Greetings!
Would you like the planetarium to host a show specifically for your group? This short process will help you reserve the 360 dome show of your choice as well as tour of the night sky for a group of your choosing. Here’s what you’ll do:
- Think about what you want for your show (consider which show to watch).
- Determine your group size (It can affect pricing!)
- Find available dates and times on our group scheduling calendar.
- Fill out our form for each show.
- Check your email for a confirmation.
- Bring your group to the show.
- What am I looking for in a show?
When you schedule your own group show you have quite a bit of flexibility. This includes the date and time, as well as the show you choose to watch. When choosing a show to watch you have a lot of options. Check out this list of shows for some options. In each of the categories there is a list of shows and their descriptions, and in almost all of them there is a link to a short trailer for the show in the show title. If you’re having trouble deciding call us at the planetarium (207-780-4249) or send us an email (john.haley1@maine.edu) and we can offer some advice on the best shows for your needs. If you would like to extend your visit to include an extra hour of gallery time, for an event like a birthday party that is available with an added fee.
- How big can my group be?
Our theater has 62 fixed seats, but we may be able to fit some more if necessary. You can, of course, bring less than that, too. For groups of 12 or fewer, there is a fixed cost of $85. For more than 12 the price is $7 per participant. Organization supervisory staff or adult leadership are welcome at no cost. For an hour of additional gallery time, with tables and chairs set up for your group for an event like a birthday party there is a fixed cost of $250. You may pay with check, cash, MasterCard, Visa, or Discover (We don’t accept American Express). Also, we can issue a 30-Day invoice when you arrive.
- When can we come?
The planetarium is available for scheduling most weekdays from 8:30am to 4pm. We can even open on the weekend for group shows. If you have an idea of when you would like to come look through this Google Calendar for unscheduled time that might suit your needs. Once you have filled out the form below, you’ll see a new event appear on the calendar for the time you’ve scheduled, making sure no one else reserves that time.
- Fill out the form.
Filling out this form locks in the time you would like to come to the show so no one else will reserve it. It also gives us important information about what show you’d like, what your group is like and how to reach you if things go awry. Feel free to let us know if anything changes after you submit, but give us as much detail as you can now, so everyone knows what to expect.
- How do I know my show is scheduled?
Once you fill out the form you will see an event has appeared on the scheduling calendar for the time you selected listing your appointment number. After planetarium staff has been able to check through your information, we’ll send you a confirmation email letting you know we that everything looks good. Once you have that you are all set. We’ll expect to see you on the day of your event.
- What do I do when I get here?
When you arrive at the University of Southern Maine Portland Campus, you will want to navigate to 70 Falmouth Street. If your group has a bus or van you can park in the small parking loop right outside of the doors in the spot labeled for bus parking. If you bring passenger vehicles, you will need to use street parking. Please pay attention to the signs, because parking is metered on the south side of the street, and may have other restrictions on both sides.
When you pass through the glass doors on Falmouth Street, you will veer right, and once you round the corner you will see an image of a giant purple space cloud, called the Orion Nebula. You and your group can take the stairs beside this image down to the planetarium, where you can check in with the front desk staff who will lead you to the theater and gallery.
- What will the show itself be like?
Once you and your group find your seats the projectionist will show the show that you selected, while show times vary most are a little more than a half hour. Once the show is over we will project a model of the night sky onto our planetarium dome, and offer a tour of the night sky that is visible the following evening. If time allows the projectionist will open the floor for any questions that participants might have. In all the program lasts about an hour. If you would like us to take anything out of the program, please let the projectionist know.
We hope this system works for you! Please, contact us by phone (207) 780-4249 or e-mail john.haley1@maine.edu if you need any assistance!