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The Astro Park is one of our favorite hidden gems in Chiang Mai for families with kids. Having visited Chiang Mai several times, we are sad that we did not discover this place sooner.
As a full-time world-schooling family, the Astro Park in Chiang Mai is genuinely one of our favorite spots to visit with our kids. If you have some time in Chiang Mai with kids, we really do recommend that you take a visit. There are, however, a few things that you need to know before you go. For example, how do you attend an English-speaking presentation in the planetarium? How can you take part in the innovative activities and craft programs? How much does it cost to visit the Astro Park, and how do you get there? We will answer these questions and more. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know to plan a visit to the Astro Park in Chiang Mai.
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What is the Astro Park?
The Astro Park in Chiang Mai is an observatory and astronomical research center with an innovative science museum, planetarium, and creative STEM projects for kids. They also host special activities such as free stargazing (using a powerful telescope).
The Astro Park in Chiang Mai can be a little confusing because it is known by several similar names (and all of these names refer to the same place). It is more commonly known as the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) – this is how you can find it on Google Maps. It is also called Princess Sirindhorn Astro Park. This is how you find it on taxi apps like Grab and Bolt. For the sake of simplicity, we will just refer to it as the Astro Park in Chiang Mai.
We recommend allowing at least half a day to enjoy the Astro Park in Chiang Mai (but you could easily spend a full day there!)
Here is a quick overview of the Astro Park Chiang Mai
The main building:
- Floor 3: Main Entrance, Planetarium, Ticket Desk, Gift Shop
- Floor 2: Exhibition (museum) Toilets, Restaurant
- Floor 1: Exhibition (experiments & museum), Toilets, Science Square Activities
Observatory Building – Telescope with FREE sessions
1 The Exhibition (Science and Technology Museum)
The exhibition is a free science and technology museum with a space-themed exhibition on floors 1 and 2. The exhibition has a range of demonstrations, experiments, and activities to help kids connect with a range of science concepts. Kids can learn about the solar system, seasons, gravitation, and the planets; they can even see real meteor samples (including the impressive Campo Del Cielo meteor). Floor 1 has a wide range of interactive and engaging experiments where kids can learn about light, sound, energy, and forces.
There is a spacious restaurant on the second floor. Prices are generally quite reasonable; you can get a fresh fruit shake for around 60 baht, and they also have meals starting for around 100 baht (the restaurant also has baby chairs). There is a small kids’ outdoor play park next to the observatory.
2 The Planetarium
There is a large planetarium with daily shows (planetarium shows are normally in Thai language). They do have an English show at 11:00 in the morning on Fridays. The planetarium shows are a lot of fun and a unique experience with kids. There is a live talk where you see a range of constellations, and there is also a short but fascinating space and science-themed movie. The planetarium is surprisingly affordable (50 baht for adults and 30 baht for kids). You can just show up and pay on the day; no need to pre-book tickets.
3 The Gift Shop
There is also an engaging gift shop right next to the ticket office, close to the planetarium entrance. The gift shop is small but packed with a lot of fascinating toys and experiments. Most items in the gift shop range in price between 30 baht and 300 baht. The gift shop is very good value for money and has some very innovative ideas for curious kids. With everything else being free, it’s nice to splash out on your kids.
4 Science Square (Daily Science Projects)
The Astro Park also has daily science projects throughout the day. These projects are staffed by lovely local volunteers (they generally have a good level of English and support kids well). Kids of all ages can attend and take part in the projects – but the ideal age is from 4 – 12 years old. They normally take around 1.5 hours and involve experiments and craft activities such as building rockets, gears, and other models.
The science square is situated on the first floor. You do not need to pre-book sessions; you can just show up around 5 or 10 minutes before the session. Craft sessions generally start at 9:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and 10:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Chemistry sessions generally start at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Sessions are great value for money, costing only 100 baht per child (follow a specific schedule). This is roughly £3 or $2.50. Kids get to keep what they make in the sessions. They also have small projects available throughout the day (glow-in-the-dark slime and perfume project for 30 baht).
5 Observatory Sessions
The Astro Park also hosts free observatory sessions where you can gaze at the stars through a professional telescope. Observatory sessions run from November to May every Saturday evening from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. This does coincide with Burning Season (January to May). On a smoky day, you can still see a few stars.
How Do You Get to the Astro Park from Chiang Mai?
There are not any public buses running to the Astro Park from Chiang Mai, so you will need to use a taxi. The cheapest and most convenient way to take a taxi in Chiang Mai is to use the Grab taxi app or the Bolt Taxi App. This enables you to get affordable taxis. In our experience, taxis are very quick and responsive, and it is very easy to get a return taxi, so you do not need to get your driver to wait. If you use a taxi app, a taxi from Old City costs around 100 – 150 baht (roughly £2 – £3 or $2.50 – $3.50).
