Planetarium Installations in Germany

Zeiss-Grossplanetarium Berlin
Berlin
Germany

The Zeiss-Grossplanetarium in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district was built in the mid-eighties. It is run by the Berlin Planetarium Foundation. The complex housing the Planetarium is dominated by a 30 m outer dome. In 2016 the planetarium reopened following extensive renovation work and upgrades in the form of new ZEISS technology.
 

1987

23 m

COSMORAMA

2016

23 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
UNIVERSARIUM VELVET

Wilhelm Foerster Sternwarte
Planetarium am Insulaner
Berlin
Germany

Established in 1963, the planetarium can be considered the successor of the planetarium inaugurated near the Berlin Zoo in 1926, which fell victim to World War II. In 2010, the planetarium reopened with a ZEISS VELVET fulldome projection system. The VELVET system complements the optical-mechanical Model V B star projector.
 

1926-1945

24,8 m

ZEISS Mark II

1965

20 m

ZEISS Mark V B

2010

20 m

ZEISS VELVET

Zeiss Planetarium Bochum
Bochum
Germany

The Bochum planetarium, situated amidst the densely populated Ruhr district, is one of the region's cultural attractions. After comprehensive modernization including the integration of a new ZEISS VELVET LED fulldome system, the Bochum Planetarium reopened in 2020.

1964

24,8 m

ZEISS Mark IV

2000

20 m

UNIVERSARIUM Mark IX LED

2010

20 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
UNIVERSARIUM VELVET

2020

20 m

ZEISS VELVET LED

Olbers-Planetarium Bremen
Bremen
Germany

When the Olbers Planetarium was inaugurated in 1952, it used a ZEISS projector built already before 1945 for astronomical navigation training. In 1979 it was replaced with a SKYMASTER ZKP 2, which has been an untiring workhorse since. The Bremen Planetarium today is focused on school astronomy and a wide variety of public shows.

1952

6 m

ZKP 1

1979

6 m

SKYMASTER ZKP 2

Zeiss Planetarium und Volkssternwarte Drebach
Drebach
Germany

The Public and School Observatory of Drebach in the German Ore Mountains succeeded a school observatory set up in 1969. A SKYMASTER ZKP 3 has been set into operation in 2001 and upgraded to ZKP 3B in 2012. With the addition of two VELVET projectors the planetarium was converted into a state-of-the-art fulldome theater in 2014. In 2022 the upgrade to VELVET LED brought brighter colors and helps saving energy.

1986

8 m

ZKP 1

1989

8 m

SKYMASTER ZKP 2

2001

11 m

SKYMASTER ZKP 3

2012

11 m

SKYMASTER ZKP 3/C

2014

11 m

ZEISS VELVET

2022

11 m

ZEISS VELVET LED

Planetarium Freiburg
Freiburg
Germany

The Planetarium Freiburg is the successor to the planetarium in the Richard-Fehrenbach-Gewerbeschule, which was opened in 1975 and initiated by Richard Fehrenbach. Since 2002, the current planetarium has been located at the north end of Freiburg's main train station, in the former Ufa-Palast. It is the largest planetarium in southern Baden.

2002

13 m

ZEISS STARMASTER ZMP

ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre
Garching near Munich
Germany

The heart of the ESO Supernova is a digital planetarium which offers a unique experience through the use of state-of-the-art visualisation techniques.. The ESO Supernova also offers the first real-time, data-driven distribution system for planetariums in Germany, the ESO Member States and the rest of the world.

2018

14 m
21°

ZEISS VELVET

2021

14 m
21° 

ZEISS VELVET LED

Raumflug-Planetarium Halle
Halle
Germany

After the old planetarium was destroyed in the 2014 flood disaster, the city council of Halle decided to rebuild the planetarium. State-of-the-art planetarium technology is now located in the former gasometer building. The ZKP 4 star projector from ZEISS is supplemented by a digital fulldome system of six ZEISS VELVET LED projectors.

1978

12.5 m

ZEISS SPACEMASTER RFP-DP

2023

12.2 m

ZEISS SKYMASTER VELVET
TRUE BLACK HYBRID

Planetarium Hamburg
Hamburg
Germany

The Hamburg Planetarium has been built into a water tower, which captivates by its architecture. The structure has a look-out platform, providing a panoramic view of the city. In October 2017 the Planetarium reopened after an extensive reconstruction. The heart of the planetarium is an UNIVERSARIUM Mark IX projector, supplemented by a digital fulldome projection system.

