Arizona Science Center unveils new Dorrance DOME planetarium

The Arizona Science Center is unveiling the newly renovated Dorrance DOME on Oct. 18. The remodeled planetarium features cutting-edge LED dome technology, advanced Digistar software, and immersive visuals that transform the visitor experience. Though smaller that Las Vegas’s Sphere, the Dorrance DOME offer an intimate, high-tech journey through science and space.

Sari Custer, Chief of Science and Curiosity, and Alec Warren, Dorrance DOME Director, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the upgrades and what visitors can expect when it opens to the public.

“We’ve paired the best planetarium software in the world with the best presentation technology in the world, and we’ve put it in the hands of some of the best science story tellers,” Warren said.

Construction for the planetarium began in earl 2024; however, planning for the production has been going on for years.

With 9,000 LED panels and 44 million white LED lights, the human eye will not be able to tell the difference between looking at a screen or looking out a window when these scenes appear. The theater wraps around to go behind the viewer’s head, immersing them into the experience.

“Every single day we will be doing a live astronomy tour of Arizona,” Warren said. “You’ll still get that traditional planetarium experience, but we’re going to go well beyond that as well.”

Not only is this planetarium meant for the general public, but Warren also wants it to become a hub in the state for science, technology, engineering and math discovery.

“When we talk about making it an immersive hub we talk about forming partnerships with institutions across the state,” Warren said. “Our vision for programming within the Dorrance DOME goes well beyond the state or Arizona. We want to bring the world to our guests.”

For anyone who wants to experience the planetarium they can buy tickets online for an additional fee on top of the Arizona Science Center entrance tickets.