strickler planetarium

Wonderful presentation with beautiful imagery! The things you can learn are presented in a manor that makes you interested in knowing more.

This cute little planetarium theatre is located on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. It's open very limited hours, 2 or 3 Saturday nights per month most of the year - check the website for hours, programs, and dates as some shows are geared toward small children and others toward teens and adults.We love it for a few reasons. First, it's only $3 per person for a show lasting around 30-45 minutes!! Second, Professor Steve Case, the current director, has done a great job bringing in new shows, such as the Sesame Street production One World, One Sky, and, new this summer, Undiscovered Worlds. He's also working hard on PR for the place, hanging banners out front along busy Hwy 45 and making appearances on the radio. Third, the majority of shows include a Star Talk with Professor Steve giving basic starspotting lessons and describing the current view over Kankakee County, Illinois for all of us amateurs to practice at home.A few things to keep in mind, however. Tickets cannot be purchased or reserved in advance. First come, first served. So it is possible to be turned away in case of a sell-out. However, we attended the first night of Sesame Street a couple years ago, and an extra show was added to accommodate everyone. Also, there is no space museum here or anything to see except for the show and a few pieces of student artwork occasionally in the lobby. Still for the bargain price and convenient location close to home, it is hard to beat.