Strickler Planetarium is open to school groups, camps, scouting troops, youth groups, church groups, retreats, and many more. If you're interested in visiting the planetarium for a field trip or other event, please follow the links below for more information. Strickler Planetarium can also be rented for birthday parties or corporate events. Please note that the capacity for the planetarium is 50 seats. We will be happy to accommodate larger groups by multiple showings.
A short questionnaire has been created for educators who have visited the planetarium in the last school year. To provide feedback regarding your visit to the planetarium, please follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SL6HCSX
Discount Rate
Strickler Planetarium and Exploration Station Children's Museum have partnered to offer a discounted rate to any group wishing to visit both destinations. Any group that books a field trip to both the planetarium and the museum will receive $1 off admission per student from each institution. Exploration Station is located just blocks from the planetarium on the grounds of Perry Farms. The museum offers multiple groups programs, interactive exhibits, and lunch facilities. For more information visit www.exploration-station.org. To schedule a visit to the museum, contact Tammy Anderson at tammya@btpd.org or by calling 815.933.9905 ext. 352. Be sure to mention that you are visiting the planetarium as well in order to qualify for your group discount!
To schedule a visit to the Planetarium, please fill out the Reservation Request Form. Again, be sure to mention that you are visiting Exploration Station under the Notes section of the form. If you have any further questions contact Tina Bruner at tbruner@olivet.edu
Admission
- $5 per person, regardless of age
- Pre-school groups receive one adult free for every five children admitted
- K-12 groups receive one adult free for every ten children
- There is a $50 minimum fee per group.
Reservations can be made using our reservation request form or by contacting the planetarium reservations manager at 815.939.5395 or by email at tbruner@olivet.edu.
Guidelines
Here are some guideline to help make your trip to Strickler Planetarium more enjoyable for you and your students.
- Know the number of people in your group when you arrive. Have the proper amount of money ready to give to the planetarium operator upon your arrival.
- Your show needs to start promptly at the time you reserved. Try to arrive a few minutes early to be able to handle seating of the children in the planetarium.
- Encourage children to use the restroom before leaving school, or try to arrive a few minutes early to give time to those who need to use the restroom.
- When you arrive at the planetarium, the planetarium operator will greet you at the door. The door will open 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the program.
- Please have everyone who is a part of your group enter the planetarium together. It is not recommended that you leave the planetarium during the show. The doors to the planetarium as well as the inner doors are locked, and you will not be able to gain access to the building or the inner dome upon your return.
- Photography is not permitted during the show.
- See Campus Info for parking and other areas of interest for your students at Olivet Nazarene University.
Lunch
Two lunch options are available for groups visiting the planetarium. If your class brings their own lunches, the Warming House on campus can be reserved at no cost. This facility gives groups a place to eat lunch in case of inclement weather that might prohibit a picnic out-of-doors. Though there is no cost for using the Warming House, groups are asked to clean up after themselves and leave the building clean and in good order. To reserve the Warming House, contact Lynn Utter at 815.939.5045 or lrutter@olivet.edu.
For groups that would like to purchase meals on campus, the student cafeteria, located in Ludwig Center, offers lunch at reasonable rates. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Sodexho Food Service at: 815.928.5534. Groups are requested to arrive between 11:00-11:15 AM or 12:30-1:00 PM. Prices are listed below.
- Students - $4.25
- Adults - $8.50