The original Armagh Planetarium building only had a small amount of exhibition space in the ground-floor entrance hall. Soon, however, a need for more space to showcase the latest advances in astronomy and space travel became clear. The first expansion was the Lindsay Hall of Astronomy, opened in 1974. We have been expanding and improving our exhibitions ever since, and hosted some fascinating objects over the years.
Ulster Scans the Skies
As the Planetarium opened, the first small-scale exhibition was arranged in the foyer and alcoves of the new building. It included a small exhibit on astronomy and the history of Armagh Observatory, including the Short telescope used by King George III to observe the 1769 transit of Venus.
Showcased in the entrance foyer were also telescopes from Charles Frank, a Glasgow-based telescope maker (ca. 1915 – 1974). Space was at a premium, however, so plans for a brand new exhibition hall were made very soon.
Image: History of astronomy exhibit at Armagh Planetarium (around 1970)
The Lindsay Hall of Astronomy
The 1970s was a decade of continuing growth and success for Armagh Planetarium. The building expanded with the Hall of Astronomy which opened in 1974. As a tribute to his hard work to create the Planetarium this hall was named after Dr Lindsay. Sadly he was never to see this as he passed away shortly before the opening.
The new exhibition area incorporated expanded exhibits on the history of astronomy and the Observatory in particular, as well as a number of objects highlighting the advances of the Space Age. One of the most popular ones during the 70s and 80s was a full-scale model of the Gemini spacecraft which was originally used for filming of the James Bond film ‘You Only Live Twice’.
Image: The Lindsay Hall of Astronomy in 1980s
International Attractions
Armagh Planetarium has always enjoyed international prestige. NASA loaned the Planetarium some priceless items from its archives, including astronaut’s clothes worn on the Skylab space station and an Apollo spacesuit. Our visitors could try on the spacesuit’s helmet and gloves and these fascinated children of all ages.
Perhaps the most precious of these items displayed by the Planetarium was a fragment of moon rock collected from the Taurus-Littrow valley by astronaut Eugene (‘Gene’) Cernan. He is – so far – the last person to have walked on the Moon, in December 1972.
Image: Moon rock collected by astronaut Gene Cernan in Taurus-Littrow Valley during Apollo 17 mission, on display in the Planetarium (1970s)
Multimedia First
In 1980s, Armagh Planetarium continued its proud tradition of technological innovation. Encyclopaedia Galactica was a pioneering exhibit applying multi-media computer techniques. Visitors to the exhibition area could sit at keyboards to use a simple menu interface to select and view any of 500 000 images and video clips with explanatory text stored on state-of-the-art laserdiscs. This was entirely new technology at the time, pioneering the technology of today’s interactive CD-ROM discs and DVDs. The public found this instant access to movies and videos fascinating, and the system received favourable press and television coverage world-wide. Encyclopaedia Galactica was featured in the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World and received full-page coverage in the prestigious New Scientist magazine.
Image: Armagh Planetarium’s ‘Encyclopaedia Galactica’ computer terminals (1987)
Looking back to Earth
Armagh Planetarium continued to broaden our appeal to our customer base and expanded our facilities. In 1994 a new section was added to our building, doubling its size. We added major exhibits featuring the environment and the Earth sciences, and named it the ‘Eartharium’. Visitors could see the latest meteorological images as they were beamed down from the satellites. There was increasing emphasis on ‘hands on’ science for audiences of all ages. We added interactive computer systems to demonstrate the fundamentals of astronomy. For example you could design your own telescope on screen and then see a simulated view of the Planetarium through it.
Image: Armagh Planetarium’s with the added ‘Eartharium’ (around 1995)
A walk through the stars
Our Astropark opened in 1994. This is a scale model of the Universe where visitors can walk through the Solar System and into the Milky Way and beyond. Our grounds are landscaped and dotted with stainless steel scale models of the planets.
The Astropark was recently upgraded with our augmented-reality app, which can be used to explore the topics in more depth.
Image: Astropark, with a scale model of Saturn in the foreground
An upgrade for a new millennium
The original planetarium building, at that point over 30 years old, received a major restoration and facelift, reopening in July 2006. Its external look became much the same as it is today.
Improvements did not end there, however: all exhibition areas were also upgraded, featuring new exhibits, photographs, interactive screens, and more.
Image: Armagh Planetarium’s main exhibition hall in the late 2000s
Reimagining the Planetarium
In 2020, Armagh Planetarium underwent its latest round of improvements. Ageing seats in the dome were replaced, digital projectors and software were upgraded to Digistar 7, the latest in digital planetarium technology, and the exhibition areas saw a complete revamp.
Visitors can now experience the history of astronomy in Armagh, the Solar System, stars, galaxies, and more through the new themes of Look Up, Look Out, Look Beyond, and Look Closer. They can enjoy creating stars, planetary systems, black holes, and more through the Stellar Playground, or interactively explore our Solar System using the PufferSphere display. The new sensory room provides a fun yet relaxing area for discovering the wonders of space.
