Acessibility

The venues of the Stiftung Plantarium Berlin, including the Zeiss Großplanetarium Berlin and the Helleum II, are largely accessible. The Planetarium am Insulaner is currently closed and will be accessible following the ongoing modernisation work. The Archenhold Sternwarte (Archenhold Observatory) is a listed building due to its historical significance and architecture and is therefore not fully accessible in some areas. Unfortunately, the Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte (Wilhelm Foerster Observatory) is not accessible.

To ensure that all visitors still have the most accessible experience possible, we are continuously working to improve our venues and programme offerings.  

Further information on accessibility at the individual venues can be found below.

Information on online tickets for wheelchair users

Tickets for wheelchair users and their accompanying persons (seats are allocated for safety reasons) cannot be booked via the online shop, but are only available on-site at the ticket office or can be reserved in advance via the ticket hotline by email. Unfortunately, it is not possible to refund any price differences resulting from the purchase of standard online tickets. 

Accompanying persons

Recognised accompanying persons of people with severe disabilities holding a disability card marked with the letter ‘B’ are granted free admission at all venues. 

Assistance dogs

Assistance dogs are welcome at all venues. 

Contact & Feedback

If you have any questions about your visit, please do not hesitate to contact our information and ticket hotline:

Tel: +49 (30) 421 845-10
(Mon – Tue: 9 – 17 | Wed – Fri: 9 – 20 | Sat – Sun: 10 – 20)

Or send an email to info@planetarium.berlin 

If you have any questions whilst you are here, please feel free to ask any of our staff members. 

The Archenhold Sternwarte is a listed building. Unfortunately, large parts of it are currently not accessible to visitors with disabilities. We are working to make a larger part of the building accessible to all our visitors.

A wheelchair-accessible entrance is located to the right of the main entrance. The entrance door is a single-leaf door without an automatic opening mechanism. From there, the first floor and the planetarium are accessible via a lift (door width: 90 cm).

The second floor, which houses the library and the roof, as well as the outdoor areas, are not accessible. Wheelchair-accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are not available. 

The Planetarium at the Insulaner has been closed since 9 July 2023 for extensive renovation and modernisation work and will be accessible to all after the renovation. 

Unfortunately, the Wilhelm-Foerster-Sternwarte is not accessible to people with disabilities.

Wheelchair access to the Zeiss Grand Planetarium is available. To the right of the main entrance, there is a step-free entrance to the building. The automatic entrance door is a double-leaf door, with each leaf opening to a width of 91 cm, or 192 cm when both leaves are fully open.

Planetarium Hall 

The Planetarium Hall is accessible via a wheelchair-accessible lift. The lift door is 1.09 m wide. The lift cabin is 1.80 m wide, 2.35 m deep and 2.20 m high. There are four wheelchair spaces available in the hall.

Cinema

The cinema auditorium is accessible. Access is via a stairlift located on the right-hand staircase leading from the foyer. There are four wheelchair spaces available in the cinema auditorium.

Toilets

An accessible toilet is available on the ground floor (door width 94 cm), equipped with a fixed and a folding grab rail as well as a tilting mirror. There is also a baby changing table there. 

Hearing assistance 

To ensure the most inclusive access possible to our programme, induction loops for hearing aids in German are available in the planetarium auditorium at the Zeiss Großplanetarium. These can be obtained from the ticket office at the Zeiss Großplanetarium. 

Foreign-language programmes and translations 

Selected programmes at the Zeiss Grand Planetarium are offered simultaneously in several languages. The foreign-language programmes are provided via audio guides, which can be hired at the ticket office. A deposit of €10 for individuals and €20 for families and groups is required in cash.

Many films in the cinema auditorium are also shown in their original language with German or English subtitles.

Please check the relevant event page for details. 

All guest areas are accessible and wheelchair-friendly. The entrance door is a single-leaf door without an automatic opening mechanism.

There is a lift from the ground floor to the first floor. The telescope on the roof is not freely accessible.

Wheelchair-accessible toilets are available on the ground floor.