrah station.  One may board any bus going towards Park Street.  Birla Planetarium is located at a walking distance from Park Street bus stop towards Esplanade.