London Planetarium facts for kids
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The London Planetarium was a famous building in Marylebone Road, London. It was right next to Madame Tussauds and owned by the same company. For many years, it was a popular place for tourists. Inside, it had a planetarium where visitors could watch amazing shows about space and the stars.
The London Planetarium closed as a separate attraction in 2006. Now, it is part of Madame Tussauds. Since 2010, the building has been home to the Marvel Super Heroes 4D attraction. Today, the only planetarium in London is the Peter Harrison Planetarium in Greenwich, which is in south east London.
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History of the London Planetarium
The London Planetarium first opened its doors on March 19, 1958. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh officially opened it. Public shows began the very next day. The building was built on the spot where an old cinema once stood, which was destroyed during the Second World War. About 330 people could sit under a large dome, which was about 18 meters (60 feet) wide.
For its first 50 years, the planetarium used a special machine called a Zeiss projector Mark IV. This projector showed the audience what the night sky looks like from Earth. From 1977 to 1990, they even had evening laser shows called 'Laserium'.
New Technology for Space Shows
In 1995, the planetarium got a big upgrade. They installed one of the world's first digital planetarium systems, called Digistar II. This upgrade cost £4.5 million! It allowed visitors to take amazing journeys through space in black and white 3D. They could also see many other types of shows. Students from University College London's astronomy department even used the planetarium to learn about the complex Celestial co-ordinate system.
In 2004, the Planetarium was upgraded again to a full-colour Digistar 3 system. This new system could show both pre-recorded and live shows. It made the audience feel like they were truly traveling through time and space in an immersive environment.
Changes and Closure
In January 2006, news came out that the London Planetarium would change. It was going to be renamed the Auditorium. Instead of showing astronomy presentations, it would host entertainment shows. Madame Tussauds later announced that the Auditorium would open in July 2006 with a show about celebrities. To say goodbye to the planetarium, Madame Tussauds offered free entry to its last astronomy shows from April 24 to 30, 2006.
What Happened to the London Planetarium?
The London Planetarium no longer exists as a separate place to visit. If you try to go to its old website, it now sends you to the Madame Tussauds website. Madame Tussauds has stated:
"In 2006 the Planetarium was rebranded and renamed the Star Dome. The Star Dome is part of the Madame Tussauds attraction and is included in the ticket price. Please note that we no longer show astronomy-based shows."
Since 2010, the building that used to be the London Planetarium has been home to the Marvel Super Heroes 4D attraction. So, if you visit Madame Tussauds today, you can still go inside the building, but you won't see any shows about stars or planets.
