Facade of a Planetarium, B.M. Birla Planetarium, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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Birla Planetarium

Kolkata (Calcutta)


Loosely styled on Sanchi’s iconic Buddhist stupa, this 1962 planetarium presents slow-moving, half-hour audiovisual programs on the wonders of the universe and mysteries of deep space. It's quite convenient as an air-conditioned rest stop in between your day's explorations of nearby sights, and the shows are quite fine in their execution and presentation (the baritone voice-over is particularly dramatic). Recommended for those travelling with children.