ABOUT US

History of CPS Planetarium

Towards the end of the Space Age, there was a huge push to educate American children in the physical sciences, engineering and aerospace.  Most of the planetariums in the United States were built during or shortly after that time.  Planetariums, as opposed to observatories, do not observe celestial objects in the night sky, but instead project a simulated night sky into a large hemispherical dome theater.  They are a unique educational tool which can teach children about astronomy, physics, and technology in a completely different way than the traditional classroom. There are only four standing planetariums in Missouri, and ours is one of them!

The Columbia Public Schools Planetarium was completed in 1974, the year after Rock Bridge High School opened its doors.  Every year since, elementary school through high school students from Columbia Public Schools visit the planetarium to view the night sky in virtual reality.

Since it opened, the CPS Planetarium has hosted field trip visits from children across mid-Missouri, as far as Warrensburg, Macon, and Lake Ozark.  The CPS Planetarium has always made visits for large school groups affordable and easy. Today, the planetarium hosts about 10,000-12,000 K-12 students each school year.

Columbia, Missouri has always been a haven for strong scientific performance with the proximity of the University of Missouri. CPS students consistently perform well in mathematics and science, which can be partially attributed to the unique learning facilities and attention CPS students receive in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas.