Space Fest: Star Party | Bell Museum

Recommended for all ages

Join us for our first Star Party of the year, kicking off Space Fest! Outside, we’ll have our telescopes set up to observe our favorite deep-space objects (weather and temperature permitting). Inside, you can explore hands-on activities and catch a special, short planetarium show.

Registration is requested to receive updates regarding this event through Eventbrite.

PLEASE NOTE: Your Eventbrite registration is not a planetarium show ticket. You can retrieve a planetarium ticket from the front desk at the Star Party.

This event is part of our annual weekend-long astronomy celebration, Space Fest 2026: Love Letter to Earth.

Parking
– Paid surface lot parking, managed by UMN Parking & Transportation Services, is available with an entrance off of Larpenteur Ave. The daily rate is $6. Note: The parking fee is waived for any vehicle in the lot under 10 minutes. Pay stations only accept credit cards.
– The St. Paul campus circulator is a complimentary bus that runs every 20 minutes and drops off in front of the Bell. Please see the website for route and stop details.
– A complimentary, accessible shuttle will be traveling between these off-site locations and the Bell entrance from 10am–4pm:

UMN Lot #171
1532 Cleveland Avenue, Falcon Heights, MN 55108
(paid parking)
Shuttle will pick up on the corner of Cleveland and Dudley

UMN Lot #175
2067 Dudley Avenue, Falcon Heights, MN 55108
(paid parking)
Shuttle will pick up on the corner of Cleveland and Dudley

FAQs

– What is a Star Party?
A Star Party is an evening of astronomical celebration, exploration, and fun. At a Star Party, you’ll find hands-on activities and demonstrations from Bell educators and community partners throughout the museum. If there are clear skies, you will be able to look through high-powered telescopes at astronomical objects. Additionally, there are typically free planetarium shows that are offered on a first-come-first-serve basis. Oftentimes, Star Parties have special themes or topics.

– What time should I be there?
There is no official “start” to the party—you can drop in anytime during the window of time listed above.

– Will there be planetarium shows?
Yes, these planetarium shows are free and offered on a first-come-first-serve basis.

PLEASE NOTE: Your EventBrite registration is not a planetarium show ticket. You can retrieve a planetarium ticket from the front desk at the Star Party.

– Is the event weather dependent?
The event is rain or shine, however, the telescopes are not. If there is rain, cloudy skies, or low temperatures, there will not be telescopes outside—but there will be plenty to see inside the museum!