A Museum with 3D and IMAX Theaters
The recently renovated Taipei Astronomical Museum consists of 3 floors of space themed exhibits (including a small children’s play room), a Comsic Adventure ride on the 4th floor, rooftop telescopes, and a very reasonably priced IMAX and 3D theater.
Entrance to the exhibition hall is 40nt, and the redesigned museum has a variety of interactive exhibits for visitors. The first floor focuses on the earth and space exploration. Kids can sit in a moon buggy, look at astronaut food, push a button to create a hurricane, and learn about rockets, among other activities. The second floor has a simple kids play area with some fun games and activities, play sessions are available starting at the beginning of each hour and last for 50 minutes. There’s also exhibits on stars, the Milky Way, and the solar system, including an interactive area where kids can find models of each planet along with scales so they can see how much they might weigh on each planet. The 3rd floor has exhibits about galaxies, the universe, and search for life. There’s another fun interactive area for kids where they can design and color an alien on a screen (though it’s a little high off the ground for younger kids). Many of the exhibits in the main exhibition hall also have an area for visitors to scan their ticket, which can connect with the museum’s app.
The museum also includes a Cosmic Adventure ride (NT$70 adults, NT$35 kids) on the 4th floor, which allows visitors to get inside closed compartment egg-shaped “spaceships” that travel along a 200 meter track. The ride uses films, lighting, and special effects to take riders on a 10 minute adventure to visit the different planets in the solar system (and meet aliens).
The entrance to the IMAX dome theater is on the first floor, and the 3D theater is in the basement. The theaters play 30-50 minute movies (NT$100 adults, NT$50 kids), and can provide English-language headsets for most movies. Movies are available hourly.
There’s not much to eat at the museum, but next door is the Taipei Science Museum (NTSEC), which has a food court.
Address: No. 363, Jihe Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City
Hours: 9AM - 5PM Tues-Fri/Sun and 9AM-8PM Saturday (Closed Mondays)
Phone: 02 2831 4551
Find out more:
Name and Address in Chinese:
名稱: 台北市立天文科學教育館
地址: 111台北市士林區基河路363號
Things to do with kids:
Watch 3D and IMAX videos at the onsite theaters.
Visit the Kids House room for young children on the 2nd floor.
Explore the exhibition halls on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floor.
Ride on a spaceship and visit planets and aliens on the 4th floor cosmic adventure ride.
Look into space using the rooftop telescope.