1930

21 m

ZEISS Mark II

1957

21 m

ZEISS Mark IV

1983

21 m

ZEISS Mark VI

2003

21 m

UNIVERSARIUM Mark IX

Haus der Astronomie
Heidelberg
Germany

The "Haus der Astronomie" ("House of Astronomy") is a unique Center for Astronomy Outreach. The mission: to share the fascination of astronomy with a broad audience and with schoolchildren; to foster the exchange of knowledge between scientists; and to communicate the results of astronomical research to the media and to the public.
Image courtesy: Swen Carlin.

2011

12 m
20°

ZEISS VELVET

2021

12 m
20°

ZEISS VELVET LED

experimenta Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Germany

A unique 25,000 m² world of knowledge and experience is opening with 275 interactive exhibits, four creative studios and nine labs as well as an observatory and an extraordinary Space Dome with spectacular live science demonstrations.

2019

21.5 m
20°

UNIVERSARIUM Mark IX LED

Zeiss-Planetarium Jena
Ernst-Abbe-Stiftung
Jena
Germany

The world's oldest planetarium still in operation was opened on July 18th, 1926. The building is classified as a historical monument. In the course of the decades, the Planetarium has seen many changes. In 2011 ZEISS powerdome VELVET, the only fulldome system featuring the True Black Projection Technology was installed. The planetariums is also producing its own fulldome shows.

1926

23 m

ZEISS Mark II

1969

23 m

ZEISS UPP 23/7

1985

23 m

ZEISS COSMORAMA

1996

23 m

UNIVERSARIUM Mark IX

2011

23 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
UNIVERSARIUM VELVET

Planetarium und Astronomisch-Physikalisches Kabinett
Kassel
Germany

Since 1992, Hesse's largest planetarium in the Apollo Hall of the Kassel Orangery has offered an impressive view of the stars under its 10-meter-diameter dome. The Planetarium Kassel is part of the Astronomisch-Physikalisches Kabinett. The core of the planetarium is the ultra-modern hybrid projection system installed in 2016.

1992

10 m

ZEISS Model M 1015A

2016

10 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
SKYMASTER VELVET

Sternwarte & Planetarium
Volkssternwarte Laupheim e.V.
Laupheim
Germany

Laupheim has become a notable center of astronomical education and research in the south of Germany. The Planetarium was opened on May 18th, 1990. The dome is hidden under a striking pyramid structure. In autumn 2012 the most modern hybrid system consisting of ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP4 and powerdome VELVET was installed. The VELVET projectors were upgraded to VELVET LED in 2020.

1990

10 m

ZEISS Model M 1015

2012

10 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
SKYMASTER VELVET

2020

10 m

ZEISS VELVET LED

Minikosmos
in der Miniwelt
Lichtenstein
Germany

The planetarium forms part of the "Saxony Miniworld" – a cultural and landscape park with many copies of famous monuments from all continents, scaled down 1:25. Equipped with ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 4, the planetarium is run by a private company.

2007

12 m

ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 4

Planetarium Mannheim
Mannheim
Germany

Few people will recall that Mannheim had a planetarium as early as 1927. The building was demolished in World War II. In 2015, the Mannheim Planetarium reopened with new projection systems from ZEISS. Nine ZEISS VELVET projectors were installed in the course of a comprehensive renovation and modernization.

1927

24,5 m

ZEISS Mark II

1984

20 m

ZEISS Mark VI

2002

20 m

UNIVERSARIUM Mark IX LED

2015

20 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
UNIVERSARIUM VELVET

Deutsches Museum München
Munich
Germany

Munich was the world's first city to have a projection planetarium – the ZEISS Model I. The Zeiss Planetarium has welcomed more than 8.5 million visitors. In 2015, the planetarium reopened with a ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 4 LED projector and a 6-channel VELVET fulldome system. The Model I still exists there; it is on exhibit as a milestone in the history of representing the starry sky.

