Hemisfèric

Designed by Santiago Calatrava, Hemisfèric resembles a giant human eye and houses a large projection hall with a concave screen for 3D films, planetarium shows, and laser displays.

Planning your visit

The Hemisferic is the eye. Santiago Calatrava designed it as an enormous human eye lying beside a reflecting pool in Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences — the elliptical roof opens like an eyelid, and the whole structure with its reflection completes the sphere. It opened in 1998 as the first building in the complex, and it remains the most photographed.

Inside is a 900-square-metre concave screen used for three purposes: IMAX-format documentary films, planetarium shows projecting the night sky, and laser displays. Films run on a rotating schedule with headphone translation into several languages.

The building's practical role in the complex is as the shorter, seated component alongside the Science Museum next door, which is a substantial walking visit, and the Oceanografic aquarium beyond it. Combining two or three in a day is standard, and combination tickets are cheaper than separate admissions.

Screening times structure the visit, so checking the schedule before arriving matters. Allow around forty-five minutes for a show, half a day with the neighbouring museum. Bookable options include combo tickets with the Science Museum. Current availability is shown below.