Chabot Space & Science Center | East Bay Area - Oakland CA

Tales of the Maya Skies
2025-12-27 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-20 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-13 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-06 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
35 minutes
All ages
Through the magic of technology and imagination, you are about to take a trip across time and space to visit a world as it no longer exists today: the world of the ancient Maya civilization! The great pyramid and other stone observatories and structures in the ruins of Chichen Itza in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula have been laser-scanned and recreated digitally to enable your journey. You will see Chichen Itza perhaps as it looked a thousand years ago when the Maya civilization of the ancient world was at its peak. You will also learn about Maya culture’s advanced understanding of space, time, and mathematics that allowed them to understand the world as few ancient cultures have.
Chabot Space & Science Center

Forward to the Moon
2025-12-27 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-20 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-13 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-06 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-05 11:00 - 12:00
Learn about NASA’s Artemis Program, and the initiative to get Astronauts back onto the moon!

Worlds of Curiosity
2025-12-27 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-20 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-13 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-06 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-11-30 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-29 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-23 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-22 12:00 - 13:00
(15 min) Worlds of Curiosity dives into the questions of “What it would be like to live on an Earth with no Moon?” or “What if the Earth was tilted on its side, like the planet Uranus?”

Sunstruck
2025-12-27 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-13 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-06 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-29 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-11-22 13:00 - 14:00
Sunstruck
21 minutes
All ages
Explore the sun in all its glory in this fulldome show. Sunstruck takes us on a journey to discover the wonders of our magnificent sun and investigate how our star has supported life on Earth for millennia. This program includes information on the structure of our sun, the source of its energy, and how solar activity impacts our world.
Michigan Science Center

World's Beyond Earth
2025-12-27 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-26 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-21 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-20 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-19 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-14 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-13 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-12 15:00 - 16:00 and 7 more dates
25 minutes
Ages 6 and up
What have 50 years of space exploration taught us about the planets and moons closest to us? With each probe and spacecraft launched into the unknown, scientists discover more about the surprisingly dynamic, active, and varied nature of the worlds that share our solar system, and gain a deeper understanding of the unique conditions that make life on our home planet possible.
Based on authentic scientific data from groundbreaking space missions, Worlds Beyond Earth takes viewers on an exhilarating adventure through our cosmic neighborhood. Immersive visualizations showcase the solar system with unprecedented accuracy, including a landing on the cratered surface of our own Moon, a dramatic flight through the swirling rings of Saturn, and soaring encounters with distant worlds of active volcanoes and buried oceans. This film is narrated by Lupita Nyong’o.

Winter at Chabot
2025-12-27 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-26 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-23 10:00 - 17:00
Step Into a Season of Science and Wonder
Buy Tickets

Pack your mission gear and prepare for liftoff! Your winter adventure begins at the Chabot Space Station, where frozen frontiers await! Step through the portal and prepare to journey across some of the coldest, most captivating worlds in the cosmos: the ocean-covered moon Europa, the dazzling ice plains of Pluto, and a mysterious icy exoplanet orbiting a distant star.

Europa

Touch down first on Europa, the glacial moon of Jupiter, where a vast ocean hides beneath layers of shimmering ice. Conduct experiments, discover bubbling “geysers,” and imagine what mysterious life might dwell beneath its frozen seas.

Pluto

Next, make your way to Pluto, where soft, sparkling ice plains stretch beneath a twilight sky. Here, you can skate across the surface of Pluto itself on our beloved Sock Skate experience! No skates or cold required, just your coziest socks as you glide across a floor that feels like interstellar ice.

Mystery Exoplanet
Finally, venture into deep space to a mysterious icy exoplanet, orbiting a distant star. Gaze at alien frost patterns and glowing crystals as you uncover the science behind worlds we’ve only just begun to imagine.

Throughout your voyage, enjoy hands-on science demos, creative workshops, and snowfall moments that fill the air with wonder. Sip hot cocoa, craft your own gingerbread rover, and celebrate the magic that is Winter at Chabot!

NEW Winter Workshop!
Offered December 20-23 and 26–30 | 11:30 AM & 2:30 PM
This is an add-on experience. Separate ticket required. Advanced registration is recommended – these workshops will sell out!
Enhance your Winter at Chabot adventure with our special, hands-on Winter Workshops, offered daily during the holiday season. Each workshop is a unique blend of science, creativity, and festive fun designed for families and curious minds alike.

