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Boasting 39,019 sq m (420,000 sq ft), the astronomical branch of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is the largest museum worldwide solely dedicated to the study of astronomy.
The M. P. Birla Planetarium is the largest planetarium in Asia and one of the largest in the world. Its design is inspired by the Buddhist Stupa at Sanchi.
The planetarium, commonly known as taramandal, first opened its doors in 1963 and later closed to reopen in 2017 following renovation works.
The H.R. MacMillan Space Center, also known simply as the Planetarium, is visited by over 145,000 people every year.
British Columbia's premier space science attraction opened in 1968. The modernist building was designed by architect Gerald Hamilton.
Part of a massive complex, the Shanghai Planetarium opened in 2021 and its award-winning design is truly impressive. The planetarium theater is a sphere, half submerged in the building.
Located within the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, the Hemisfèric is not just a planetarium but a laserium and IMAX cinema rolled into one.
Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Hemisfèric is a unique building. Opened to the public in 1998, it features an ovoid roof over 100 m (328 ft) long.
Located in the Natural Science Museum in Beijing, the planetarium was the first to use Omnimax laser and projection systems, which provide very high-definition images.
Renovated in 2014, the planetarium received a new 8K full-dome digital system. It's the only theater of its kind in the D.C. area.
The Dome Theatre possesses a true 8K digital laser planetarium system and IMAX print projection equipment. It can accommodate 438 people.
The Albert Einstein Planetarium opened in 1976 and is located in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Its screens combine real images captured from spacecraft and telescopes with advanced CGI.
The Morrison Planetarium boasts a 23-m (75 ft) diameter screen.
The Adler receives more than half a million visitors each year and serves as a much-loved city landmark.
Located at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, this is the only planetarium in London. Opened since 2007, it boasts a 120-seat capacity.
Opened in 1952 as part of the California Academy of Sciences, the Morrison Planetarium is one the world's largest completely digital planetariums.
Chicago's Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum opened in 1930, making it one of the oldest planetariums in the world.
This planetarium also functions as a museum and is home to a piece of lunar rock brought back by the Apollo 11 crew.
Inaugurated in 1966, the Galileo Galilei Planetarium was designed by architect Enrique Jan and features a 20-m (65 ft) semispherical dome.
What makes the Carl-Zeiss Planetarium Stuttgart so special is its Zeiss Universarium IX projector, which is the most powerful planetarium instrument developed by Zeiss. The projector can reproduce 9,100 brilliant stars!
The Nagoya City Science Museum (NCSM) opened in 1962, then closed in 2010 but reopened in 2011. It's the largest planetarium in the world, and indeed one of the most impressive, with its spherical building suspended 11 m (37 ft) above ground.
The planetarium features a state-of-the-art aluminum dome and digital projection system, and has the capacity for 290 star seekers.
The Samuel Oschin Planetarium is located in LA's Griffith Observatory. The landmark art deco building can be found on the slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park.
The planetarium measures 39 m (129 ft) in height. Inside the dome you will find 350 reclining seats that can rotate 30 degrees to both sides.
The original Hayden Planetarium opened in 1935, but in 1997 was demolished and then rebuilt as a six-story glass cube. Architects James Polshek and Goodhue Livingston were responsible for the spectacular building.
Located in the American Museum of Natural History, the dome is 11 m (37 ft) tall and the planetarium seats 429.
The Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium features a orrery (a mechanical model of the Solar System) on the ceiling. Today an astronomy museum, the planetarium received UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2023.
Sources: (Rethinking The Future) (Little Astronomy) (ETEM)
The Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium opened in 1781 and is the world's oldest working planetarium.
The Zeiss-Großplanetarium (Zeiss Grand Planetarium) is dubbed the most modern science theatre in Europe. Built in 1987, it's one of the last buildings built in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR).
The planetarium was renovated between 2014 and 2016, and reopened equipped with new state-of-the-art media technology and a redesigned foyer.
Some even offer fantastic learning facilities! All, however, feature cutting-edge technology. Fancy some star-gazing? Click to see more.
Gaze upon the world's most impressive planetariums
The (virtual) sky is the limit at these incredible visitor attractions
LIFESTYLE Science
A planetarium is the closest one can get to the stars (at least virtually). These theaters showcase the universe in all its fabulous brilliance allowing viewers to experience the night sky as a projected canvas screened against a dome-shaped ceiling. Most of these planetariums are very special and quite unique, either because they have been established for a long time, or as a result of their architectural merit.
Click on this gallery and let us bring you a collection of the world's most impressive planetariums.