What Planetario de Bogot does

Planetario de Bogotá is a public cultural and scientific dissemination institution located in Bogotá, Colombia, inaugurated on December 22, 1969, to commemorate the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Operated as a decentralized entity under the Instituto Distrital de las Artes (Idartes) — itself an agency of the Bogotá Mayor's Office — the Planetario delivers astronomy and space-science programming through a fulldome/360° immersive projection theater, the on-site Museo del Espacio (a Space Museum featuring indigenous cosmogonies and space exploration exhibits), interactive digital games co-developed with Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca, structured educational courses, live talks, laser shows, and immersive audiovisual concerts. It also operates the Tienda del Planetario, an on-site retail outlet selling telescopes, binoculars, and branded merchandise.

The institution serves a broad civilian audience segmented by age and role: children (Niños), youth (Jóvenes), adults, and educators (Docentes), plus organized school and corporate groups. Customer-facing channels include a dedicated Tuboleta online ticketing platform, on-site box office, a group reservation system, and a virtual programming layer via the Idartes en Casa platform (cápsulas, podcasts, observation guides) and social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube). Ticketed events are priced at low absolute levels (approximately COP 30,000–175,000 per event plus service fees), with many events offered free with RSVP.

Commercially, the Planetario generates revenue from four streams: (1) ticket sales for dome shows and immersive experiences via Tuboleta, (2) on-site retail through La Tienda del Planetario, (3) group reservations and private event bookings, and (4) — overwhelmingly — recurring public funding allocations from Idartes and the Bogotá District Government. No private shareholders, equity investors, or commercial divestiture structures exist. The institution is governed as a public-sector cultural equipment rather than a commercial enterprise, with 21 employees supporting an attendance base that peaked at roughly 470,000 visitors in 2019.

Name

Planetario de Bogot

Legal name

Planetario de Bogotá

Website

https://planetariodebogota.gov.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Planetario de Bogotá is a public cultural institution in Bogotá, Colombia, operated under Idartes, delivering fulldome astronomy shows, museum exhibits, and educational programming to families, students, educators, and organized groups across Colombia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Planetarium & Science Education Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Planetarium experiences
• Immersive dome shows
• Science education programs
• Astronomy outreach
• Cultural venue services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bogotá

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales for Dome Shows and Experiences: Paid admission for immersive planetarium shows, cinema experiences, live talks, scientific demonstrations, and immersive audio-visual concerts in the dome theater. Tickets sold through the Tuboleta platform.
2. Souvenir Shop (Tienda del Planetario): Retail sales of astronomy-themed merchandise, specialized literature, binoculars, telescopes, scientific inquiry items for children, and branded Planetario products.
3. Group Reservations and Private Events: Revenue from organized group visits, school field trips, and private event bookings including corporate events and special celebrations in the planetarium facilities.
4. Public Funding from Idartes/Government: Operating as a public institution under the Instituto Distrital de las Artes (Idartes), funded by the District Government of Bogotá for cultural and educational programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Planetario de Bogotá operates a fulldome immersive projection theater and interactive science museum offering ticketed planetarium shows (cinema, scientific, and musical), live educational talks under the dome, structured astronomy and natural-science courses, school programs for children and teachers, and private event hosting. It supplements its core experiences with a retail souvenir shop (La Tienda del Planetario), an astrophotography community platform, and virtual programming through the Idartes en Casa platform.

Product overview

Planetario de Bogotá is a cultural and scientific institution in Bogotá, Colombia, operated by Idartes. The offering is a multi-format portfolio centered around its fulldome (domo) projection system, supplemented by interactive exhibition spaces, educational programs, and a retail operation. Core products include immersive planetarium shows (cinema, scientific shows, and musical experiences), live educational talks, a Space Museum (Museo del Espacio), and astronomy courses. The institution serves family, children, youth, adult, and teacher audiences through differentiated programs. Ancillary offerings include a souvenir shop (La Tienda del Planetario), interactive games, astrophotography platform, and private event hosting. Ticketing is managed through the Tuboleta platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Experiencia Planetario Cine
• Experiencia Planetario Charlas
• Show Inmersivo Científico: Un Viaje a la Luna
• Universo Cuántico: El viaje del Fotón
• Inmersivo Sonoro Tren al Sur
• Inmersivo Sonoro French Touch
• Concierto Amnesia Colectiva - The Virginia Valley
• Juegos Interactivos
• Museo del Espacio
• La Tienda del Planetario
• Curso Tagmas y Antenas
• Programa de Educación para Docentes
• Programa de Educación para Niños
• Convocatoria Permanente de Astrofotografía
• Eventos Privados

