The starry sky has always captivated us. We explore planets, discover distant galaxies, and send telescopes into space. Always with the same question: What is our place in the universe? But experiencing space itself has, until now, been reserved for only a few astronauts. Until now.
Smithsonian’s Star Worlds has now opened its doors at the Immersive Center Donauturm in Vienna to transport you into the vastness of the cosmos. You don’t just see and hear the universe—you feel it and are right in the middle of it. This is made possible by a multisensory virtual reality experience that uses scientific data to bring the cosmos to life in an immersive way. Developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory —the world’s largest museum, education, and research network—you’ll travel through space and time, past sparkling galaxies, the birth of new stars, and all the way to the edge of a black hole.
Your journey through the cosmos, right in the heart of Vienna, can begin right now.
5 November 2026 12:20 + more dates
Immersive Center Donauturm
Here’s what awaits you at Smithsonian’s Star Worlds
Your journey begins at the Smithsonian’s Whipple Observatory under a sky full of constellations. From there, you’ll explore the mysteries of our galaxy using the most powerful space telescopes. Listen to the vibrations of the Sun and witness massive solar flares that are up to 30 times larger than Earth.
Next, you’ll travel to the distant exoplanet Janssen, also known as the Diamond Planet. There, you ’ll immerse yourself in an alien world of glowing lava, active volcanoes, and sparkling diamond structures . The view of this extreme exoplanet highlights just how special conditions on Earth are: thanks to its location in the so-called Goldilocks Zone, Earth offers the ideal conditions for life.
Another fascinating moment awaits you at Betelgeuse: Witness the red supergiant explode in a massive supernova, hurling the building blocks for new stars, planets, and perhaps even life into space.
Finally, you’ll venture to the edge of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, and watch as a star is captured by its immense gravitational pull. In the process, a massive cloud of matter is ejected into space and spreads far across the galaxy.
Smithsonian’s Star Worlds combines solid science, compelling storytelling, and state-of-the-art VR technology into an extraordinary journey through the cosmos. Based on verified data from NASA, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the ESA, iconic space images are transformed into three-dimensional worlds. You don’t just observe the universe—you dive right into its fascinating phenomena.
This experience awaits you now at the Immersive Center Donauturm.
Smithsonian’s STARSTRUCK: An Immersive Journey Through the Cosmos
5 November 2026 12:20 + more dates
Immersive Center Donauturm
