Planetario de Medellín (Planetarium of Medellín) is a space museum located in north Medellín that is very popular and is worth seeing. It has many exhibits dedicated to the exploration and education about space, our planet and solar system.
In addition, the planetarium is located near many other popular tourist attractions in Medellín like Jardín Botanico, Parque Explora and Parque Norte.
Also, we included Planetario de Medellín in our list of the 12 best Medellín museums. Note the above photo of Planetario de Medellín is by Yimicorrea.
Entrance to Planetario de Medellín
More About Planetario de Medellín
The Planetario de Medellín Jesús Emilio Ramírez González offers its visitors one of the most modern planetariums in the world with a 57-foot digital dome for immersive film experiences of high quality.
In the seventies in Medellín, astronomers, disseminators and fans of space sciences met to share films about space programs, planets, nebulae, galaxies and multiple aspects of the interstellar universe, from the observatories of Mount Palomar, Mount Wilson and NASA.
These meetings, increasingly frequent, gave rise to a movement for the search of a planetarium for Medellín. And on October 10, 1984, the planetarium opened, which was the most modern in Latin America. It had instruments imported from the former East Germany and was located in the northern part of Medellín.
The Medellín Planetarium was renovated in 2006 and the nearby Parque Explora started administering Planetario de Medellín in 2011.
Who Was Jesus Emilio Ramírez González?
The Medellín Planetarium is named after Jesus Emilio Ramírez González. González was a priest dedicated to the earth sciences, and one of his main hobbies was Astronomy.
Also, González served as director of the International Geophysical Institute, and at the time of the inauguration of the Medellín Planetarium he was considered the most eminent scientist in Colombia and had received important international recognition.
Inside Planetario de Medellín
Inside Planetario de Medellín
Entrance to the planetarium includes entrance to see one or more films in the huge dome with a screen that immerses you in the film(s).
Inside the dome theater before the film(s)
Before or after seeing the film(s) currently playing in the dome, you should spend some time seeing two floors of interactive science exhibits and displays about our universe and galaxy.
The museum exhibits have English translations along with Spanish placards.
Our solar system with planets to scale
History of our planet
There are a few fossils on display
With the exhibits, you can learn about the solar system, the chance of life in other galaxies, the scale of planets with the sun, some fossils on display and play with demonstrations of various scientific phenomena. The exhibits are very popular with kids and you will typically see many families with kids.
You will normally see many kids in the planetarium
It’s worth spending a couple hours to see the film(s) playing in the dome and also to see the museum exhibits.
The coffee shop on the first floor of Planetario de Medellín
In addition, there is a coffee shop on the first floor of the planetarium with drinks and some food options.
Planetario de Medellín ticket windows inside the building on the first floor
Planetario de Medellín Entrance Fees
The entrance fee in 2019 to the Medellín Planetarium is currently 16,000 pesos per person. And if over 60 years-old or a student with a student ID, the fee is 14,000 pesos. Also, children younger than 2 years old can enter for free.
In addition, for a total fee of 40,000 pesos you can enter both Parque Explora and the Planetarium.
Furthermore, residents of an Estrato 1, 2 or 3 barrio in Medellín can enter Planetario de Medellín for free by presenting an original utility bill from EPM or UNE (for up to five people in a family). So, those from less developed parts of the city get access to Parque Explora for free.
Also, residents of an Estrato 1, 2 neighborhood from other municipalities in the Aburrá Valley like Bello, Envigado and Sabaneta can enter the Medellín Planetarium for a discounted fee of 13,000 pesos by presenting a utility bill from EPM or UNE.
When you purchase a ticket, you will be assigned a time for seeing the show in the dome.
On the weekends and on holidays it can get very busy. So, it may be better to visit during the week when it is typically much less busy.
How to Get to Planetario de Medellín
Planetario de Medellín is a popular tourist attraction in Medellín. And it is easy to get to since it is located next to the Universidad metro station on Line A of the Medellín Metro.
