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Centennial Celebrations of Planetariums

Celebrate the Global Centennial of Planetariums with us with a special live programs beginning September 2023!

Centennial Celebration of Modern Planetariums (live 10-month series)

Every visit to a planetarium stimulates the imagination like no other venue can. We are celebrating the impact of planetariums and astronomy with a 10-month series of live talks showcasing the evolution of planetariums from across the globe. Join us every second Friday of the month at 6 p.m. through June 2024 as we learn how planetariums have evolved through time from 1781 to the present.

Longway Planetarium and the Founding of NASA | December 8, 2023 at 6 p.m.

Longway Planetarium | The Founding of NASA

Friday, December 8 | 6 p.m.

Join us in our 4th installment of the Centennial Celebration of Planetariums and learn about the grand opening of the Longway Planetarium in 1958. Learn about Longway's unique, three of a kind, optical mechanical project and the astronomical, engineering, and political events that prompted the founding of NASA in the same year.

Admission & Discounts

Out of County Visitors

$8 adults, $6 seniors 60+, and $6 youth ages 2-11
Children 1 and younger: Free
Combo Tickets: Add admission to Sloan Museum and SAVE!
$17 Adults, $12 Senior, and $10 Youth 2-11

Genesee County Residents

All Longway Planetarium shows are 50% off for Genesee County residents:
$4 adults, $3 seniors 60+, and $3 youth ages 2-11
When you arrive, please present your driver’s license or ID with your address on it to confirm your residency. Longway Planetarium shows are funded in part by the Genesee County Arts Education and Cultural Enrichment Millage. Your tax dollars are at work.

Members

All Longway Planetarium shows are free for members
Please login to reserve your member tickets. Member discounts are automatically applied at checkout. When you arrive, please present your membership card and driver's license or ID to confirm your membership level.

UPCOMING TOPICS

PAST TOPICS

Chicago's Adler Planetarium of 1930

Chicago's Adler Planetarium and World's Fair

Date: Friday, November 10, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium, 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503

The Adler Planetarium is America's first Planetarium and one of the hallmarks of the technological revolution to come. Join the Planetarium Manager for this exciting installment celebrating the history of planetariums by studying both construction of the Adler Planetarium and Century of Progress Exposition hosted in Chicago three years later.

Germany's Groundbreaking Jena Planetarium of 1924

Jena Planetarium of 1924

Date: Friday, October 13, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium, 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503

Join the Planetarium Manager in the second installment of our new 10-month lecture series: Centennial Celebrations of Planetariums. This month celebrates the opening of the Jena Planetarium in Jena, Germany. Jena was home to the first optical-mechanic star projector manufactured by Zeiss. This talk will cover the planetarium, projector, creators, and topical astronomical news of the day. Presented by Planetarium Manager, Patrick Ross, M.S.

Eise Eisinga Planetarium - The Netherlands

The First Planetarium of 1781 | Eise Eisinga

Date: Friday, September 8, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Longway Planetarium, 1310 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48503

Although the start of the Centennial Celebration of Planetariums is officially marked by the first public night sky lecture using an optical-mechanical projector, planetariums have been used in varying fashions since the time of the Greeks. In this prelude to the Centennial Celebration you’ll learn about the origins of the planetariums ranging from tents with pinholes to the Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium in The Netherlands - the first working orrery to use Kepler and Newton's models of planetary motion.

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