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Hayden Planetarium's Space Theater Reopens Wednesday

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - It's another step toward a return to normalcy in New York City.

The American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium Space Theater is reopening with limited capacity Wednesday. It had been closed since last March.

The move comes as New York eased restrictions on movie theaters. The Space Theater is still following safety protocols: Timed entry tickets must be reserved in advance, and capacity is limited to 48 guests per show. The theater ordinarily seats 429.

"We are thrilled to reopen the doors of the Hayden Planetarium Space Theater, a world-class facility with a long and storied history of bringing our visitors to the outer limits of space and the universe," said Ellen Futter, president of the museum. "As New York City continues to extend its reopening and recovery, we are proud for this iconic theater to once again offer experiences that are transporting, enriching, and grounded in authentic science."

"I'm an astrophysicist today because of a first encounter I had with the Hayden Planetarium when I was a child," said Neil deGrasse Tyson, the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium. "And since then, the planetarium has continued to serve as the public's conduit to the cosmos. Today – through the power of computing and the theater's advanced digital projection system – visitors can experience what happens when we bring the universe down to Earth."

The American Museum of Natural History itself reopened in September.

To reserve a ticket for the Space Theater, CLICK HERE.

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