Encounters in the Milky Way

Encounters in the Milky Way is playing at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and it runs through December 18, 2026. The show is narrated by Pedro Pascal, so you'll recognize that voice guiding you through the stars. It's a planetarium production, which means you're leaning back and looking up at the galaxy while Pascal walks you through it.

There's a specific reason the museum is putting this on. Ka Chun Yu, the museum's curator of space science, says that kids' interest in STEM often drops off a couple of weeks after the initial excitement of a planetarium visit wears off. This show is part of the museum's effort to keep that curiosity going long after the lights come up. It's not just a one-off trip; it's meant to be a way to keep young minds engaged with space and science over the long haul.

If you've never spent much time there, the museum has been a part of Denver's cultural scene for more than 125 years. It's known for its award-winning wildlife dioramas, gems and minerals, mummies, and dinosaur remains. The planetarium itself does more than just shows like this one—it also screens giant-screen films and hosts a T-Rex encounter.

Encounters in the Milky Way runs alongside the museum's free monthly lectures and its 22-year-old Sci-Fi Film Series, which it runs with Denver Film. That series pairs movie screenings with a planetary scientist who tests the film's science against real facts. Between the show, the lectures, and the film series, there's plenty to do around the museum if you're into space. Encounters in the Milky Way runs through December 18, 2026, at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.