The Illinois State University Planetarium will present free shows in celebration of the Sugar Creek Arts Festival, July 9-10. Seating for all shows is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Planetarium will present One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, July 9, and at noon and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 10. Elmo and Big Bird live in the United States and Hu Hu Zhu lives far away in China, but they discovered that they still see the same stars at night.

Musica: Why is the Universe Beautiful will be shown at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Saturday, July 9, and at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 10.  A flower, the sound of a forest, a sunset, the stars overhead… a girl is mesmerized by the beauty of nature and asks, “Why do I sense beauty?”

A quiet pianist who calls himself “Musica” shows her the common elements hiding in both music and nature.

The Planetarium is located in the Felmley Hall of Science Annex, at the corner of College Avenue and School Street in Normal. For more information, please call Illinois State’s Physics Department at (309) 438-8756.