Entry No. 79 — the Des Moines file — filed under: after-dark
Star Parties at the Science Center of Iowa
The Science Center of Iowa runs free Solar and Star Parties where staff and volunteers set up high-powered telescopes for the public to view the Sun, Moon, planets, double stars and meteor showers. Solar parties pop up downtown by the museum during the farmers market, while evening star parties rotate among the Science Center, Drake Municipal Observatory and the Ashton Observatory out near Mingo. Pair it with the center's 50-foot domed Star Theater planetarium and its live "Iowa Skies Tonight" sky tour, and you get an indoor immersive sky show plus real telescope time, with guides on hand to help you actually find targets. No tickets or registration required for the star parties.
The move: Catch a planetarium show under the dome, then step outside to the free star party and let a society volunteer point a telescope at the Moon's craters for you.
📍 Before you go Star parties are scheduled, weather-dependent events (free) held at varying locations, so check SCI's calendar for the next date and venue. Planetarium shows are ticketed separately during regular hours.
- 📍 Downtown Des Moines (Western Gateway)
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Science Center of Iowa, 401 W Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3
last checked: 2026-06-23