Sensory-Friendly Matinee at Staerkel Planetarium in Champaign
Sensory-friendly planetarium shows featuring lights up, sound down and a relaxed atmosphere
The Staerkel Planetarium will host two “lights up, sound down” matinées on Dec. 16:
- “Santa’s Secret Star” will play at 3:30 p.m.
- “Season of Light” will play at 4:30 p.m.
The sensory-friendly shows are great for guests with autism spectrum disorder, sensory sensitivities and young children. Everyone is welcome, even if you don’t need sensory accommodations!
Each show will feature:
- Lights turned up
- Sound turned down
- A relaxed atmosphere where patrons can move around as needed
Season of Light traces the history and development of many of the world’s holiday customs and light-hearted seasonal traditions. It also highlights the historical religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice – not only Christian and Jewish but also Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, Mexican and Hopi.
The planetarium has a limited quantity of sensory supports available for guests to use during their visit.
Tickets are:
- $8 for adults
- $7 for Parkland students, seniors 62 and older, or children 12 and under.
- Free for members of the Friends of the Staerkel Planetarium.
Tickets are available at the door beginning a half-hour before the show.
To help plan your visit, see the planetarium’s social stories on its website.