Exploring the Universe Together: Lethbridge’s Solar System Adventure for Families
- Brittany Molenaar
- May 18
- 3 min read
There is something magical about watching a child look up at the night sky and realize, for the very first time, just how big the universe really is.
In Lethbridge, that wonder has been transformed into something families can actually walk through, bike through, explore together, and experience as a community.
The Lethbridge Solar System Model is one of the most creative educational projects in our city: a giant scaled model of our solar system spread across Lethbridge and surrounding areas. It transforms astronomy from something distant and abstract into something children can physically experience.
And honestly? It is one of the coolest free family activities available in our community.
What Is the Lethbridge Solar System Model?
The project is an enormous outdoor scale model of our solar system created so families, students, and community members can experience the true distances between planets.
Instead of seeing planets squeezed together on a page in a textbook, participants travel across the city to discover each planet at realistic scaled distances.
The experience begins with the Sun downtown and stretches all the way outward toward Neptune.
Each stop includes educational information, fun facts, and opportunities for children to engage with astronomy in an interactive way.
This project was created through the incredible work of the Lethbridge Astronomy Society alongside community partnerships and local supporters dedicated to science education, exploration, and public learning.
Their work has helped make astronomy accessible, exciting, and community-driven for families throughout Southern Alberta.
🪐 Where Are the Planets?
Here are some of the major locations families can explore:
Planet | Approximate Location |
Sun | Downtown Post Office Clock Tower |
Mercury | Lethbridge Public Library area |
Venus | Near the Yates / courthouse area |
Earth & Moon | Downtown core |
Mars | Galt Museum & Archives |
Jupiter | University of Lethbridge |
Saturn | Chinook High School area |
Uranus | Broxburn area |
Neptune | Park Lake Provincial Park |
The farther you travel from the Sun, the more children begin to understand the astonishing scale of space itself.
And suddenly, science becomes real.
🚴 How Families Can Participate
One of the best parts of this project is that there is no “wrong” way to explore it.
Families can:
Walk between downtown planets
Bike sections of the route
Turn it into a scavenger hunt
Explore one planet per day
Plan a weekend road trip adventure
Use it as a homeschool or summer learning activity
Take selfies at every planet
Track which planets they have “visited”
Children can participate at nearly any age level.
Young children enjoy:
discovering giant planets,
learning fun planet names,
and imagining alien worlds.
Older children and teens can dive deeper into:
astronomy,
scale mathematics,
orbital science,
moon phases,
and planetary environments.
It turns the entire city into a living classroom.
Extra Activities & Events
The Lethbridge Astronomy Society also hosts public astronomy opportunities throughout the year, including:
telescope viewing nights,
educational talks,
observatory events,
and family-friendly astronomy programming.
Meanwhile, the Helen Schuler Nature Centre has helped bring astronomy to children through inflatable planetarium experiences and educational sky programs.
These programs often include:
constellation learning,
Indigenous sky knowledge,
guided universe tours,
and interactive learning experiences for kids.
Community organizations like the Galt Museum & Archives have also supported astronomy-themed family events and educational outreach.
This is what community learning looks like when organizations come together.
Why This Matters
Projects like this do something important.
They remind children that learning does not only happen inside classrooms.
It happens:
while biking with siblings,
asking questions,
staring up at stars,
laughing beside parents,
and discovering together.
In a world increasingly dominated by screens and isolation, this project encourages:
movement,
curiosity,
imagination,
science literacy,
family connection,
and community exploration.
And perhaps most importantly…
It creates wonder.
Wonder matters.
Wonder inspires future scientists, teachers, artists, engineers, dreamers, and explorers.
Thank You to the Organizations and Volunteers
We want to extend sincere gratitude to:
local educators,
volunteers,
partner organizations,
community planners,
and everyone involved in creating and maintaining this incredible experience.
Community projects like this do not happen accidentally.
They happen because passionate people care deeply about children, learning, science, and building meaningful experiences for families.
Thank you for helping make Lethbridge a city where curiosity can thrive.
How to Start Your Family Adventure
Choose your first planet stop
Bring water, sunscreen, and walking shoes
Take photos along the way
Let your children ask questions
Have fun learning together
And most importantly…
Look up.
The universe is bigger, stranger, and more beautiful than we sometimes remember.
And here in Lethbridge, our community has found a way to bring a little piece of that universe down to Earth.
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