Orion, the hunter
Three stars in a neat row make his belt. Red Betelgeuse is his shoulder, blue Rigel his knee.
When to look: rises in the east around 9pm in November and is high overhead by 2am.
Our centre is named after him.
Wuse 2, Abuja. Open six days a week
Drag the sky over Abuja
Grab the stars and turn them. Find Orion, Sirius and the Southern Cross exactly where they sit over Wuse 2 tonight, then come and see them forty feet wide in our dome.
Find a star pattern
The moving sky is decoration. If it cannot run on your device, a drawing shows Orion rising in the east, and every button here still works: the pattern buttons open a card about each one and the slider sets the time of night.
Every show is presented live by one of our astronomers.
In the dome
Big dome, small seats, bright stars
Three shows a day under a 14 metre dome, each one presented live by a real person who takes questions at the end.
Skies over the savannah
A live tour of tonight's sky over Abuja, and how farmers once read the stars to time the rains.
35 minutes, ages 5 and upRing world
Fly through the ice of Saturn's rings and land, gently, on a moon with lakes of liquid gas.
30 minutes, ages 7 and upOur star
The sun up close: flares, eclipses and why solar panels on Abuja rooftops work so well.
25 minutes, ages 4 and upExhibits
Six halls you are meant to touch
More than 180 exhibits to push, pull, spin and test. Nobody here will ask your children to keep their hands to themselves.
- 01
Forces and motion
Race ramps, a hovercraft you ride, and the wind tunnel that lifts paper rockets.
- 02
Living planet
A walk-through rainforest floor, a weather station on the roof and a Sahel sand table.
- 03
Tiny worlds
Twenty microscopes, pond water from Jabi Lake and a giant mosquito you can take apart.
- 04
Bright sparks
Build a circuit, power a toy city with solar panels, ring the 10,000 volt bell safely.
- 05
Little explorers
A soft play moon base for under 6s, with a crater pit and a rocket you can climb.
- 180+hands-on exhibits
- 6halls and a dome
- 120seats under the stars
- 41kvisitors last year (example)
Schools
School trips they talk about for weeks
Workshops for Primary 1 to SS3 that follow the Nigerian curriculum, with lab coats, real equipment and a sky show to finish. One teacher goes free for every ten pupils.
- 01
Pick a day
Tuesday to Friday, or a Monday all to yourselves when we are closed to the public.
- 02
Choose workshops
Kitchen chemistry, build a rover, our solar system, the human body and eight more.
- 03
Pay a 20% deposit
By transfer or card through Receivly. The balance is due a week before.
- 04
Arrive by bus
Covered drop-off at the north gate. We can send a bus within the FCT.
Forty-two of our JSS1 pupils came, and every one of them could explain friction on the bus home. The staff were patient and very well organised.
Parties and camps
Birthdays under the stars
A private sky show with the birthday child's name in the stars, a lab party with slime and rockets, then cake in the Comet Room. We set up, we clean up.
Holiday camps run in December, Easter and the long vacation. Children build, launch and test something new every day, and go home with it on Friday.
Plan your visit
Book online to skip the queue at the gate. Under 3s are always free. These are example prices for this demo.
Opening hours
- Tuesday to Friday9am to 6pm
- Saturday10am to 8pm, late sky shows
- Sunday12 noon to 6pm
- MondayClosed, school bookings only
Last entry one hour before closing. Power is backed up by our solar plant and generator, so the halls never go dark.
Getting here
18 Starlight Close, Wuse 2, Abuja (example address). Free parking for 80 cars, a covered drop-off for school buses, and a quiet north gate for ride-hailing pickups. Ten minutes from the Central Business District outside rush hour.
What families say
From our visitor book and the Vablus chat, shared with permission. Example reviews for this demo.
My daughter found Orion from our balcony the same night. She now drags me outside every evening to check on him.
We booked in the chat on the way from Gwarinpa and paid by transfer before we parked. No queue at all.
The dome show was pitched perfectly for a five year old and a fifteen year old at the same time. Not easy.
Read, then come
Stories from our astronomers and lab team, and what is on in the next few weeks.
Quick questions
Do I need to book?
Booking online is not required, but timed tickets guarantee entry on busy Saturdays and in the school holidays. Walk-ins are welcome when there is space.
Is there food?
The Crater Cafe serves jollof, small chops, fruit and drinks from 10am. You are welcome to eat your own packed lunch in the picnic garden.
What if NEPA takes light?
Nothing changes for you. A solar plant with batteries runs the halls, and a generator backs up the dome.
Can I pay by POS or transfer?
Yes. Card, POS, bank transfer and Receivly links all work at the front desk and online.
The sky is waiting
Book a time, pick a show and come a little early for parking.