Gingerbread Rovers
Put your engineering skills (and your sweet tooth) to the test in our Edible Mars Rover Lab! Learn about the real rovers exploring Mars, then design and build your own gingerbread decorated version using graham crackers, frosting, and other delicious materials. It’s a fun, creative workshop that combines science, engineering, and holiday cheer all in one tasty mission.
11:30AM
2:30PM

Tickets for workshops are sold separately from General Admission. Purchase your workshop tickets in advance and reserve your spot early. Space is limited and sessions will fill quickly!

Give the gift of curiosity and adventure
A Chabot Membership opens a universe of learning and play all year long. Members enjoy 25% off the Gift Shop and Café throughout the month of December, so there’s never been a better time to expand your universe at Chabot!
Become a Member

Universal
2025-12-26 16:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-19 16:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-12 16:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-05 16:00 - 17:00, 2025-11-30 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-23 12:00 - 13:00
Universal
12 minutes
All ages
Fly through the heart of an ancient cluster of stars, and take a swing around the luminous remains of a dying star. Cruise by alien planets that orbit a nearby star, surf past the brilliant rings of Saturn, and more. ‘Universal’ is a quick un-narrated voyage through the universe that carries the viewer from the vast realm of intergalactic space to several stellar wonders of the Milky Way Galaxy through an intriguing and nearby extraterrestrial planetary system, and onward to home, to Earth. This show’s dialogue is all textual and is preferred for those hard of hearing.
Chabot Space & Science Center in-house production

The Sun: Our Living Star
2025-12-26 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-21 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-19 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-14 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-12 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-07 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-05 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-29 15:00 - 16:00 and 1 more date
25 min
Ages 6 and up, Adults
The Sun has shone on our world for four and a half billion years. The light that warms our skin today has been felt by every person who has ever lived. It is our nearest star and our planet’s powerhouse, the source of the energy that drives our winds, our weather and all life.
The passage of the Sun’s fiery disc across the sky — day by day, month by month — was the only way to keep track of time for countless past civilizations. Don’t be fooled by the terminology; although it is a typical dwarf star, the Sun consumes 600 million tons of hydrogen each second and is 500 times as massive as all the planets combined.
Discover the secrets of our star in this planetarium show and experience never-before-seen images of the Sun’s violent surface in immersive fulldome format. Our team has worked with some of the most talented planetarium producers to bring you this visually striking planetarium show about the most important star in our lives.

Phantom of the Universe
2025-12-26 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-19 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-12 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-07 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-05 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-11-28 13:00 - 14:00
Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt For Dark Matter
25 minutes
Ages 8 and up
An exciting exploration of dark matter, from the Big Bangto its anticipated discovery at the Large Hadron Collider. The show will reveal the first hints ofits existence through the eyes of Fritz Zwicky, the scientist who coined the term “dark matter”. This show is narrated by Tilda Swinton.
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Lunaverse
2025-12-26 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-19 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-14 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-12 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-05 12:00 - 13:00
16 minutes
All ages
“Lunaverse” explores the nature of Earth’s moon: its motion and phases, lunar and solar eclipses, tides, and the Moon’s origin. The story unfolds as a conversation between a curious young child and the Moon—Luna—over the course of a night, from moonrise to moonset.
Chabot Space & Science Center in-house production

Ohlone Skies (mur taaraxtak)
2025-12-26 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-21 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-19 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-14 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-12 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-07 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-28 11:00 - 12:00
(40 Min) Developed in partnership and solidarity with Cafe Ohlone, mur taaraxtak, or Ohlone Skies, weaves science and storytelling into a rich tapestry of Indigenous Ohlone knowledge, heritage, and history deeply rooted right here in the Oakland hills.

Winter at Chabot
2025-12-22 10:00 - 17:00
Step Into a Season of Science and Wonder
Buy Tickets

Pack your mission gear and prepare for liftoff! Your winter adventure begins at the Chabot Space Station, where frozen frontiers await! Step through the portal and prepare to journey across some of the coldest, most captivating worlds in the cosmos: the ocean-covered moon Europa, the dazzling ice plains of Pluto, and a mysterious icy exoplanet orbiting a distant star.

Europa

Touch down first on Europa, the glacial moon of Jupiter, where a vast ocean hides beneath layers of shimmering ice. Conduct experiments, discover bubbling “geysers,” and imagine what mysterious life might dwell beneath its frozen seas.

