Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium

Group Visits

The TAMIU Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium welcomes you and your class to an exciting immersive educational opportunity that will be a one-of-a-kind experience for your students. You can choose from a variety of dynamic shows for your group visit. Groups are booked in advance by reservation only, so please make your reservation at least one week prior to your scheduled visit. Reservations for groups are normally accepted for times between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. Note: Special arrangements can be made on a case-by-case basis for times outside the normal business day. Groups may select a show from the many dynamic presentations in our library of shows . You may review the current shows available for groups by visiting the All Shows section of our web page.

The Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium offers students and teachers a world-class immersive astronomy & science learning experience. Join us to explore the Universe in ways you wouldn't have thought possible and experience the wonders of nature. If you have never been to the planetarium and you would like to see what your students will experience during one of our unique science programs at the planetarium, please click on the link below to watch our commercial.

Review the following packages available. Additional shows are available, packages cannot be combined.

Presentation Packages

The Dome Theater Experience: ($3 per student; $4 Teacher or chaperones)

1 show presentation
87 people maximum
You may choose one show from our All Shows section.

The Planetarium Experience: ($4 per student; $4 Teacher or chaperones)

1 show presentation
1 Educational activity per group or group tour of the campus
For large groups over 87 they will be divided into two or more groups.
You may choose one show from our All Shows section.

The Space Explorers: ($5 per student; $4 teachers or chaperones)

2 Shows (2 hour period)
87 students maximum, 20 minimum
You may choose 2 shows from our All Shows section.

Choose a show from the following favorites or select a show from our All Shows page:

A number of shows are available in Spanish as listed on our all shows page.

Please read the following:

Rules:

• No Gum
• Sharp objects such as pencils, pens, scissors, and knives are not allowed.
• Electronics such as radios, cellular phones, and iPods should be turned off prior to entering the Planetarium.
• No video recording is allowed during the presentation without prior authorization.
• Groups should arrive 15 minutes prior to show time.
• The Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium seats eighty-seven people (87) with room for up to 6 wheelchairs or other chairs.
• Partial occupancy groups may be combined with other groups at the discretion of the LBV Planetarium Office.
• There will be no campus tours scheduled during exam week.
• The payment needs to be made at time of arrival.. Cash, Checks, and Credit Cards – Visa, and MasterCard – are accepted.
• There are no refunds, but complimentary tickets may be issued for absent students.

Campus Tours:

Campus tours are available through the TAMIU Office of Outreach and Pre-College Programs. In case of late arrival the  tour may be cancellation. A campus tour cannot be combined with the Space Explorers package unless the group is so large that it is split into multiple groups. To schedule tours please contact the TAMIU Office of Outreach and Pre-College Programs at 956.326.2720.

Classroom Activities:

Activities are offered ONLY for the Planetarium Experience packages. Our classroom activities meet the relevant Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Standards and are tied as closely to TEKS as possible.

Reservation Information:

Currently the planetarium has two different types of group reservations; school groups and private organizations (this includes birthday parties, corporate parties, private events, fund raiser's and University classes etc.). Please fill out the electronic reservation form and submit it. Upon receipt of your reservation request form, a confirmation will be sent to you. If you have any additional questions/requests please email us for complete details to peter.davis@tamiu.edu or contact the planetarium office at 956.326.3128.

RESERVATION FORM

Catering Services:

Aramark has exclusive rights at Texas A&M International University. No outside food is allowed (McDonalds, Whataburger, etc.). A penalty surcharge of $150 will be charged in case of disregarding this policy. If interested in purchasing lunch meals for students, please contact Aramark at 956.326.2091. Please note that meals will not be served in the Planetarium, so a space must be reserved through TAMIU Event Services at 956.326.2930.

Please Note:

Groups are asked to please arrive 15 minutes early for all shows or activities. There may be more than one group scheduled in the planetarium for the same time as your group or there may be groups scheduled after your show. Therefore, we cannot hold shows for late arrival, when another group is scheduled afterwards. On the day of the visit, if you know you are going to be late, please call our ticket booth at 956.326.2444 to contact us, since we will be down at the theater at least 30 minutes before the show.