Beijing's winter chill and wind were as fierce as they have been all year yesterday, but that did not stop Kong Fan, and her 7-year-old daughter in their quest for science.
They spent nearly an hour braving the wintry elements, queuing up at the entrance of the newly refurbished
Beijing Planetarium yesterday to buy tickets.
"She is very much interested in things like the stars and has been eager to come here," Kong said, while her daughter was curiously looking around after entering the planetarium.
The planetarium opened to the public on December 12 after three years of construction and an investment of 300 million yuan (US$36.1 million).
It is located near the old one, which has been hosting visitors since 1957.
As the largest and most advanced planetarium in China, it is expected to satisfy the thirst of people, especially the young, who have a keen zest and great curiosity for their universe.
Since the opening, there have been large numbers of visitors every day, staff members said.
"Here, I've gotten vivid ideas about the planets... such as how they rotate and move around the sun," said 11-year-old Xu Chengfan.
Xu said the knowledge will be helpful for him to take to school and share in classes on nature.
"I will tell my classmates what I have watched and learnt here," he said proudly.
Grandpa Zhao, who took along his grandson to see the exhibits, said the new planetarium is more advanced than the old one.
"They've equipped it with some facilities which can make the children feel they are really in the universe," he said.
Such facilities include a digital space theatre and a four-dimensional (4D) theatre which shows short movies on the evolution of the universe and life.
There is also a space simulator that can put people in an adventure escaping from a dinosaur island. But it was being checked out yesterday and was not open, a disappointment to visitors.
"At first, there is water... then there come dinosaurs. And at last human beings appear," described Zhao's grandson, who just came out of the theatre. "It is so interesting!" he said, adding he could not wait to enter the digital space theatre.
Admitting it is worth of visiting, Zhao nonetheless said he believes ticket prices are a bit expensive.
The 4D theatre and the space simulator cost 30 yuan (US$3.6) for adults and 20 yuan (US$2.4) for children, while the digital space theatre is priced at 45 yuan (US$5.4) for adults and 35 yuan (US$4.2) for children.
For adults, there is no problem, but "the prices for children should be lower," Zhao said, adding that when he was buying tickets, many people around him complained about the high prices.
"After all, the State invested in this and it serves as a tool for instruction. So it should be cheaper," he said.
But Xu Chengfan's mother, Hu Dianhui, said as long as the shows are interesting and instructive for children, prices are not a problem.
"We just come without concerns for the prices," she said, adding that people cannot go often unless there are new programmes.
