Frequently Asked Questions
Special Events & Private Events
Booking & Costs
Where do I book a ticket?
You can book tickets in two ways:
- From our calendar view, go to the day and time you are interested in and click on the show you want to book a ticket for. You’ll be taken on a page where you can book your ticket.
- From our activities list, go to the activity you are interested in and click on it. You will be taken to a page where you can see all the showing times of that activity. Click on the one you want to book.
I would like to give someone a voucher for the planetarium as a gift. Do you sell vouchers?
We do sell vouchers for our planetarium shows. The vouchers can be bought in mulitples of 6,50 Euro, since as of 2024 the planetarium costs 6,50 Euro per person.
The vouchers can be purchased online (online payment only with credit card) at this link https://www.eso.org/public/shop/product/planetarium-voucher/
If you live near the ESO Supernova, you can also buy vouchers here in our shop. You can come by anytime during our opening hours to buy vouchers.
Vouchers are valid for one year from the date of purchase and can be used when making an online booking. If you buy the vouchers online, they will be posted out to you within one week.
Which tours can I book?
Tours for private groups can be booked upon request. We offer guided tours of the exhibition or the ESO Headquarters building. Up to 25 people are allowed to take part in a tour. Tours cannot take place in parallel and we can only offer one tour per day. A guided tour lasts about 1 hour and costs 200 euros (per group).
There are no shows or events which I can book after a specific date. Are you not offering any shows any more?
You can sign up to our newsletter to stay informed about the availability of the new programme.
I would like to celebrate my birthday in the ESO Supernova. Is this possible?
As we are only a small team we cannot offer special events for birthday activities. You are more than welcome to explore the exhibition on your own, to book seats in one of our regular planetarium shows or organise a paid tour with us though. You can use our picnic area to celebrate and to eat a birthday cake. Please do not bring any candles or other open fire as they will cause a fire alarm.
Is a child allowed to visit the ESO Supernova and the Planetarium on their own?
For safety reasons, children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult to visit the ESO Supernova and the Planetarium.
Education
Which workshops can I book for my class?
A list of workshops is available here. Please email education@eso.org to make a booking.
How do I book a school group?
We welcome school groups. If you wish to book for a school group, please email education@eso.org to make a booking.
Can we have a school visit on a weekend?
You are welcome to bring children at the weekend, but we do not organise educational activities at the weekend.
Can I create a customised program of workshops, tours and planetarium shows?
Planetarium shows are programmed months in advance and are fixed. On weekdays there are up to four daily shows. You can see the daily programme here. “The skies above us” show is particularly suitable for young children aged 4 - 7 and “A tour through the Solar System” show is particularly suitable for children aged 8 - 11. If you would like to schedule an educational workshop or tour either before or after a planetarium show, then this can be discussed with the education team. To arrange a suitable program, please contact education@eso.org.
The Planetarium
Which planetariums shows can I see?
A list of our planetarium shows is available here.
How can I see a show in English?
We offer at least one English language show per month at the weekend. There are also English shows scheduled during the Bavarian school holidays and on public holidays. A limited number of translation headsets are also available at the reception, allowing almost any show to be enjoyed in either German or English.
Can children less than 1 years old go inside the planetarium?
All ages are allowed into the planetarium, but we recommend that audience members be at least 4 years old. You can imagine the experience as being similar to being in a cinema, except that the images are displayed on a 360 degree screen, and as such they could have a bigger impact on small children. If you do decide to come with a baby, we kindly ask that pushchairs are left at the entrance for safety reasons. We recommend reserving seats at the end of rows in case you need to leave the planetarium before the end of the show. Always announce to our staff that you wish to leave before getting up. Do not try to leave on your own as it is very dark inside the planetarium and it is not safe for you and your children.
Can I eat or drink inside the planetarium?
There is strictly no food or drink inside the planetarium. Please finish all food or drink before you go inside, or have it sealed inside your bag.
Can I enter a planetarium show after start time?
No. Once the doors close, they remain closed. People can of course leave during a show, but once you have left you cannot come back in.
That seems harsh - what if I am only 5 minutes late? Can I come in then?
Unfortunately, still no. This is for a number of reasons. The planetarium can be extremely dark so it is both dangerous for you and disruptive for the audience for people to enter after the show has begun. Planetarium shows are a more immersive experience than regular cinemas, and are sometimes accompanied by a live presenter. Additionally the shows are shorter than movies. People entering the show even 5 minutes late significantly disrupt the experience for the audience, and are distracting for the presenter. If the doors open, staff inside and outside the planetarium will assume someone is leaving whom might require attention. For all these reasons, we maintain this policy strictly and cannot make exceptions.
The Exhibitions
Which exhibitions can I see?
The list of exhibitions is available here. The Living Universe is the ESO Supernova’s permanent Exhibition and is always available during opening hours. Temporary exhibitions will sometimes be on display in the Void.
Do I need to join a tour to see the permanent exhibition?
No, in fact we recommend seeing the exhibition on your own as this gives you the opportunity to really explore all the items you consider most interesting.
Can I look at the sky with a telescope?
