Strasenburgh Planetarium facts for kids
The Strasenburgh Planetarium is a cool place where you can explore the stars and planets! It's a public planetarium located in Rochester, New York. This special building is named after Edwin and Clara Strasenburgh, who helped make it possible. It's part of the Rochester Museum and Science Center.
The Planetarium first opened its doors on September 14, 1968. Its main room, called the Star Theater, is 65 feet wide. It can seat 225 people today, ready to watch amazing shows about space. Inside, you'll find the very first Zeiss Mark VI planetarium projector, which is still used every day! This planetarium became famous worldwide because it was the first to use computers to run its shows. It was known for its new technology and exciting programs.
Contents
A Look Back: How the Planetarium Started
Early Ideas for a Planetarium
The idea for a planetarium in Rochester began a long time ago. In 1935, other big cities like Chicago and New York already had planetariums. Arthur C. Parker, who was the director of the Rochester Museum at the time, thought Rochester should have one too.
Planning and Design
Years later, in 1959, the museum group announced a big plan to make the museum larger. A student named Robert Napier drew a design that included a separate planetarium building. This design showed it at a different corner than where it is now. However, this specific plan was never built.
A Big Gift and New Plans
In the fall of 1964, something exciting happened! Mr. and Mrs. Edwin G. Strasenburgh gave a huge gift of over one million dollars to build the planetarium. This generous gift made the dream a reality.
A new building design was shared on June 28, 1966. This design, by Carl F. W. Kaelber Jr., placed the Planetarium right next to the main Museum building. People said the building looked like a snail shell or even a spiral galaxy!
Building and Opening Day
Construction of the Planetarium began with a special ceremony on March 16, 1967. It took about a year and a half to build. Finally, the Strasenburgh Planetarium was officially opened to the public on September 14, 1968.
