Gávea's stellar attraction, the Planetário features a museum, a praça dos telescópios (telescopes' square) and a couple of state-of-the-art operating cúpulas (domes), each capable of projecting more than 6000 stars onto its walls. Forty-minute sessions in the domes take place on weekends and holidays. Visitors can also take a peek at the night sky through the telescopes on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:30pm to 8:30pm (6:30pm to 7:30pm from June to August).
The modern Museu do Universo (Universe Museum) houses sundials, a Foucault's Pendulum and other permanent exhibitions, plus temporary displays.