The Milky Way isn't just a band of light across the night sky—it's a dynamic, ever-changing cosmic ecosystem. In this groundbreaking 2025 production from the American Museum of Natural History, actor Pedro Pascal's compelling narration takes you on a time-traveling journey through our galaxy's turbulent history. Based on revolutionary data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, which mapped nearly 2 billion stars, Encounters in the Milky Way reveals how cosmic collisions and stellar interactions have shaped our galactic neighborhood. Watch as the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy crashes into the Milky Way in an ongoing collision spanning billions of years. Witness our solar system's journey through the "Local Bubble," a region of space cleared by ancient supernovas. Travel forward in time to see a rogue star's future close encounter with our solar system. During production, the team made an actual scientific discovery—spiral structures in the Oort Cloud never before seen—demonstrating how art and science converge in the dome. This is the story of cosmic motion, galactic evolution, and our dynamic universe.

Get a front-row seat to spectacular moments in our solar system’s past and future in Encounters in the Milky Way.

Encounters in the Milky Way was developed by the American Museum of Natural History, with the major support and partnership of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

With deep gratitude to Van Cleef & Arpels Generously sponsored by Robert and Kristin Peck

Encounters in the Milky Way: Educators Guide (PDF)