Lucknow, the land of the nawabs, is not just famous for the mouthwatering food, beautiful palaces and structures, and the friendly nature of the people. There is much more to Lucknow than you can ever imagine. And one thing that sets Lucknow apart from all other cities and gives all the tourists a taste of different Lucknow is the Indira Gandhi Planetarium, Lucknow.
When you are traveling with your kids, this planetarium becomes a must to visit the place. It has all the essential information and details that one could need to know about astronomy. It is a fully air-conditioned planetarium where you can catch astronomical shows and learn about the universe, the movement of planets, satellites, stars, other planetary objects. Even the building of the planetarium itself is shaped like Saturn which makes it quite beautiful and scintillating to enter.
Traveler Tips
If you are traveling to Lucknow, traveling to the Indira Gandhi Planetarium is a must. All the travelers need to follow just some very simple tips to make sure they have everything sorted for their visit. They can find about the entry fee that is around Rs. 25 per person in India. Apart from that, if you visit the museum in a group of over 30 people, you will only be charged at the price of Rs. 10 per head.
The next thing that you need to know is the timing of the planetarium. It is open from 10 in the open and stays open for all tourists till 5 pm. It stays shut on Monday so avoid visiting on this day. You can also attend the show that takes place four times a day for all the visitors. The timings of the show are 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm, and 5:00 pm. This show lasts for around 35-45 minutes.
Things to Do
You can go around the planetarium and explore the interesting things placed inside. There are many variations of the Indian satellites you can see there and learn about them. You can also find a lot of information and details about many of the Indian scientists like Varahamihira, Aryabhatta, etc. The 3D space above would also let you take a stroll in the endless space. The aspiring astronomers and students can learn a lot about planets and other planetary objects in this planetarium.
History
This Planetarium was incepted in the year 1988 by the Late Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh- Veer Bahadur Singh. However, it was in 2003 when the planetarium opened its gates to the regular public. The inauguration of the planetarium was done by the then Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati.
Architecture
The architecture of the Indira Gandhi Planetarium is also worth watching. The main building of the planetarium is in the shape of the beautiful planet Saturn and even has the stunning rings. Apart from that, the entire planetarium precinct is bordered by water bodies.
Best Time to Visit
While the planetarium is fully air-conditioned and can be visited at any point in time, it is believed that the best time to visit it is when the kids have their summer vacations. This is the time when kids enjoy the most and the planetarium even has an extra screening of the cosmic show at 6 pm in the evening.
How to Reach
Located in the Vigyan Bhawan, Surajkund Park area of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, it is very easy for travelers from any part of the city to reach the planetarium. All you need to do is reach the capital city. It has its own Railway junction, airport, and seamless road transport connecting all.