Here’s a quick overview of what we need from you and what to expect for visits to your school, library and/or other institution…
Release from liability
PLEASE NOTE: that there are risks (especially for those whose conditions may be aggravated by enclosed spaces and/or fast moving objects/lights) associated with participating in shows in the planetarium.
Participants who suffer from motion sickness and/or any conditions that may leave them vulnerable to rapid flashing/moving lights should consult a medical professional before entering the planetarium.
We will have signage up to this effect.
By passing said signage and entering the planetarium dome, participants agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Ontario Planetarium and all its staff and agents from any injury or other incident inside or outside the planetarium dome.
For you/other teachers/librarians/institution staff
– once the planetarium arrives, we 2 hours to set-up (disassembly after shows takes about 60 minutes.) Ideally, we would like to arrive 2 hours before the first show is to take place
– set-up: we ask that the room the planetarium is being set-up in be off-limits to students before shows begin so planetarium staff can efficiently assemble the dome without interruption. Aside from help with doors/getting equipment into the room where the dome will be set-up, this process is most efficiently done by the planetarium staff member only.
– for libraries: PARENTS AND CHILDREN MAY BOTH ATTEND SHOWS – Unaccompanied minors must be supervised by library staff The Ontario Planetarium will not assume this liability
SUPER-IMPORTANT:
– a teacher or other school staff member must accompany school classes into each show
– while planetarium presenters are tasked with delivering an exciting, engaging show in a timely manner, staff (or parents for general public shows) are expected to be responsible for the behavior and general orderliness of students before and during presentations ***WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO END SHOWS EARLY IF ADULTS ACCOMPANYING CHILDREN INTO THE DOME ARE NOT ABLE TO ASSIST CHILDREN IN REMAINING RESPECTFUL DURING OUR SHOWS ***
– in order to have time for all shows and Q&As for the day, for school shows, ***all teachers are asked to have their classes arrive in the room the planetarium is set up in no later than the agreed-upon start time***
For you and students/other attendees
– participants must remove their shoes before entering the dome (only sock feet allowed – while there is no floor to the dome, the entrance and edges of the dome would wear prematurely from excessive footwear traffic)
– after teachers are ready and at the permission of the presenter, participants enter the dome one-by-one through a zippered doorway (or – in the case of our older dome for small spaces – an inflated tunnel at the front of the dome [the presenter will point this out – another tunnel at the opposite side of the dome is the air intake for the fan that keeps the dome aloft and is out-of-bounds]) Typically, participants will exit one-by-one via the same entrance/exit through which they entered
– upon entering the dome (which will be well-lit inside), students are asked to move all the way across the floor to the far end of the dome
– students can sit/lie anywhere they wish but participants must stay AT LEAST 2 feet away from the planetarium projection area at all times (if someone leans up against these two tables, it will actually move the entire show and will significantly lessen the magic of the experience for all)
***In the event of an emergency (fire alarm, etc..) students should remain seated and the presenter will simply lift the edge of the dome up for participants to walk away from (see demo video of this procedure below)***
Here’re the instructions you’ll get (again) before the show you attend (e.g. used is older dome – same procedure for larger newer dome, but entrance is a full-height zippered-door):
– students/participants may at any time ask questions about specific elements of the show they would like more information/explanation on (just raise your hand!) Be patient: sometimes the flow of the presentation does not allow us to pause right away to answer a question, but we’ll get to you!
– pictures: we’ve noticed that folks often want to take pictures of things on the dome, which is awesome – Unlike a traditional fixed planetarium, we permit photography in our portable dome if time permits and AS LONG AS THERE IS NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY (using a flash disrupts the planetarium experience for others and often renders any photos useless, as the surface of the dark dome merely looks like a big sheet of white)
*** to maximize everyone’s experience (in terms of both education and fun) we ask that participants hold off on pictures until the end when we may have time to display anything participants want to photograph on the dome, as well as pause any motion so pictures come out sharp, rather than blurry***
More frequently-asked-questions (and their answers) here: https://ontarioplanetarium.com/faqs/
Parking
FYI while there seems to be ample parking at most of the locales we visit, occasionally, we are asked to park in ‘pay parking’, for which there is one of two costs:
$30 flat rate within the GTA and Ottawa ($20 in all other areas) billed to you in addition to your current invoice[s]
OR
remit the daily maximum for parking in a lot of your choice out of petty cash
OR
if there is free parking within reasonable walking distance from your property, please advise us and planetarium staff will park there and walk back after unloading the planetarium for set-up
Our cancellation policy
For cancellations up to a month in advance, all but the $100 deposit is refundable.
For cancellations with less than a month’s notice, 50% of the total is refundable.
For cancellations with less than a week’s notice, the entire balance is due (i.e. 0% of the total is refundable.)