Universidad Metro Station
Furthermore, any Medellín taxi driver in the city will know where Planetario de Medellín is located.
Also, it is located in a very popular area for tourists. In addition, you’ll find several other tourist attractions nearby including Jardín Botanico, Parque Explora, Parque Norte and Parque de Los Deseos.
So, you can combine a trip to Planetario de Medellín with one or more of these other tourist attractions.
Website: http://planetariomedellin.org/
Address: Carrera 52 # 71-117, Medellín
Phone: +57 4 516 8300
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 am to 6:30 pm. Closed on Monday except when it’s a holiday.
Museums in Medellín
On the Medellin Guru website, we have looked at 17 different museums in Medellín:
- Museo de Antioquia – the most popular museum in Medellín, worth visiting. It’s best known for a collection of art of Medellín-born artist Fernando Botero.
- Medellín’s Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum) – worth a visit with an intriguing mix of exhibitions located in a striking building.
- Parque Explora – Medellín’s popular interactive science museum and aquarium. It has over 300 activities and the largest freshwater aquarium in South America.
- Jardín Botánico – Medellín’s free botanical gardens that is also considered a museum with over 1,000 different living plants on display.
- Planetario de Medellín – Medellín’s Planetarium and space museum that is very popular and worth seeing, particularly with kids.
- Museo El Castillo – Medellín’s beautiful Gothic-style castle that is a museum.
- Museo Cementerio San Pedro – a cemetery that is also a popular museum in Medellín worth visiting. It also has a church with many beautiful stained-glass windows.
- Museo Casa de la Memoria – a museum dedicated to honoring the victims of urban conflict in Medellín and Colombia and is worth seeing to better understand the city and country.
- Museo del Agua – the popular Medellín water museum.
- Casa Museo Otraparte – a hidden gem in Envigado consisting of a museum, cultural space and café dedicated to the life and works of Colombian philosopher Fernando González.
- Museo Universidad Antioquia (MUUA) – a Medellín museum located on the University of Antioquia’s campus with a huge collection of nearly 40,000 archaeological and natural history pieces.
- Museo Casa Gardeliana – a museum located in Medellín that is dedicated to tango music and musician Carlos Gardel.
- Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo – a museum located in Aranjuez that is dedicated to the life and works of important Colombian artist Pedro Nel Gómez who is best known for his extensive work as a muralist.
- Museo Etnográfico Miguel Angel Builes – a hidden gem museum in Medellín dedicated to showing the cultural diversity of indigenous and ethnic groups in Colombia.
- Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture – Medellín’s palace in El Centro is one of the most photographed buildings in the city. It’s considered a museum by the city of Medellín but there aren’t very many exhibits to see inside.
- Museo Entomológico Piedras Blancas (MEPB) – an insect museum located at the Parque Ecológico Piedras Blancas, which is an ecological park located in Santa Elena near Medellín.
- Museo de Ciudad – Medellín’s City Museum, which is located next to Pueblito Paisa. This museum has a scale model of the city and a photo exhibit with photos from the 1890s to about 1950 showing the history of the city of Medellín.
The 10 English-language Colombia guidebooks that I have are missing several of these museums. And each guidebook only includes six to nine out of the 17 museums in Medellín we have looked at.
Planetario de Medellín seen from the Universidad metro station
The Bottom Line: Planetario de Medellín
Planetario de Medellín along with nearby Parque Explora are both perfect places to go for families with children, as there are plenty of things for kids to do and these attractions are considered very kid-friendly. But kids and adults alike can have a great time here. The bottom line is that both of these museums are really for all ages.
The planetarium has a number of interactive and interesting exhibits. And the staff in my experience is very friendly and some speak some English and can demonstrate or answer questions as you go.
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Editors note: updated on January 10, 2019 with new entrance fees to the Medellín Planetarium.