No planetariums in Washington meet the criteria for this list.
The term “planetarium” here means a permanent, domed theater with scheduled public shows. That strict definition narrows the results. Many venues offer astronomy programs, but they are not full, fixed planetariums. Also the name “Washington” is ambiguous. If you mean Washington, D.C., that is a different place with its own planetarium(s).
Building and running a true planetarium is costly and rare. Museums and universities often choose cheaper options instead. They use fulldome digital theaters, portable inflatable domes for schools, or observatory nights with telescopes. Some venues have closed or repurposed old domes. As a near match, note the Albert Einstein Planetarium at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., if your search was for “Washington, D.C.”
Related options do exist and may fit what you want. Check fulldome theaters and digital planetarium shows at science centers, mobile planetarium programs used by schools and libraries, university astronomy departments that host public observing nights, and online fulldome streams. Decide whether you mean Washington state or Washington, D.C., then explore those alternative venues and program types instead.
Enjoyed this article?
Get daily 10-minute PDFs about astronomy to read before bed!
Sign up for our upcoming micro-learning service where you will learn something new about space and beyond every day while winding down.