Pluto

Next, make your way to Pluto, where soft, sparkling ice plains stretch beneath a twilight sky. Here, you can skate across the surface of Pluto itself on our beloved Sock Skate experience! No skates or cold required, just your coziest socks as you glide across a floor that feels like interstellar ice.

Mystery Exoplanet
Finally, venture into deep space to a mysterious icy exoplanet, orbiting a distant star. Gaze at alien frost patterns and glowing crystals as you uncover the science behind worlds we’ve only just begun to imagine.

Throughout your voyage, enjoy hands-on science demos, creative workshops, and snowfall moments that fill the air with wonder. Sip hot cocoa, craft your own gingerbread rover, and celebrate the magic that is Winter at Chabot!

NEW Winter Workshop!
Offered December 20-23 and 26–30 | 11:30 AM & 2:30 PM
This is an add-on experience. Separate ticket required. Advanced registration is recommended – these workshops will sell out!
Enhance your Winter at Chabot adventure with our special, hands-on Winter Workshops, offered daily during the holiday season. Each workshop is a unique blend of science, creativity, and festive fun designed for families and curious minds alike.

Gingerbread Rovers
Put your engineering skills (and your sweet tooth) to the test in our Edible Mars Rover Lab! Learn about the real rovers exploring Mars, then design and build your own gingerbread decorated version using graham crackers, frosting, and other delicious materials. It’s a fun, creative workshop that combines science, engineering, and holiday cheer all in one tasty mission.
Buy Tickets

Tickets for workshops are sold separately from General Admission. Purchase your workshop tickets in advance and reserve your spot early. Space is limited and sessions will fill quickly!

Give the gift of curiosity and adventure
A Chabot Membership opens a universe of learning and play all year long. Members enjoy 25% off the Gift Shop and Café throughout the month of December, so there’s never been a better time to expand your universe at Chabot!
Become a Member

ElectroLaze: Holiday
2025-12-21 15:45 - 16:30, 2025-12-14 15:45 - 16:30, 2025-12-07 15:45 - 16:30
These bright lights and infectious beats give new meaning to the old holiday light shows on the lawn!

From Earth to the Universe
2025-12-21 15:00 - 16:00
32 minutes
Ages 8 and up The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has been the subject of campfire stories, ancient myths and awe for as long as there have been people. A desire to comprehend the Universe may well be humanity’s oldest shared intellectual experience. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos. To learn about this journey of celestial discovery, from the theories of the ancient Greek astronomers to today’s grandest telescopes, we invite you to experience from Earth to the Universe.

Scouting Stars: Winter
2025-12-21 13:00 - 14:00
Brief tour of the night sky.
15 min, all ages.

WinterFest - Day 2
2025-12-21 10:00 - 17:00
$24 Adults, $19 Children (2-12) and Seniors (65+)
Members get in FREE
Buy Tickets

Pack your mission gear and prepare for liftoff! Your winter adventure begins at the Chabot Space Station, where frozen frontiers await! Step through the portal and prepare to journey across some of the coldest, most captivating worlds in the cosmos: the ocean-covered moon Europa, the dazzling ice plains of Pluto, and a mysterious icy exoplanet orbiting a distant star.

NEW Workshop!
Purchase an add-on ticket for our Gingerbread Rovers workshop!

11:30AM
2:30PM

Family Astronomy: Winter Solstice - The Longest Night
2025-12-20 18:00 - 20:00
Family Astronomy: Winter Solstice – The Longest Night
$15 Youth, $25 Adults
Members get $5 off per ticket
Buy Tickets

Chabot Space & Science Center’s Family Astronomy Series invites families with children ages 6–12 to explore the wonders of the universe together! Each evening program features an engaging presentation in Chabot’s Planetarium followed by hands-on activities and opportunities to make discoveries together. Each event includes complimentary hot cocoa and snacks.

Explore the fascinating history, diverse cultural customs, and ancient rituals associated with the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Participants will learn about

The science behind solstices
The many ways cultures across the globe have celebrated this celestial moment through storytelling, candlelight, and creative traditions

From bonfires to creating handmade decorations and sharing stories, discover how people throughout time have found warmth and wonder in the darkest night.

Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and cookies as you celebrate this special evening together. Afterward, head up to the Observatory for telescope viewing (weather permitting) to mark the return of longer days ahead.

More Information
Please note: program admission does not include after-hours museum access. Be sure to wear layers for the Observatory’s cool nighttime conditions.

