Pricing
All fees associated with the AstroDome Planetarium appear below. To find out how much it will cost to bring the AstroDome Planetarium to your school, all you have to do is request a no-obligation quote. Please be sure to include your location, a listing of the school programs that you're interested in, and the number of students that will be taking part in each program. Also, if it will be a multi-day visit, please be sure to mention that too.
Admission Fee
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The Admission Fee is based on the length of the planetarium program and it ranges from $6.60 to $8.60 per participant. The Admission Fee does not apply to teachers and group leaders.
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Most programs can be adjusted ±5 minutes to better accommodate your schedule.
$1.00 from each and every Admission Fee will go towards AstroDome 2.0 (Part B).
Multi-Student Discounts
You can receive a generous discount when 80 or more students participate in an AstroDome program. The discount starts at 5% and goes all the way up to 25% and all the details appear below.
5% OFF the Admission Fee when 80 to 139 students participate in a program.
10% OFF the Admission Fee when 140 to 209 students participate in a program.
15% OFF the Admission Fee when 210 to 289 students participate in a program.
20% OFF the Admission Fee when 290 to 379 students participate in a program.
25% OFF the Admission Fee when 380 or more students participate in a program.
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Travel CosT
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The Travel Cost associated with bringing the AstroDome Planetarium to your location is calculated based on the distance from High River, Alberta.
The map below shows the area where the AstroDome typically travels. The area within the thick red line has been subdivided into three zones, which are referred to as Zone A, Zone B (Calgary) and Zone C. There is also a Zone D, which is the rest of Alberta, beyond the thick red line. The travel cost associated with each zone appears below. 
The Travel Cost includes one set-up and take-down of the AstroDome, at your location. If for some reason you require the AstroDome to be set-up and taken down more than once, there will be an additional fee applied for each additional occurrence.
Zone A ($92)
This zone includes High River, Okotoks, Nanton, Cayley, De Winton, Blackie, Millarville, Longview, and Diamond Valley, which was formerly known as Black Diamond and Turner Valley.
Zone B ($144)
This zone covers Calgary and if your school is located within the official city limits, your Travel Cost will be $144. If your school is located just a little bit beyond the city limits, then you're in Zone C.
Zone C ($155)
This zone includes Airdrie, Strathmore, Chestermere, Carseland, Langdon, Indus, Cochrane, and Bragg Creek.
Zone D (To Be Determined)
This zone includes all parts of Alberta located beyond the zones mentioned above. The Travel Cost associated with this zone will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Please note that a multi-day road trip into Zone D (going from school to school) is a great way to save money, compared to making several individual trips into Zone D, over the course of the school year. Schools in Didsbury, Innisfail, Penhold, and Rocky Mountain House often team-up and take advantage of this cost-saving measure. Your school and other schools in neighbouring towns can do the same!
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Administrative Fee
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The basic Administrative Fee is $71 per booking, but this fee is based on how much administrative work is associated with your booking. If your school (or more likely your school division) has requirements that result in additional administrative work (more than normal) this will increase the Administrative Fee.
Administrative Fee
NOTES:
¹ If an EPSB school submits payment directly from the school office, or if the payment comes from Parent Council / School Council, the Administrative Fee will be $71. However, if the invoice is sent to the EPSB Division Office for payment, the Administrative Fee will be $497. Last Updated: August 25, 2026
The Administrative Fee helps to offset the many costs associated with operating a business, such as bank fees, credit card processing fees, post office box rental fee, annual WCB-Alberta premiums, and liability insurance. It also helps to pay for the many time-consuming behind the scenes tasks that are associated with operating the planetarium, such as responding to inquiries, scheduling bookings, writing quotes and invoices, banking and bookkeeping, completing annual GST returns, and equipment maintenance and repairs.
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Goods and Services Tax (GST)
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Starting in late 2017, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was added to all AstroDome invoices, as mandated by the Government of Canada. You will find the GST Registration Number clearly printed on your invoice. Many schools receive a GST rebate, upon submitting a GST rebate claim to the Federal Government. Be sure to ask the office administrator at your school for more information regarding the GST.
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How Much Does It All Cost?
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For schools located in Zone A, Zone B, and Zone C, the total cost (under normal circumstances) is the sum of the Admission Fee, the Travel Cost, and the Administrative Fee, less any Discounts that may apply. Also, of course, there will be GST applied to the total.
For most, but not all, schools in Zone D, there is one additional charge in the amount of $219/day that will be added to the cost. This extra charge is added to cover the cost associated with Accommodation and Meals. |
Accommodation and Meals
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When the AstroDome Planetarium is taken to locations that are greater than 160 km from High River, an additional charge in the amount of $219/day will usually be added to your invoice. This charge is used to cover the added expenses that are associated with Accommodation and Meals.
However, a possible exception exists for schools that are located between 160 km and 199 km from High River. If your school is located that far away AND you don't mind starting the planetarium programs 45 to 60 minutes after the start of the school day, then this additional charge can be waived. The late start is due to the extra travel time required to reach the location. The following towns and cities are all approximately 160 km to 199 km from High River: Crowsnest Pass, Pincher Creek, Lethbridge, Taber, Vauxhall, Brooks, Drumheller, Olds, Sundre, Banff, and Canmore. |
Convenience Fee
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Did you know that every time you use a credit card, the merchant has to pay a 2% to 3% processing fee? On a typical AstroDome invoice, that works out to be $25 to $40, which is a lot of money compared to the $0 charge that is associated with payments made via Interac e-Transfer. That's why so many merchants now charge a convenience fee to customers who choose to use a credit card.
As it turns out, my payment processor / point of sale provider (Square) explicitly prohibits merchants from manually adding a service charge that targets credit card users. Apparently, doing so violates their Terms of Service. So, to get around this, all the AstroDome prices have recently increased and starting in September 2026 everyone who pays their invoice using a payment method other than a credit card will receive a discount. This discount will be between 2% and 3% and will be known as the "Cash Discount" even though it will apply to several different payment methods other than cash. For more details regarding this new discount, be sure to take a look at the Special Offers and Discounts page. |
Special Offers and Discounts
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Almost every school can qualify for some sort of discount to lower the cost of an AstroDome visit. Some schools qualify for two or three discounts! There are Multi-Student Discounts (see above) and there is also a special First-Visit Discount. Many schools receive a Loyalty Reward Discount. There is even a brand new "Cash Discount" available to anyone who submits their payment using a payment method that does not involve a credit card.
Click here for more information regarding Special Offers and Discounts. |