Kolkata gets its own front-row seat to National Space Day this year. The Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM) on Gurusaday Road is running a three-day programme from August 23 to 25, built around the same milestone the whole country is marking this weekend: the third anniversary of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander touching down near the Moon’s south pole in 2023. Expect a live science show, an open quiz on India’s space programme, and telescope sessions after dark, all aimed at anyone curious about space rather than just students or specialists.
What’s On at BITM This Weekend
BITM is a unit of the National Council of Science Museums under the Ministry of Culture, and it’s built its National Space Day programme around three recurring sessions rather than a single one-off event, so there’s a reason to drop by more than once over the three days.
SPACE-tacular Science Show, 11 am daily
A live demonstration-style show aimed at making space science approachable, running each of the three mornings at 11 am.
India in Space Quiz, 12 noon daily
An open-house quiz testing what visitors know about India’s space milestones, from Aryabhata to Gaganyaan, starting at noon each day.
Night Sky: Through Telescope, 6 pm to 7 pm daily
Guided telescope viewing of the evening sky, weather permitting. Kolkata’s monsoon cloud cover has been on and off this month, so it’s worth checking conditions before heading out specifically for this session.
Why National Space Day Falls on August 23
India marks National Space Day every August 23 to commemorate the day in 2023 when Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander became the first spacecraft from any country to land near the Moon’s south pole, and made India the fourth nation to achieve a soft lunar landing. BITM’s programme leans into that anniversary while also giving visitors a wider window into India’s space effort, from ISRO’s older missions through to the human spaceflight ambitions of Gaganyaan.
Venue and Getting There
BITM is located at 19A Gurusaday Road, Kolkata 700019, in the belt between Golpark and Rashbehari Avenue. If you’re coming from South Kolkata neighbourhoods like Ballygunge or Bhowanipore, it’s a short auto or cab ride away; see our neighbourhood guide to Ballygunge and Bhowanipore for how to get around that stretch of the city, and our Kolkata Metro timings guide if you’re planning the trip around the last train home after the 6 pm to 7 pm telescope session. For bookings and enquiries, BITM has listed a contact number: 9433244145.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the dates for National Space Day 2026 events at BITM?
BITM’s programme runs for three days, August 23 to 25, 2026, with the science show, quiz and telescope session repeating each day.
Is entry free?
BITM has not published a separate ticket price for this specific programme; it appears to run alongside regular museum hours. Call the listed enquiry number, 9433244145, to confirm current entry and any booking requirements before you go.
What if it’s cloudy or raining during the telescope session?
The Night Sky: Through Telescope session is explicitly weather-dependent. Given Kolkata’s active monsoon this August, check the sky (or call ahead) before heading out just for that slot.
Who organises National Space Day events like this one?
BITM is a unit of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), which functions under India’s Ministry of Culture, so this is a central government-run institution rather than a private event.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need a background in astronomy to get something out of this one. The quiz and science show are pitched at a general audience, and the telescope session is the kind of thing that’s genuinely rare to get access to inside the city rather than out at a resort or hill station. If you’ve got a free evening this weekend and live within reach of Gurusaday Road, it’s worth the trip.