Unveiling the Invisible Universe
2025-12-20 12:00 - 13:00
Unveiling the Invisible Universe
28 minutes
Ages 8 and up
For thousands of years humans observed the light coming from the night sky with their eyes. In the beginning of the 17th century, the invention of the telescope revolutionized our knowledge of the Universe. Finally, in the 20th century with the advent of rockets, it became possible to go above the Earth’s atmosphere and observe X-ray and gamma ray radiation which are the marks of the hot and violent Universe. But it is not only light that can give us information about the cosmos. Neutrinos and cosmic rays also provide vital information. Finally, the detection by the LIGO experiment of gravitational waves from two merging black holes opened a new window in astrophysics. This fulldome show presents images of the cosmos as revealed by all these different messengers.

WinterFest - Day 1
2025-12-20 10:00 - 17:00

Paint & Sip: Solstice Stars & Holiday Myths
2025-12-18 18:30 - 20:30
Paint & Sip: Solstice Stars & Holiday Myths

$45, 21+
Buy Tickets

Celebrate the winter solstice and the magic of the season at Chabot Space & Science Center’s Paint & Sip: Solstice Stars & Holiday Myths! This instructor-guided workshop will lead you through painting a beautiful winter night sky, filled with celestial wonders that mark the solstice. While you paint, enjoy an engaging astronomy presentation exploring traditional solstice myths and holiday-themed celestial stories that have been passed down through the ages.

Paint Workshop: Solstice Starlight & Winter Wonders
Create a winter solstice scene featuring a glowing full moon, frosty landscapes, and the starry constellations of the Winter Triangle — Orion, Sirius, and Procyon. Paint a peaceful winter night, with a focus on glowing stars, a radiant moon, and festive elements like snowflakes or evergreen trees.

Astronomy Presentation: The Longest Night: Celestial Myths of the Solstice
Dive into the celestial myths and stories behind the winter solstice, including:
The ancient myth of Helios, the sun god, and his annual rebirth during the solstice.
The story of The Great Bear (Ursa Major) and the role of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, in the winter sky. The holiday myth of The Star of Bethlehem and its connection to the solstice, symbolizing light during the darkest time of the year. How cultures from ancient Egypt to the Norse have celebrated the solstice as a time of renewal and hope.

For questions, or help with ticketing, contact us at Groupsales@chabotspace.org.

Drone Challenge: Engineering Foundations
2025-12-15 09:30 - 2026-01-16 16:30
Enroll Today

Class runs from December 15, 2025 to January 16, 2026
Class Days: Monday-Friday (20 class sessions)
Class Time: 9:30am-4:30pm
No class on 12/24/25, 12/25/25, 12/26/25 and 12/31/25 and 1/1/26
Tuition: $1,500
Open to students 15 – 25 years of age

This course is designed to prepare students for future careers in aerospace and technology. Participants will build foundational skills in CAD modeling, engineering design, and embedded systems. Through a series of guided projects, they will apply these concepts and learn how to connect mechanical design with coding, electronics, and AI. By the end of the program, participants will have a valuable addition to their resume that highlights their technical skills. The teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills they learn will be invaluable when starting their career.
The course will finish with a design challenge to build an object-tracking drone. Students will create their own designs and integrate electronics and sensors. They will work with code-repositories and learn how to use AI in conjunction with coding.
Class limited to 15 participants
Entry level class (no prerequisites required) Computers and materials will be provided
Discounts to current and former Galaxy Explorers

Questions? Email galaxyexplorerers@chabotspace.org

First Glance: Members-Only Telescope Viewing
2025-12-14 19:30 - 21:30
First Glance
Members-Only Telescope Viewing
on the Observation Deck
Members RSVP

Members of all ages will observe the wonders of the cosmos through our historic telescopes, offering a rare chance to see celestial sights with expert guidance from members of the Eastbay Astronomical Society. Don’t miss this cozy, cosmic experience with telescopes, hot chocolate and community!

Aurora Storm
2025-12-14 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-07 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-28 15:00 - 16:00
Aurora Storm
11 minutes
Ages 8 and up
Aurora Storm explores the captivating northern lights and how different cultures and explorers have experienced them. Produced by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute and the University of Alaska Museum of the North. The show teaches about the causes of the aurorae and how humans who live beneath their shimmering light are inspired by what they see. Quotes from the written journals of past Arctic explorers and indigenous people share stories of how they regarded the aurorae.