1925

10 m

ZEISS Mark I

1960

15 m

ZEISS Mark IV

1988

15 m

ZEISS M 1015

2015

15 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
SKYMASTER VELVET

ZEISS Museum of Optics
Oberkochen
Germany

More than 1,000 exciting and often unique exhibits are on display. The entry is free of charge. The planetarium with a two-channel VELVET system is part of the museum, which is the smallest of all ZEISS planetariums.

2014

4.6 m

ZEISS VELVET

Museum am Schoelerberg
Natur und Umwelt
Osnabrueck
Germany

It is just like sitting in an open-air theater under the nightly sky. More and more stars emerge in bewildering multitude, until an overlay projection of constellation figures provides orientation. Then the sky starts to move, and the narrator explains the laws and patterns governing their motions." Quoted from the brochure "Travel through the Universe - The Osnabrueck Planetarium".

1986

8 m

ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 2

2013

8 m

ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 4 LED

Urania-Planetarium und Bürgel-Gedenkstätte
Potsdam
Germany

The small size planetarium is specially devoted to the astronomical curriculum. In addition to the planetarium the center features the Bruno H. Bürgel Memorial. The Planetarium is using the new ASTERION VELVET projection system as a worldwide reference location. A brilliant starry sky and a high-contrast 360° projection transport guests to other worlds.

1968

8 m

ZKP 1

1981

8 m

SKYMASTER ZKP 2

2010

8 m

ZEISS SPACEGATE Quinto

2022

8 m

ZEISS ASTERION VELVET LED

Volkssternwarte und Planetarium „Adolph Diesterweg“
Radebeul
Germany

The observatory dates back to 1959. The public observatory with planetarium was inaugurated at the current location in 1969. The Radebeul planetarium received the first SKYMASTER ZKP 4 instrument with LED illumination for the star field. Over the decades many students have been active in the "Astroclub".

1969

8 m

ZKP 1

1984

8 m

SKYMASTER ZKP 2

2011

8 m

ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 4 LED

Schulsternwarte und Planetarium
"Sigmund Jähn"
Rodewisch
Germany

It all begun with the foundation of a small observatory in 1950. The school observatory and planetarium of today was established in 1985. The latest technical addition comprises a 2-channel fulldome system by ZEISS.

1985

8 m

ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 2

2016

8 m

ZEISS SPACEGATE Nova

Schneeberg Planetarium 
Schneeberg
Germany

"Up to the stars" is the motto of the planetarium in Schneeberg. Since 1976, three generations of the ZEISS Small Size Planetarium have been lighting up the stars on the 8-m dome.

1976

8 m

ZEISS ZKP 1

1983

8 m

ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 2

1997

8 m

ZEISS SKAMASTER ZKP 3

2021

8 m

ZKP 3/C Upgrade

Carl-Zeiss-Planetarium Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Germany

The first Stuttgart star theater suffered destruction in 1943. The new planetarium went into operation in 1977. Today, the Stuttgart planetarium is one of the most frequented in Germany. A new projection dome and the ZEISS Mark IX UNIVERSARIUM have been built in in 2001. In April 2016 the planetarium reopened with a new ZEISS VELVET fulldome system, which was upgraded to VELVET LED projectors in 2022.

1928

25 m

ZEISS Mark II

1977

20 m

ZEISS Mark VI A

2001

20 m

UNIVERSARIUM M IX LED

2016

20 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
UNIVERSARIUM VELVET

2022

20 m

ZEISS VELVET LED

Schul- und Volkssternwarte K. E. Ziolkowski
Suhl
Germany

In 2019 the planetarium of the school observatory in Suhl celebrated its 50th anniversary. About 600,000 visitors have benefited from the knowledge offered during this time.

1969

8 m

ZKP 1

1977

8 m

ZEISS SKYMASTER ZKP 2

Planetarium Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg
Germany

The first planetarium projector was a present made to the City of Wolfsburg by Volkswagen on the occasion of the city's 40th anniversary. On October 16th, 1996, visitors saw the premiere show with the first ZEISS STARMASTER. At the beginning of 2010 the optical-mechanical projection system was supplemented by the ZEISS powerdome VELVET fulldome system. An upgrade to six ZEISS VELVET LEDs took place in 2023.

1983

15 m

ZEISS SPACEMASTER

1996

15 m

ZEISS STARMASTER

2010

15 m

ZEISS True Black Hybrid
STARMASTER VELVET

2023

15 m

ZEISS VELVET LED