Space nerds, unite!
While you don't have to identify as a bona fide outer space geek, you've probably had a moment of awe glancing up at the stars.
A visit to Vancouver's historic H.R. MacMillan Space Centre transports guests from Earth into deep space in its domed, 360° Planetarium Star Theatre. They can observe everything from planets to meteor showers, black holes to galaxies, and much more.
Immersive experiences vary in theme, and then the audience is taken outside to view the night sky at the Gordon Southam Observatory.
The space centre also has cultural programming, including the Lunar New Year, Tanabata (the Japanese Star festival), Nowruz (the Persian New Year), and Indigenous Day.
Director of Programming Michael Unger tells V.I.A. that planetariums' popularity increased globally during the Space Race, when the United States and the former USSR competed for spaceflight superiority.
"The world was really interested in the moon and the stars. They became interesting hot spots of entertainment. They were sort of the first science centres," he explains.
Vancouver's space centre first opened in 1968, more than two decades before Science World in 1989.
"As a city dweller, you are often kind of disconnected from the nighttime sky because of things like light pollution and the weather. A planetarium is a reminder of the planet we live on, and that we are a planet in the cosmos that has so much wonder and mystery," he adds.
When people start exploring the night sky, larger questions emerge related to STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics), an interdisciplinary approach to how everything in the universe works, Unger says.
The planetarium is getting a "major facelift" with projector upgrades to transform it into a cutting-edge performance space, placing it among the top planetariums. Doing this will allow the centre to explore other topics and places, such as the human body and the ocean. Unger also says they hope to use it for "full dome art" with abstract videos, "with music transporting you into a new realm."
The centre has collaborated with the team behind The Sphere in Las Vegas to develop the new design.
Cosmic Nights at the space centre
The space centre uses this approach to develop themes for its Cosmic Nights 19+ events. Last year, it partnered with Triumf, Canada's national particle accelerator research facility at the University of British Columbia, to host a "dark matter" night. The evening included education from experts on the topic and a variety of presentations.
"It was very specific on a topic that curious-minded adults are looking to know more about," he notes.
The centre's 19+ events include food and alcoholic beverages, and are developed to allow adults to "feel like kids" and gather with their friends.
Unger, who joined the space centre's team in 2006 as an interpreter, dreamed up the adult events after he became a program coordinator. Earlier this year, he was promoted to the Director of Programming.
"We market them as social events. What I've found is that with adults, you need to give them a framework to be kids again. Vancouver needs more spaces like this to meet like-minded individuals. So we are targeting that kind of curious, nerdy crowd," he notes.
Special guest lecturers hone in more deeply, allowing attendees to "peel back the layers" on fascinating topics such as dark matter. While guests may have listened to podcasts, read books and articles, and watched videos on these topics, they may have never met and interacted with an expert in the field.
Cosmic Nights incorporates several spaces at the centre, including the Planetarium Star Theatre, space for interactive science demonstrations, and the small gallery space, considered the main social hub.
The next cosmic nights take place on Sept. 12 and Nov. 14, but the themes haven't been announced.
Unger has spent nearly two decades with the planetarium, but says his experience with it goes back much further. As a "born and bred" Vancouverite, he recalls visiting in 1986 while he was in elementary school and then later for a laser show in the 1990s.
While it's easy to get lost in the beauty of Kitsilano's Vanier Park during a visit, the space enthusiast hopes people will take some time to look up.
"One thing that gets missed in all this beauty is turning their head up to the heavens. We are hoping to give people a sense of place in the universe and that maybe there are other worlds and planets. That they start asking how humans got here and if life has arisen somewhere else.
"I've been pondering these questions ever since I saw Star Wars. Looking up at the stars and pondering those questions has fuelled my passion for the work that I do. I want to get more people curious," he says.
Cosmic Nights (Themes TBA)
When: Sept. 12 and Nov. 14, 2025
Where: H.R. MacMillan Space Centre - 1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver
