As it is immediately apparent, the planetarium is committed to disseminating information on astronomy and related sciences to the public through the use of modern technology in a comfortable and cultural atmosphere.

located in gávea near the most popular areas in rio and established in 1970, the institution comprises a ground area of 16 thousand square meters, and offers to the general public, educators and schools the innovative museum of the universe, the praça dos telescópios (a telescopes area) and two cutting-edge operating domes - the telescopes area, normally open on Wednesdays between 6:30 and 7:30 pm may be closed on cloudy or rainy days.

the institution, which is conceived to be of both a playful and educational nature, features an interactive permanent exhibition, temporary exhibitions, 40-minute dome sessions, guided tours of the museum, weekly observations of the sky through telescopes, and has a library with a collection of approximately 2,500 books and educational videos, specializing in astronomy, astronautics, astrophysics and physics.