Completed Project Establishes the St. Louis Landmark as the Largest and Most Advanced Hybrid Planetarium in the U.S.
- The James S. McDonnell Planetarium’s Bill and Laura Orthwein StarBay Theater will reopen to the public on July 18, 2026.
- After undergoing a nearly six-month technological upgrade, the project establishes the iconic St. Louis landmark as the largest and most advanced hybrid planetarium in the nation.
- The technological upgrade installed a GOTO Chiron III Hybrid Star Projector (the first of its kind within the United States) and a Cosm Digistar Full-Dome Visualization System to combine traditional educator-led astronomy shows with high-resolution, digital programming.
ST. LOUIS, MO – June 16, 2026 – On Saturday, July 18, the Saint Louis Science Center will reopen the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, unveiling the impressive upgrades that will establish the iconic St. Louis landmark as the largest and most advanced hybrid planetarium in the nation. This upgrade within the Bill and Laura Orthwein StarBay — installing a GOTO Chiron III Hybrid Star Projector and a Cosm Digistar Full-Dome Data Visualization System — enables the Planetarium team to combine traditional educator-led astronomy shows with high-resolution, digital programming to deliver unmatched experiences for Science Center guests. The new projection system was made possible by a generous gift from the St. Louis-based Centene Foundation.
The upgrades to the McDonnell Planetarium include:
- A GOTO Chiron III Hybrid Star Projector (the first of its kind to be installed in the United States) to elevate the Planetarium team’s astronomy programming by connecting guests with the unparalleled beauty of the night sky, free from modern light pollution. As the world’s most advanced optomechanical star projector, the Chiron III recreates more than 100 million stars and hundreds of deep-sky objects visible anywhere on Earth in unprecedented detail.
- A Cosm Digistar Full-Dome Data Visualization System to expand the programming offered through photorealistic imagery with real-time access. High-resolution projectors present 360-degree immersive visuals to land on planets within our solar system, fly to the edge of the observable universe and illustrate up-to-the-minute geospatial data; broadcast immersive presentations, 3D models and live current events; and connect with more than 700 other planetariums and museums for lectures and presentations around the globe.
- An upgraded sound system within the Orthwein StarBay, featuring a 22,000-watt, surround-sound sytem to create a full 360-degree immersive experience.
- The first Auracast Hearing Assistance system in a public venue around the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.
- A unique, new entry experience.
- Newly developed live shows within the Orthwein StarBay, exclusively available to Planetarium guests (and free for Science Center members).
Click/Tap photo to enlarge
WHEN:
Saturday, July 18, 2026 (Opening event details to come.)
Tickets to the new Planetarium shows will go on sale July 6, 2026.
WHERE:
The Saint Louis Science Center’s James S. McDonnel Planetarium lobby (located near the intersection of Clayton Ave. and Faulkner Dr. in historic Forest Park)
5100 Clayton Avenue, Saint Louis, MO, 63110.
Contact:
Doug Bolnick, Public Relations Manager
314.289.4461
About the James S. McDonnell Planetarium
Since opening in 1963, the James S. McDonnell Planetarium at the Saint Louis Science Center has served as THE PLACE for guests to explore the stars and discover St. Louis’ direct impact on America’s space history. For this, the Planetarium ranks amongst America’s Best Planetariums by the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards. Presenting daily, educator-led live shows and in-person telescope viewing throughout the year, guests can learn about life on Mars and see life-sized replicas of rovers that explored the Red Planet; view photos, artifacts and other material from outer space (including Gemini and Mercury space capsules built in St. Louis during the 1960s); and participate in hands-on activities to bring space closer to home. For more information, slsc.org/mcdonnell-planetarium.
About the Saint Louis Science Center
The mission of the Saint Louis Science Center is to inspire everyone to be curious and engaged in science. Named a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate in 2016, America’s Best Free Museum by Newsweek in 2025, and one of America’s Best Science Museums by USA Today, the award-winning Science Center engages guests through on-site experiences, including hundreds of hands-on exhibits, the OMNIMAX® Theater, which is one of the only IMAX® Dome with Laser theaters in the world, and the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, ranked among America’s Best Planetarium by the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards. For more information about the Saint Louis Science Center, please visit slsc.org.
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