Long time NISE Network partner, Science Central, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, opened a new 1,830-square-foot planetarium on March 25, 2026! A feat ten years in the making, the new state-of-the-art facility is the region’s only public planetarium and will provide visitors with stunning views and wonderful new programing from the museum. In the days after the ribbon cutting, the museum also held Space Day, an event full of special demonstrations, hands-on activities, information about careers in space, and of course, planetarium shows.
Science Central is a regional resource that provides inspiring and fun hands-on science education for all people of all ages. Their vision is to be the premier gateway for informal science education in the region. 2025 marked Science Central 30th anniversary, and what better way to celebrate providing accessible, high-quality STEM experiences to the community than to bring their $2.8 million planetarium project to fruition.
The planetarium has a 21-foot-high, 28-foot-wide dome and can accommodate approximately 50 seated individuals. It features a starball projector donated by the University of Saint Francis, where a major renovation permanently closed the Edwin Clark Schouweiler Memorial Planetarium. This gift paired with a new Digistar digital projection system is providing visitors with a stunning view of the cosmos and beyond. Regular daytime demonstrations are included with general admission, in addition to special ticketed evening shows and events. The planetarium already has an exciting line up of programming. On the last Friday of each month, visitors will enjoy special planetarium lectures with interactive Q&A sessions by Dr. Avery Archer, Ph.D. of DePauw University. On the first Friday of each month, the museum will have extended hours and a laser light show. The planetarium will also be integrated into Science Central’s regular “Disability Days” each month. During these sessions, individuals with developmental, intellectual, and physical disabilities along with their caregivers enjoy free admission to the museum.
On Space Day, March 28, 2026, 1,215 visitors enjoyed special demonstrations, including a sensory friendly planetarium show: Our Stellar Sky, which discusses what can be observed in the real sky, how to find constellations and planets, and where we fit into our Milky Way Galaxy. Visitors participated in a variety of hands-on activities, both provided by the NISE Network and developed by Science Central educators. Activities included exploration of space-time, black holes, the color of space, stellar evolution, traveling to the Moon, and meteorites. These activities were paired with discussions about related careers in astronomy, physics, engineering, and computer science, helping participants connect the concepts they explored with real-world professions in science and technology.
The NISE Network congratulates Science Central on their 30th anniversary and the completion of this incredible endeavor!!! You can learn more about the planetarium project and see photos of the development process: https://www.sciencecentral.org/exhibit/planetarium/
