Since closing our doors earlier this year, incredible progress has been made behind the scenes at Shiras Planetarium. With the help of our community, our partners, and a lot of hard work, the dome is being transformed into one of the most advanced planetariums in the Midwest.
Major Facility Upgrades
The renovation has touched nearly every corner of our space:
- New infrastructure: extensive rewiring to support our cutting-edge technology.
- Building improvements: a brand-new roof, refreshed paint throughout, and all-new carpeting.
- Comfort & accessibility: new ceiling, updated lighting, modern air conditioning, and a completely rebuilt seating area (new chairs are scheduled to arrive within the month!).
- Workspace additions: cosmetic renovations upstairs created a new server room and a redesigned technical workspace to support our growing programming.
Technology Highlights
This summer brought several landmark milestones:
- ZEISS VELVET DUO System — installed in June, bringing razor-sharp imagery and immersive full-dome experiences unlike anything we’ve had before.
- ChromaCove Lighting — added in August, creating dynamic, energy-efficient lighting that enhances every show.
- Audio & Lasers — upgraded sound, along with our laser system carefully reconfigured to fit the new open floor plan.
- New Control Desk — a completely rebuilt hub designed to integrate all these systems into one seamless experience.
We are deeply grateful to our partners at Seiler and ZEISS, whose expertise and collaboration have been essential in building this state-of-the-art facility.
Team Effort
Behind the technology, it’s people who make the difference:
- Jacob Phillips (Technical Director) and Becky LaBrecque (Facility Director) have been working tirelessly to integrate new systems and design fresh programming for both school field trips and public shows. Every aspect of programming is being reimagined from the ground up. Along the way, they’ve been mastering several new software platforms—a learning process that is still ongoing. The system’s capabilities have already far exceeded their expectations, opening possibilities they never could have imagined before.
- Steve Solinski (Astronomy Teacher) spent his summer break training on the new system and has already begun teaching astronomy classes in the dome. Students are amazed by what they’ve seen so far!
What’s Next
We are tentatively planning to reopen in mid-October for both field trips and public programs. Early visitors lucky enough to catch a sneak peek have been stunned by the new capabilities—and we can’t wait to share them with the entire community.
Stay tuned for more updates as we count down to reopening day. The future of Shiras Planetarium is brighter—and more immersive—than ever.