You can now explore space and look into a black hole at this virtual reality exhibit.
Smithsonian Starstruck allows you to float past dying stars and witness the universe's origin point starting at just $18 per person.
Most planetarium experiences require visitors to remain seated and gaze upward. In contrast, the Smithsonian’s new VR exhibit offers a unique opportunity, enabling guests to walk through the vast universe, drifting alongside stars, planets, and a black hole, providing a tangible understanding of its immense scale.
A ticket to the galaxy's edge costs $29.
The Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience is a 40-minute virtual reality journey that launched in Washington, D.C. in May, as reported by Ars Technica. Tickets range from $29 to $35 for individual visitors, with group rates available as low as $18 per person, currently discounted by 15%. The exhibit is expected to expand to Denver, Orlando, and San Antonio later this year.
Visitors wear an HTC Vive Focus 3 VR headset and embark on a tour narrated by James Seawood. Notable experiences include a light beam demonstration near the Milky Way's black hole, a simulation of the dying star Betelgeuse going supernova, and a close encounter with the Sun alongside NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. The journey also includes stops at the exoplanet 55 Cancri Ae and the universe's origin point, concluding at the future site of the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile, depicted as if construction had already been completed.
Manage your expectations for visuals.
VR experiences hinge on their hardware, and Starstruck’s D.C. location currently operates on the Vive Focus 3, released by HTC in 2021. Ars Technica notes that sharpness and clarity diminish, especially during quick head movements. HTC's newer Vive Focus Vision addresses many of these concerns and is expected to be used in Starstruck’s future locations later this year, though the Smithsonian has not confirmed when the D.C. exhibit will receive the upgrade.
Despite the older hardware, Starstruck emphasizes perspective rather than resolution. Observing a star's death or a light beam bending into a black hole is a profoundly different experience when you're immersed in it as opposed to watching it from a dome overhead. Whether you opt for a $29 solo ticket or share the cost with friends for $18 each, it’s a relatively small fee to comprehend our insignificance in the grand cosmic context.
Pranob is an experienced tech journalist with over eight years of experience in consumer technology reporting. His work has focused on...
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You can now explore space and look into a black hole at this virtual reality exhibit.
Smithsonian Starstruck allows visitors to experience the Big Bang, pass near the Sun, and look into a black hole, all without ever leaving Washington, D.C.