You know it’s a good sign when the gift shop is smaller than the exhibition.
That’s true at “Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience,” which opened Aug. 13 at York Street Yards in Denver. The touring, virtual reality showcase of galactic wonders was developed by events producer Fever and directed in VR by Elliott Mizroch, a University of Colorado Leeds School of Business grad who also happened to visit Fiske Planetarium while living in Boulder.
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The show, which is touring other U.S. and international cities, too, pulses with the childlike curiosity that planetariums can invoke — but also with sharp, science-backed imagery and a constellation of accessible facts. It’s arguably the best way for a general audience to connect with astronomy outside of a telescope or sci-fi flick, and easily the best VR exhibit to visit Denver in the last five years.
Some of those VR shows have included 3D-mapped projections of colorful but familiar artworks, or simulations of ancient Egypt and the RMS Titanic. But when an exhibit is thin and facile, as they often are, pricey upgrades and merch can overshadow the whole thing — the tail wagging the dog. (There’s nothing wrong with extra revenue if the exhibit rocks, of course.)
“Starstruck” rocks, but it’s more about feeling than browsing. It’s not fundamentally different in concept than most VR shows, including “Space Explorers: The Infinite,” which ran at Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace in 2024 and used real space imagery to re-create the International Space Station. But that show, as pretty as it was, also felt smudged and crowded at times, sending the viewer in circles instead of transporting them.
Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Astronomical Observatory, “Starstruck” has a spacious setup where you’re unlikely to bump into other attendees, and bright HTC Vive VR headsets that snap into place easily (even for a person with glasses). The weight doesn’t rest too much on your nose or forehead, as with some previous generations, and the wireless roaming is appreciated (again, not true of tethered VR headsets).
After signing a liability waiver and listening to a tech-intro, visitors enter an open room that hosts the exhibition. Once you put on your headset, however, a floating guide (voiced by actor James Seawood) spirits you away so effectively you instantly forget where you really are. Soon you’re standing beneath a giant observatory in Arizona, and looking at a replica of Galileo’s first telescope. Seeing it next to me brought its scale and ingenuity home in a way no photo ever has.
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Soon the show dissolves into outer space, depositing you in a 360-degree star field where you can float next to massive, highly detailed stars on a glowing platform, step on an expo-planet full of lava, and explore actual-sized, famous space telescopes. There are just enough facts and figures to make it feel meaty, and chances for interaction as you press virtual buttons, point your laser-finger to activate panels, and pick up 3D models of the tech you’re exploring.
Seeing these things in relative life-size is like looking up at the Empire State Building from an ant’s perspective; I was especially blown away by the pulsing image of our sun, and seeing in 3D how our Earth stacks up to it truly brought home its dimensions. VR technology has been used to good effect for entertainment, but combining real observatory data from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and other sources gives this show a stately, up-to-date shine. Even if you’ve spent decades learning about space from an armchair, you’ve likely never seen anything like this.
During one visit, there were occasional glitches, such as when a glowing hand appeared and disappeared to my left at times. It’s hard to say why, but it didn’t detract from the overall experience, as weird as it was. The 40 minutes or so that I spent standing on the edge of black holes and flying inside the Pillars of Creation were a space-junkie’s dream. “Starstruck” sets the new standard for touring VR shows, even if you’re wishing you could spend a bit more time off-planet.
If you go
“Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience.” Touring virtual-reality space show running Aug. 13-Sept. 28 at York Street Yards, 3863 Steele St., Suite 1168, in Denver. Ages 10 and up recommended. Tickets: $32-$36. smithsonianstarstruck.com/denver
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