Geminid Meteor Shower Watch Party
2025-12-13 23:00 - 2025-12-14 03:00
$7 Kids, $15 Adult
FREE for Members
Buy Tickets
Get ready to light up the chilly December night with wonder at our Geminid Meteor Shower Watch Party! Under the vast winter sky, the Geminids will dazzle with their brilliant streaks of light, a celestial gift from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. As Earth sails through trails of cosmic dust, these meteoroids burn up in our atmosphere, painting the heavens with glowing magic.
Bundle up, bring a blanket, and let the Geminids take center stage—no telescopes needed! With their radiant glow and breathtaking beauty, this meteor shower promises a night of celestial splendor you’ll never forget.

ElectroLaze: Hypnotica
2025-11-30 15:45 - 16:30, 2025-11-23 15:45 - 16:30
Enjoy a laser show filled with stunning visual art! Different themes include Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Holiday and more!

Big Astronomy
2025-11-30 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-23 15:00 - 16:00
26 minutes
Ages 8 and up
Big Astronomy explores three observatories located in Chile, at extreme and remote places. It gives examples of the multitude of STEM careers needed to keep the great observatories working. The show is narrated by Barbara Rojas-Ayala, a Chilean astronomer.
California Academy of Sciences

Maya Archeoastronomy
2025-11-30 13:00 - 14:00
20 minutes
Ages 8 and up
In a feast of colors and sounds, Maya Archaeoastronomy: Observers of the Universe makes a tour of six Mayan temples: San Gervasio, Chichen Itzá, Uxmal, Edzná, Palenque and Bonampak where the spectator dives into a Mayan world of knowledge about the importance of the orientations of its temples in relation to the movement of some stars like the Sun, the Moon and Venus.

5000 Eyes: Mapping the Universe with DESI
2025-11-30 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-23 11:00 - 12:00
(30 min) 5000 Eyes: Mapping the Universe with DESI is a full dome film about the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) which is creating the most detailed map of our nearby universe using a unique instrument which can measure the spectra of many galaxies at once. Experience the largest structures in the universe as never seen before by flying through a portion of DESI’s initial data. Dive into modern cosmology, plus the scientific background and motivation for building a Fiske Planetarium large map of galaxies. And, take a trip to Kitt Peak to see footage of the telescope in action while getting to know the amazing people from all over the world making this research possible

Mars: The Ultimate Voyage
2025-11-29 11:00 - 12:00
(25 min) Ever wondered what it will take for astronauts to travel to the Moon, Mars and beyond? On this long journey, what challenges will astronauts face? How will they stay motivated and healthy on their spacecraft so far away from Earth? The new, Bell original planetarium show Mars: The Ultimate Voyage, explores these questions and more. Ages 8 and up.
The work for the original planetarium production was funded by a NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) Award 80NSSC20M0028 to the Bell Museum through the Regents of the University of Minnesota.

Waiting Far Away
2025-11-28 12:00 - 13:00
10 minutes
All ages
An explorer of the cosmos has traveled too far…and can’t find home. Become lost on a journey through the majestic, humbling, and solitary beauty of space and time reimagined.
Charles Hayden Planetarium

Family Astronomy: Mysteries of the Sun
2025-11-22 18:00 - 20:00
Family Astronomy: Mysteries of the Sun
$15 Youth, $25 Adults
Members get $5 off per ticket
Buy Tickets

Chabot Space & Science Center’s Family Astronomy Series invites families with children ages 6–12 to explore the wonders of the universe together! This program features an engaging presentation in Studio 3 followed by hands-on activities and opportunities to make discoveries together. Each event includes complimentary hot cocoa and snacks.

Step into the light of our closest star in this family-friendly workshop exploring the Sun’s powerful energy and the upcoming NASA MUSE mission. The Sun powers life on Earth and shapes the space environment around our home planet, yet many of its mysteries remain unsolved. Through hands-on activities, families will

Uncover the hidden layers of the Sun
Explore the rainbow of colors through light
Connect these discoveries to the dramatic birth of stars in glowing nebulae and the larger life cycles that shape our galaxy

This workshop compares the Sun to other stars, discovering how it is both ordinary yet extraordinary as the one that makes life on Earth possible.

More Information
Guests will enter through the Observatory entrance. Please note: program admission does not include after-hours museum access. Be sure to wear layers for the Observatory’s cool nighttime conditions.
