B. M. Birla Planetarium

B. M. Birla Planetarium is a modern astronomy theatre located within the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus on Gandhi Mandapam Road in Kotturpuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Inaugurated in 1988, it features a hemispherical dome with opto-mechanical and digital projection systems presenting shows on the solar system, eclipses and cosmic phenomena. It is a major science education centre in Chennai, attracting students and visitors for its immersive sky shows and science exhibits.

Visitors can expect an indoor domed sky theatre offering scheduled audio-visual shows on astronomy and space science with projections of stars, planets and cosmic phenomena. The planetarium is housed within the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus which also contains science exhibition halls, interactive models, a science park and galleries. Shows are conducted in English and Tamil at fixed timings, with seating inside a darkened dome. The surroundings are an institutional campus near Gandhi Mandapam and Anna University.

Established as part of the Periyar Science and Technology Centre and inaugurated on 11 May 1988 by then President of India R. Venkataraman. Built with support from industrialist G.D. Birla in memory of B.M. Birla and operated by the Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre (TNSTC), an autonomous body of the Government of Tamil Nadu, to promote astronomy and science education.

Serves as Chennai's principal public astronomy education centre, promoting scientific temper and space awareness among students and the general public through regular sky shows, science exhibitions and educational programmes.