Mark Bennett began his journey in the early 1980s as a workshop student at the Buehler Planetarium. In 1983, he accepted the role of Assistant Director at the Buzz Aldrin Planetarium within the West Palm Beach Science Museum. During his tenure there, he developed and presented live educational programs for schools and the public, while also managing the Gibbson Observatory.

In 1988, Mark joined the Miami Space Transit Planetarium at the invitation of its longtime Executive Director, Jack Horkheimer. Starting as Planetarium Production Coordinator, he went on to serve in multiple leadership roles over the next 37 years, including Operations Manager, Technical Director, Director of the Weintraub Observatory, and Director of Box Office Operations.

As Director of the Weintraub Observatory, Mark led an astronomy mentoring initiative as part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Advanced Academic Internship Program. Through this program, students assisted in operating the observatory telescopes during public viewing sessions.

In 2005, Mark began overseeing the design and construction of the new Frost Science Museum campus, managing all aspects of the planetarium and box office build-out and system testing. The Frost Science Museum officially opened its doors in downtown Miami in May 2017. After 37 years at the Miami Planetarium, Mark is honored to join Broward College in 2026 as Director of the Buehler Planetarium.

One Sky

RATED: Everyone

The sky connects us all. Experience One Sky, a series of captivating short films highlighting cultural and Indigenous perspectives of the night sky. Produced as an international collaboration featuring culturally authentic storytellers, music, and stunning dome visuals, this show explores global traditions and our shared human connection to the cosmos.

Rusty Rocket

RATED: Grades K–5

After decades of teaching the basics of rocket physics, Rusty Rocket has decided this will be his final mission before retirement. Join him for an introductory tour of the solar system tailored for rookie astronauts, highlighting planetary environments, the history of famous spacecraft, and the immense distances between planets.

Earth, Moon & Sun

RATED: Grades 2–5

Explore the relationship between our home planet and its closest neighbors, guided by Coyote—a character adapted from Native American oral traditions. Interwoven Native American stories illustrate how humanity has long sought to understand the Earth and the skies above.

Mysteries of Your Brain

RATED: Grades 3–7

Embark on an animated adventure with a young girl and her crow companion to discover what makes the human brain so special. Zoom along neuron pathways, compare human and animal brains, experience grand-scale illusions, and learn how your brain shapes who you are. (An original Bell Museum production in collaboration with the University of North Carolina Morehead Planetarium and Science Center; supported by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation and Boston Scientific.)

Forward to the Moon

RATED: Grades 4–12

Kari Byron (Crash Test World, MythBusters) launches viewers on a journey beyond Earth toward a sustainable future in space. Discover NASA’s 21st-century Artemis program, which aims to return humanity to the Moon and land the first woman and person of color on its surface. (Produced by Fiske Planetarium in collaboration with TEND Studio; funded by NASA SSERVI and Lockheed Martin.) 

Two Small Pieces of Glass

RATED: Grades 5–12

Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope follows two students interacting with a female astronomer at a local star party. Audiences learn the history of the telescope—from Galileo’s modifications to a child’s spyglass to the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope—while celebrating 400 years of astronomical discovery. 

Passport to the Universe

RATED: Grades 6–12

What is our place in the cosmos? Passport to the Universe, this question is answered as visitors travel through the observable universe to explore our “cosmic address.” In an unforgettable experience, cutting-edge science creates images of unprecedented realism and accuracy as viewers begin to understand the true enormity of the cosmos. A captivating explanation of fundamental cosmology, 

Dynamic Earth

RATED: Grades 7–12

Dynamic Earth is an immersive program that explores the inner workings of Earth’s climate engine. With visualizations based on satellite monitoring data and advanced supercomputer simulations, this cutting-edge production follows a trail of energy that flows from the Sun into the interlocking systems that shape our climate: the atmosphere, oceans, and the biosphere. Audiences will ride along on swirling ocean and wind currents, dive into the heart of a monster hurricane, come face-to-face with sharks and gigantic whales, and fly into roiling volcanoes. 

Natural Selection

RATED: Grades 8–12

Celebrate the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. Join Darwin on his voyage aboard the HMS Beagle to the Galapagos Islands, where he was inspired to develop his theory of evolution. Darwin himself explains natural selection from Down House in Kent, showcasing stunning examples of nature and the thrill of scientific discovery. 

Seeing! A Photon’s Journey Across Space, Time, and Mind

RATED: Grades 8–12

Follow the journey of a single photon generated in a distant star as it travels across space to land on a human retina. Narrated by astronomer and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson, this full dome show bridges astrophysics with the biology of the eye and brain. (Funded through a generous grant from ZEISS.)

Big Astronomy

RATED: Grades 9–12

Journey to three world-class observatories in Chile’s rugged Andes Mountains and arid Atacama Desert—remote, extreme locations that offer perfect conditions for astronomical research. Along the way, meet the inspiring astronomers, engineers, and technicians who keep these mega-machines running. 

Dark Biosphere

RATED: Grades 9-12

Deep beneath the earth's crust, hundreds of meters or kilometers below the surface, with no light, no air, and very little water, in pores and fissures of hard rock, scientists have found an enormous biodiversity of micro-organisms that thrive in extreme conditions. The Dark Biosphere challenges everything we thought we knew and challenges us to rethink not only the origin and evolution of life on Earth but its possible existence throughout the Universe.

Infinity Express

RATED: Grades 9–12

Take an exciting journey of discovery, from exploring our solar system to mapping the entire universe. Produced in collaboration with premier visualization agencies like the Space Telescope Science Institute and Swinburne University of Technology, the script was developed alongside experts from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter

RATED: (Grades 9–12)

Follow scientists around the world as they unlock the mysteries of dark matter. From its creation during the Big Bang and its role in galaxy formation, the journey takes visitors thousands of feet underground to ultra-sensitive detectors, and finally to CERN's Large Hadron Collider to observe head-on particle collisions.