Toruń Planetarium

The Toruń Planetarium (officially the Center for Space Popularization "Planetarium – Toruń") is one of the most visited things to do in Toruń, the city where Nicolaus Copernicus was born. It drew more than 290,000 visitors in 2022. Shows run under a dome built inside a round 19th-century brick gasholder next to St. Mary's Church, and an interactive Mars base exhibit sits alongside. It's an easy win for families and a solid rainy-day plan. How much is a ticket? In 2026 a dome show costs PLN 25 (PLN 20 reduced), and the Mars Base #17 exhibit PLN 12 (PLN 10 reduced).

From gasworks to star theater

Toruń is a UNESCO-listed medieval city on the Vistula River, about 130 miles (210 km) northwest of Warsaw. The planetarium building went up in 1860 as a gasholder for the city gasworks, on the site of a former Franciscan monastery, and is the only brick-clad gasholder in Toruń to survive. After decades of plans, the planetarium opened inside it on February 17, 1994, founded by Lucjan Broniewicz.

It switched to fully digital fulldome projection in 2014, and in 2023 a Zeiss SKYMASTER ZKP4 LED star projector was installed, able to show around 7,000 stars.

What to see

The dome theater: 49 feet (15 m) across, with 189 seats. Shows run through the day; in October 2026 the lineup included titles such as "Oto Kosmos" ("This Is Space"), "Makrokosmos" and "Światła północy" ("Northern Lights"). Selected shows offer English, German, Spanish or Russian narration through headphones, which makes this one of the more accessible attractions for international visitors.

Mars Base #17 (Baza MARS#17): an interactive exhibit styled as a space base, opened in 2018, with entries on the hour.

GEODIUM: the Earth-themed hall is currently closed.

Note: older guides still mention the Orbitarium. It closed on September 2, 2017, and Mars Base #17 replaced it.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially with kids or if you're following the Copernicus trail around town. Plan about 1.5 hours for a show plus the Mars base. Weekend and school-holiday shows fill up, so book online in advance and pick a show with English narration.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026:

• Box office: closed Mondays; Tuesday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. It closes once the last show has started. Hours and the show schedule are published week by week, so check before you go.
• Show: 25 PLN standard, 20 PLN reduced. Shows with foreign-language narration: 30 PLN / 25 PLN (headphones included).
• Groups: 18 PLN per person per show (20 PLN at weekends), 23 PLN with foreign-language narration (25 PLN at weekends); Mars Base #17 8 PLN per person.
• Mars Base #17: 12 PLN standard, 10 PLN reduced.
• Reduced tickets cover students under 26 and children under 19 with valid ID, among others. Prices are in Polish złoty.

Address: ul. Franciszkańska 15–21; box office phone +48 56 621 10 85.

How to get there

The planetarium is in the northwest corner of the Old Town, a few minutes' walk from the Market Square. Trains from Warsaw take roughly 2.5–3 hours; Toruń Miasto station is closer to the Old Town than Toruń Główny across the river. The nearest airport is Bydgoszcz, about 25–30 miles (40–50 km) away, and Gdańsk is around 110 miles (180 km) north. Parking in the Old Town is restricted and paid; the Park & Ride lots (ul. Olimpijska 42, ul. Dziewulskiego 38) are easier.

Nearby

• Tony Halik Travelers' Museum, a few steps up the same street
• St. Mary's Church, right next door
• Copernicus House, for the full astronomy day
• Młyn Wiedzy (Mill of Knowledge) science center