At €3.60 for an adult and €1.65 for a child, the Madrid Planetarium is a cheap outing with kids, and its exhibitions are free. It sits inside Enrique Tierno Galván park in Arganzuela, at Avenida del Planetario 16. The timetable is what needs planning: it opens Tuesday to Sunday in two blocks, 10am to 1.45pm and 5pm to 7.45pm, closes over lunch and never opens on a Monday. The ticket desk stops selling at 1.30pm and 7.15pm.
The Madrid Planetarium is an astronomy centre run by Madrid City Council, with a projection dome, free exhibitions and short shows of 30 to 45 minutes.
Are Madrid Planetarium shows in English? The Madrid Planetarium publishes its programme in Spanish and advertises no English-language show, so ask at the ticket desk before paying. The Madrid Planetarium exhibitions are free, and a dome show of 30 to 45 minutes costs €3.60 for adults and €1.65 for ages 2 to 14, which keeps the language gamble cheap.
Is it worth it if you don’t speak Spanish?
For a family with children who follow pictures more than words, yes. A children’s show lasts 30 to 35 minutes, short enough that the images carry it, and at €10.50 for a family of four the risk is small. Walk through the free exhibitions first, then decide at the desk.
It is less of a fit for adults who want the narration: the adult shows run about 45 minutes in Spanish. And it is not a big hands-on science museum; the main event is the dome.
Which show suits your child’s age?
| Your group | What the current programme offers | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 | A children’s show aimed at them, El cielo de Cloe | 35 minutes |
| Ages 6 to 12 | Children’s shows such as Polaris, recommended from 6, some from 8 | 30 minutes |
| Teens and adults | Adult shows, the most narration | About 45 minutes |
| Just curious | The exhibitions, no ticket needed | As long as you like |
Titles change by season, so check the Planetarium’s programme and book the specific show.
How does a visit fit around Spanish meal times?
Spanish families lunch around 2pm and dine around 9pm, and the Planetarium’s hours follow that rhythm: it shuts from 1.45pm to 5pm. Two plans work:
- Morning plan: arrive by 10am, see a show, walk the park and eat at 2pm like the locals.
- Early evening plan: arrive at 5pm; the desk sells until 7.15pm, which leaves time before dinner.
It is closed every Monday and on 24, 25 and 31 December, 1 and 6 January and 1 May, per Madrid City Council, which runs the venue. If your dates include a Spanish public holiday, check Madrid’s public holidays.
What does a family pay?
Two adults and two children pay €10.50 at the rate the Planetarium charges. For comparison, the Madrid Railway Museum charges €7 an adult, and Madrid Zoo or Faunia start at €29.50 at the gate. No tipping applies here; you pay the ticket price at the desk or online.
How do you get there from the airport or the centre?
From Airport T4, Cercanías line C-1 runs to Méndez Álvaro, one stop past Atocha, without a change, and a Cercanías ticket carries none of the €3 airport supplement the Metro adds, as explained in the Madrid airport Metro supplement. From the centre, Metro Line 6 or Cercanías to Méndez Álvaro is the shorter walk.
Arganzuela-Planetario, the Line 6 stop named after the venue, looks next door on a map, but the path loops round the park: about 940 m, against about 720 m from Méndez Álvaro Cercanías. EMT buses 8, 102, 148, 152 and 156 also stop nearby.
One thing that differs from home: in Madrid a visiting child of 4 or older needs a full ticket on the Metro, priced in Madrid Metro ticket prices. For more wet-weather ideas, see Madrid on a rainy day, and for free outings, free things to do with kids.
Madrid Planetarium questions from visitors
Are Madrid Planetarium shows in English?
No English-language show is advertised, and the programme is published in Spanish, so ask at the ticket desk before buying. The free exhibitions work without much language, and at €3.60 for an adult a short dome show is a small gamble for children who follow the images.
How much are Madrid Planetarium tickets?
A dome show costs €3.60 for adults and €1.65 for children aged 2 to 14 and over-65s. Under-2s go free if they sit on a lap, and booked groups of 15 or more pay €2.80 each. The exhibitions are free and need no ticket.
Is the Madrid Planetarium open on Mondays?
No. The Planetarium in Tierno Galván park opens Tuesday to Sunday only, from 10am to 1.45pm and from 5pm to 7.45pm. It also closes on 24, 25 and 31 December, 1 and 6 January and 1 May.
How do I get to the Madrid Planetarium from the airport?
Take Cercanías line C-1 from Airport T4 to Méndez Álvaro, past Atocha, with no change of train. From the station it is about a 720 m walk to the Planetarium at Avenida del Planetario 16.
Pick the show by your child’s age, not by its title, and time it around lunch.