Please note: To mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19, the City of Providence has closed Museum of Natural History and Planetarium until further notice. All programming is cancelled. Still looking to connect with us? Many wonderful, free resources are being shared on our social media. Follow us @rwpmuseum on FB, Instagram and Twitter.
When is the museum open?
September through June the museum is open daily from 10:00am to 4:00pm, with last admission at 3:30pm. During July and August the museum is open daily from 9:30am-3:30pm, with last admission at 3:00pm.
Please note: The museum is closed 10:00am to 1:00pm the first Thursday of every month, October through March, for our monthly Homeschool Adventures programming. Please note: No food or drink are permitted in the museum and planetarium, this includes the museum’s lobby and entryway.
When is the planetarium open?
Located in the Museum of Natural History, the planetarium is a dome theater which is only open during showtimes. Public planetarium shows are offered at 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays; during RI school vacation weeks; and daily in July and August.
Please check our calendar of events for other public planetarium show offerings. Early arrival is suggested as tickets are sold first-come, first-served. Ticketholders are not permitted to enter the planetarium once the show has begun.
What are the admission fees?
Museum admission is $2 per person. Children age 3 and younger are free.
Some special programs have a separate admission.
Planetarium admission (includes museum admission) is $3 per person. Children must be age 4 and older to enter the planetarium.
First Saturday of the month is FREE for Providence residents. The first Saturday of every month is free to Providence (not East or North Providence) residents only, with proof of residency. Proof of residency is a driver’s license or photo ID with name and address printed on it. This serves as a “thank you” to Providence residents who help support the museum.
As a thank you to all those who serve our country, we are offering free admission for active military service members and up to 5 family members May 18 through Labor Day. Must show military ID to receive discount. Click here for other participating museums.
Special discounts cannot be applied towards group admission.
Holidays/Days the museum and planetarium are closed:
Easter Sunday
Memorial Day
Fourth of July
Victory Day (August 10)
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day (November 26) and Day After (November 27)
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day
Holidays the museum and planetarium are open
- Martin Luther King Day (including planetarium shows at 1 pm and 2 pm)
- Presidents Day (including planetarium shows at 1 pm and 2 pm)
Exhibits
There are 5 exhibit halls (2 levels) and a lobby exhibit.
Current Exhibits are:
Circle of the Sea: Re-Visited and Re-Imagined
Many Inspired Steps: Salute to Apollo 11 and Lunar Exploration (Opened July 1, 2019)
Natural Selections: Museum’s Victorian Past to the Present
Rhode Island’s Natural Wonder: Celebrating Michael Kieron
Urban Wildlife: Nature at Your Doorstep
Seismic Shifts: Earth through Time
Visiting on vacation?
Check out area hotels and attractions in the Providence area.