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,836,765 total attendance over four-year period as of November 2019
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• APAS (Asociación de Planetarios de América del Sur)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021Association of South American Planetariums. The Planetario de Bogotá was selected to host the XII APAS Congress in December 2021 and assumed the vice presidency for two years. First city in northern South America to host the event.
• Centro de Memoria, Paz y ReconciliacióncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Annual collaborative partner in the 'Ausentes, estrellas presentes' memory program that transforms the planetarium dome into a symbolic space of dignity and resistance for families of victims of forced disappearance. The five-year initiative connects collective memory with astronomy.
• ASFADDES (Asociación de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman rights organization of families of disappeared persons participating in the 'Ausentes, estrellas presentes' memory program at the Planetario.
• Universidad Colegio Mayor de CundinamarcaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for the development of interactive educational games including 'Más allá de las estrellas' (cosmovisions of three cultures) and 'Tiempo en órbita' (planetary science characteristics).
• DESI (Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cosmological experiment and collaboration. The Planetario hosted a talk featuring Miguel Perdomo from Universidad de los Andes about DESI's mission to map the universe using spectroscopic measurements of millions of galaxies.
• Idartes (Instituto Distrital de las Artes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent institution and operational partner. The Planetario is a cultural equipment under Idartes, part of the Mayor's Office of Bogotá, providing institutional support, cross-programming with other cultural venues, and access to the Idartes en Casa virtual platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Planetario Humboldt: Planetarium in Caracas, Venezuela, offering fulldome astronomy and science shows. Directly comparable as a regional Latin American planetarium delivering immersive astronomy experiences and educational content to Spanish-speaking audiences.
• Adler Planetarium: Chicago-based public planetarium operating fulldome theater shows, exhibitions, and educational programming. Directly comparable as a fulldome-led astronomy museum combining immersive shows, museum exhibits, and K-12 outreach, though at much larger scale.
• Planetario Luis Enrique Erro (IPN): Planetarium in Mexico City operated by the Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Directly comparable as a Spanish-language planetarium delivering fulldome astronomy shows, lectures, and educational programs for general audiences and schools.
• Planetário do Rio (Fundação Planetário da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro): Municipal planetarium in Rio de Janeiro operating fulldome shows and educational programs. Directly comparable as a publicly funded Brazilian planetarium combining astronomy education, immersive cinema, and cultural programming for schools and families.
• Planetario de Medellín (Parque Explora): Planetarium and interactive science center complex in Medellín, Colombia. Directly comparable as a Colombian planetarium combining fulldome shows with hands-on science exhibits and K-12 educational programming for a major Colombian city.
• Planetario Galileo Galilei: Buenos Aires planetarium offering fulldome astronomy shows, science outreach, and educational programming under the Argentine government. Directly comparable as a public South American planetarium delivering immersive astronomy experiences to general audiences, schools, and educators.

Broad incumbents

• Hayden Planetarium (American Museum of Natural History): Planetarium within the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Comparable as a fulldome planetarium paired with a broader natural history museum, with public science programming and educator resources, but operates as part of a much larger institutional portfolio.
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: U.S. Smithsonian museum dedicated to aviation and space exploration. Comparable as a public science museum delivering immersive planetarium/IMAX content, exhibitions, and educator programs, but with significantly broader scope, larger scale, and federal backing.

Regional players

• Maloka: Interactive science center in Bogotá, Colombia. Comparable as a domestic Colombian science education venue combining interactive exhibits, educational programming, and family experiences, though focused on broader science rather than astronomy-specific fulldome content.

Emerging players

• Parque Explora: Interactive science center and aquarium complex in Medellín that hosts the Planetario de Medellín. Comparable as a Colombian science center combining immersive experiences, exhibits, and educational programming, with overlapping visitor base and STEM outreach focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=L924pK384PA&feature=youtu.be
• Facebookfacebook.com/El-Observatorio-222314474622521
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planetario-de-bogot

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Planetario de Bogot