Visit Qatar’s Al Thuraya Planetarium to experience an innovative, high-tech space within Doha’s Katara Cultural Village. Here, adults and kids can learn about outer space through exhibits and documentaries in both Arabic and English.
This is Qatar’s first astronomical dome, complete with state-of-the-art 2-D and 3-D film projectors for a variety of films, including The Universe and The Astronaut, teaching visitors about our universe in an engaging way.
The expansive facility is named after a cluster of bright stars called Thuraya (or Seven Sisters). Learn about outer space and several other facets of earth science, from the atmosphere to geology to the oceans. Professional trainers give presentations and talks on these and several other categories.
As you discover the planetarium’s facilities, take a minute to appreciate its operating system, the Digistar, which can be used for “domecasting.” This allows astronomical domes throughout the world to broadcast to or watch live presentations of other domes that have the same system.
Don’t miss the museum within the planetarium, where you’ll learn about the split of the moon in the time of the Prophet Mohammed, view models of planets, space shuttles and astronaut suits and read placards about astronomical history and important figures.
Al Thuraya Planetarium’s hall for shows has a huge, 72-foot high (22-meter) screen and seating for 200 people. There are four reserved seats for people with disabilities, as well as four seats for elderly visitors.
Entry to the planetarium is free and there’s no need to book tickets to the shows, although admission is on a first-come first-served basis.
Driving is the easiest way to travel to Al Thuraya Planetarium in the Katara Cultural Village. The trip north from Downtown Doha takes about 15 minutes.
For further information about the planetarium, visit the official website of Katara Cultural Village.
