Hudson River Museum Extends Pink Floyd Planetarium Viewings

The Hudson River Museum (HRM) recently announced new showings of Pink Floyd’s 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon. These shows will be held every summer Saturday from July 13 through August 17 (except July 27). The show is recommended for ages 10 and up.

These screenings, which combine music from the iconic album with visuals of the solar system, are part of an international “planetarium project” that honors the fiftieth anniversary of the album. The origin of these shows was a press conference held at the London Planetarium shortly before the release of the album, in which the band shunned a public appearance in defiance of their label’s expectations. The planetarium show was an undeniable success nonetheless..  Fifty years later, the show honors not only the popularity of the album, but also the anti-establishment showmanship that came to characterize the band.

Says HRM’s Senior Planetarium Educator, Ron Palumbo: “Unlike homemade light shows ‘inspired by’ the music of Pink Floyd’s masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon, this is the first and only show produced and endorsed by the band itself.” The show includes the entire 42-minute album played front to back along with remastered surround sound and 360-degree visuals.

The HRM’s decision to extend these viewings is a response to popular demand. Palumbo explains that “word has gotten around that it’s worth it,” noting that these viewings have consistently sold out. Tickets come with free general admission to the Museum.