Starlab is Going On the Road!
We’ll select up to 3 schools to bring an unforgettable Starlab Day to your students.
We're taking Starlab on the road to bring immersive, planetarium-style learning directly into schools across the country. Nominate your school for a totally free Starlab Day visit, giving students a front-row seat to science in a full 360° view.
Nominations are now closed, but stay tuned.
Winners will be announced April 6th!
Immersive, hands-on science matters, and seeing the universe up close changes the way students think about science and maybe even their futures. Starlab Days is designed to:
- Celebrate schools championing engaging science education
- Reach more students who deserve extraordinary learning moments
- Show educators what's possible with immersive STEM tools
If your school is selected, here’s what you can expect:
- Day 1: Our team arrives and sets up. We’ll host a private viewing for key leaders in your school/district.
- Day 2: It’s show time with a full day of viewings for your students.
- Day 3: Final showings for students in the morning, with our team breaking down and leaving by lunchtime.
Please review before submitting your nomination.
Schools must meet the following baseline requirements to be eligible:
- Must be a K–12 school located in the continental United States
- Must have an indoor space large enough to safely set up the Starlab dome: 12.5ft high, 19 ft diameter (gym, cafeteria, multi-purpose room, or similar)
- Can provide teacher or staff supervision for all participating classes
- Must provide administrative approval to participate if selected
- Must agree to allow photo/video capture during the visit for promotional purposes
See full Contest Terms & Conditions
Short and Sweet Headlines are Best!
Input your text here! The text element is intended for longform copy that could potentially include multiple paragraphs.
Submitting your nomination takes just a few minutes, but could lead to a lifetime memory for your students.
Tell your story:
- Why does your school want a Starlab visit?
- How would this experience benefit your students?
- What makes your science program or community unique?
- How would Starlab positively benefit your students/community?
Get creative with your nomination and add supporting photos/videos that highlight what's unique about your community and their excitement for Starlab! Upload or include any optional supporting details (photos, testimonials, or program highlights) to strengthen your submission.
We’ll share your nomination on our Facebook page (@OfficialStarlab) and encourage you to share and promote the nomination post to help build visibility for your school.
Sit tight! Finalists and selected schools will be notified directly once evaluations are complete.
Nominations will be reviewed by the Science Interactive team based on a combination of:
Why this experience would make a meaningful difference for students
Evidence of school and community engagement
Innovative or inspiring approaches to STEM education
Supporting a diverse selection of schools nationwide
All dates subject to final confirmation.
- Nominations open: January, 2026
- Nomination deadline: February 27, 2026
- Finalist notifications: March 30, 2026
- Winning schools announced: April 6, 2026
- Starlab Days begin: May, 2026
Selected schools will coordinate visit dates directly with our team.
Nominate Your School
What Educators Are Saying
"The Starlab is ideal for engaging our field trip students of all age groups. Our schools have loved the Day and Night and the Planet sessions pre-loaded into the system as they relate so well to the school standards they teach in the classroom."
Emmie Enochs
Education Coordinator, The Discovery Center
“For a lot of students, Starlab is the highlight of their year. Teachers come back and say the students are so excited that they get to do this every year. It’s a tremendous opportunity to be able to give more students a fully immersive learning experience that broadens their understanding of STEM and the world around them.”
Marcus Sherman
K-12 Science Curriculum Specialist
A lot of our students don’t go to planetariums and aren’t exposed to math, science and technology like this. So with the Starlab experience, we’re able to trigger a deeper level of curiosity, which could potentially become a passion or career, and that for me, is an intrinsic goal. It’s why I like the flexibility of being able to take students on this adventure—seeing different things, in different places, far and beyond this Earth.
Kristin Ward
K-5 STEM Coach
Danbury Public Schools
K–12 schools across the contiguous United States. Educators, instructors, administrators, district leaders, and PTA leadership can all submit nominations on behalf of their schools. We’ll choose 3 schools through our nomination and evaluation process.
Nominations open in January, with visits scheduled between May and December 2026.
Yes. Selected schools receive a Starlab visit at no cost.
Program length varies depending on scheduling needs but generally includes multiple sessions throughout the school day.
Starlab fits comfortably in most gyms, cafeterias, or multipurpose rooms but must be able to accommodate 12.5ft high and 19 ft diameter.
No. Everything required for the experience is brought by the Starlab team.
Each visit includes trained Starlab facilitators who guide students through the immersive content.
The Starlab experience can be adapted for elementary, middle, and high school students.
That depends on school size and scheduling logistics. Each Starlab show accommodates between 25 - 30 students, and we will offer multiple sessions. Sessions rotate groups through the dome throughout the day.
Yes. Multiple nominations strengthen a school’s story and show collective support.
Community sharing is encouraged to amplify visibility, but final selections are based on overall nomination merit.
Yes. But each school should submit its own nomination.
Programming can include astronomy, Earth science, space exploration, and other immersive STEM topics appropriate for age level. For more, visit starlab.com/curriculum/. Starlab will document visits through photos and video for promotional storytelling. Schools are encouraged to promote the visit through local media as well.
All nominees will still receive exclusive resources, sneak peeks, and priority updates about Starlab opportunities.
Absolutely. Participation in the contest does not require or obligate any purchase.
Ready to bring the universe to your students?
This is your chance to turn science class into something unforgettable.
Nominate your school today, and let us come to you.
Nominate Your School