We do not have a public observatory at the ESO Supernova, so you will not be able to observe the sky with a telescope. We do, however, have three small telescopes which can be used to view the spectacular high-resolution image of the Milky Way that covers the walls of the 14.7-metre high Void, so it is possible to experience looking through a telescope. Sometimes we also arrange special events where observing with telescopes is possible. Please see our special events programme for details.
Can I eat or drink inside the exhibition?
We prefer that people do not eat inside the exhibition, although we do appreciate that small children might need a snack or a drink as they make their way through the building. We ask parents or guardians to be vigilant against children touching the touchscreens with food or drink on their hands, as it might damage the screens.
What can I do with the QR code on my entrance ticket?
At the reception you can get your personal entrance ticket for the exhibition. This ticket contains a unique QR code and an individuell URL. Many digital stations in the exhibition are equipped with a QR code reader (a blue box with a red light) which allow you to scan your code — in doing so you create a screenshot of the attached screen and store it online. The URL on your ticket contains all the scans you make in the exhibition, creating your own personal take home exhibition!
Using your personal smartphone and an app able to read QR codes, you can also scan our panels — each of which has its own code. This way you can reread the parts you are most interested in again at home, or share the images from the panels with your friends!
Planning a Visit
Do you have a café or restaurant at the ESO Supernova?
The ESO Supernova does not have a café or restaurant, however, we have a picnic area where you may eat your own food. Our vending machines with snacks and drinks are still available for you and are being cleaned regularly – please remember to bring small change with you for these. You are also welcome to bring food from home.
If you want something more substantial, Garching is one stop away on the U-bahn and has a number of shops and restaurants. During weekdays, there are also number of small food stands next to the U-bahn which are used by students and staff across the Forschungszentrum.
Can I check items of clothing and bags?
Only a limited number of lockers are available. We therefore recommend that on the day of your visit you avoid bringing rucksacks and larger bags (any bag larger than an A4 sheet of paper). You will need to have a coin of 1 or 2 Euro as deposit to use the locker.
Are you open on public holidays?
Our opening hours always stay that same. So if a public holiday falls on a Monday or Tuesday, we will still be closed. If a public holiday falls on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, we will still be open.
What is the latest time I can arrive?
We close at 17.00, and stop letting new visitors in at 16.45.
Accessibility
Can I bring my dog to the ESO Supernova?
Guide dogs are, of course, welcome. No other dogs are allowed, including dogs which can be carried or fitted into bags.
Is the building suitable for wheelchairs?
Yes. If you are a wheelchair user and you wish to see a planetarium show, we recommend booking two seats in the front row (the seats are quite narrow so two seats might be required to fit your chair). There are no stairs throughout the exhibition, and it is wheelchair friendly. The exhibition is arranged along a ramp that winds up and down the edge of the building, so the floor is slightly inclined at points.
Is the ESO Supernova accessible by public transport for people with limited mobility?
The Garching Forschungszentrum U-bahn station has an elevator for wheelchair users. The U-bahn exit is about 600 metres away from the ESO Supernova entrance. If this distance is too far, we also have disabled parking.
Please see our dedicated Accessibility Page for more information https://supernova.eso.org/visit/accessibility/
Special Events & Private Events
Which Friday night events can I attend?
The ESO Supernova sometimes hosts special events, such as special planetarium screenings, on Friday nights. A list of these events is available here.
I have booked a Friday night event, which starts at 19:00. The exhibition closes at 17:00. Can we stay in the centre between 17:00 and 19:00?
Unfortunately it is not possible to remain in the centre after the closing hour of 17:00. We need to prepare the centre for the Friday night event, and as our team is small we cannot manage people inside the exhibition and the special event at the same time. We recommend going into nearby Garching for an ice cream or dinner in the variety of restaurants there.
Can I book a private tour?
The cost of a private tour is 200 euros. Due to the layout of the exhibition, it is not possible for more than 25 people to participate in a tour. Tours cannot take place in parallel and we can only offer one tour per day.
Can I book a private planetarium show?
You can book a private show. The cost for a private planetarium show is 600-950 Euros. There are 109 seats in the planetarium, so if you want to book for over this number, you will need to book multiple shows. For example, if you wish to provide a private show for 200 people, this would require two separate shows, and would cost 1200-1900 Euros. Standing room is not an option, both for safety and the enjoyment of others.
Can I book the space for a private event like a party or a wedding?
At the ESO Supernova, we can host only two types of company events: science & technology events (conferences, seminars, talks, etc.) and company social days. Please see our Events webpage for full information https://supernova.eso.org/your-event/
Photography
Can I take photos in the exhibition?
Photography is allowed in the exhibition areas, including using a tripod. We do, however, ask that you are aware of other visitors and do not disrupt their visit with flash photography. Also please be aware that families with small children may be in the exhibit, and parents may prefer not to have their children in photographs.
Can I take photos in the planetarium?
No. Photography is strictly forbidden in the planetarium as it distracts the presenter and disrupts the enjoyment of other audience members.
Can I get copies of the photographs on display in the exhibition?
The ESO Supernova is open source and the ESO images used in the exhibition are all available online. If you would like a mounted image, however, these can be purchased from the ESOshop online.