London Planetarium

The London Planetarium was a specialist astronomy and space attraction on Marylebone Road in London, next to Madame Tussauds. It opened in March 1958 under the direction of Dr. Henry C. King and became a recognizable educational and tourist venue for public presentations about the night sky, planets, and space exploration. The building occupied a site previously containing a cinema that had been destroyed during the Second World War. Its auditorium was designed around a horizontal dome approximately 18.29 metres in diameter and accommodated about 330 visitors. For much of its first half-century, the attraction relied on an optomechanical Zeiss Mark IV projector. This apparatus reproduced the appearance and movement of the stars as seen from Earth, supporting conventional planetarium presentations rather than the cinematic space-ride formats that later became common. The venue therefore combined public entertainment with informal science education. It was also used for teaching by students in the astronomy department of University College London, including work involving the complexities of the astronomical coordinate system. The Planetarium broadened its programming in the late twentieth century. From 1977 to 1990, it hosted evening laser performances under the name “Laserium,” adding a music-and-light format to its traditional astronomy schedule. A major redevelopment in 1995, reported as costing £4.5 million, introduced the Digistar II system. This enabled monochromatic three-dimensional journeys through virtual outer space and expanded the attraction’s ability to present simulated environments rather than only a projected star field. In 2004, the venue adopted the full-colour Digistar III system. The technology supported both pre-rendered and real-time presentations in an immersive full-dome video environment, allowing shows to depict journeys through space with more visual flexibility and contemporary production techniques. This upgrade represented the Planetarium’s final major technological phase as a distinct astronomy attraction. The attraction’s identity changed in 2006. In January of that year, the London Evening Standard reported that the venue would be renamed “The Auditorium” and that its astronomy presentations would be replaced by general entertainment programming. Madame Tussauds later announced plans for an Aardman Animations show focused on celebrities. The London Planetarium consequently ceased operating as a separate attraction in July 2006 and became incorporated into Madame Tussauds. The building was subsequently used for other entertainment content; from 2010, it housed the Marvel Super Heroes 4D attraction. The London Planetarium brand is therefore historical rather than an active standalone business or visitor attraction.

The London Planetarium opened on Marylebone Road on 19 March 1958, when Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, formally inaugurated the facility. Public presentations began the following day. The building stood on a site formerly occupied by a cinema destroyed during the Second World War. Its central auditorium seated approximately 330 people beneath a horizontal dome measuring about 18.29 metres across. The attraction was established as both a public visitor venue and a place for astronomy communication. Dr. Henry C. King served as its first and only Scientific Director. The principal instrument during its initial decades was a Zeiss Mark IV optomechanical star projector. It presented a simulated view of the sky from Earth and supported explanations of stars, planets, and celestial movements. The Planetarium also had an academic role: students from University College London’s astronomy department used it to study and demonstrate the astronomical coordinate system. Programming later moved beyond conventional star shows. Between 1977 and 1990, the venue presented evening laser performances known as Laserium. These shows introduced a more theatrical, audiovisual form of entertainment while retaining the dome as the attraction’s defining physical feature. A substantial redevelopment was completed in 1995. The reported investment of £4.5 million funded the installation of Digistar II, a digital system capable of monochromatic three-dimensional simulations and virtual journeys through outer space. This changed the visitor experience from a primarily mechanical representation of the night sky to a more programmable and cinematic presentation. The technology was upgraded again in 2004, when Digistar III brought full-colour capabilities and support for both pre-rendered and real-time shows. The system allowed the auditorium to function as an immersive full-dome video environment. It could present space journeys and other visual material with greater production flexibility than the earlier projector-based format. The Planetarium’s independent identity ended in 2006. In January, press reports stated that the venue was to be renamed The Auditorium and that its astronomy programming would give way to general entertainment. Madame Tussauds subsequently announced an Aardman Animations show centered on celebrities. In July 2006, the London Planetarium closed as a separate attraction and the building became part of Madame Tussauds. The former Planetarium space continued to be used for other branded experiences, including the Marvel Super Heroes 4D attraction from 2010. No separate London Planetarium operation is identified after its 2006 closure.

• 2010

  Marvel Super Heroes 4D installation

  [1]London Planetariumen.wikipedia.org

  The former Planetarium building began hosting the Marvel Super Heroes 4D attraction.

• 2006

  Closure as a separate attraction

  [1]London Planetariumen.wikipedia.org

  The London Planetarium closed independently in July and was incorporated into Madame Tussauds under a new entertainment-oriented use.

• 2004

  Installation of Digistar III

  [1]London Planetariumen.wikipedia.org

  A full-colour Digistar III system enabled immersive dome video shows using both real-time and pre-rendered content.

• 1995

  Digistar II redevelopment

  [1]London Planetariumen.wikipedia.org

  A reported £4.5 million redevelopment introduced Digistar II and digitally generated three-dimensional space journeys.

• 1990

  End of Laserium run

  [1]London Planetariumen.wikipedia.org

  The documented Laserium evening-performance period concluded after running from 1977.

• 1977

  Launch of Laserium performances

  [1]London Planetariumen.wikipedia.org

  The venue began hosting evening laser performances, broadening its programming beyond traditional astronomy presentations.

• 1958

  Opening of the London Planetarium

  [1]London Planetariumen.wikipedia.org

  Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, opened the Planetarium on 19 March, with public presentations beginning on 20 March.

Tourist attraction and informal astronomy-education venue

• Planetarium education · 1958

  Traditional astronomy presentations

  The core offering for most of the Planetarium’s history consisted of presentations explaining the night sky as viewed from Earth. A Zeiss Mark IV optomechanical projector generated the star field and supported demonstrations of celestial movement and astronomical concepts. The auditorium’s dome and seating configuration made the experience both educational and theatrical, serving tourists, general audiences, and students studying astronomy.

• Laser and audiovisual show · 1977

  Laserium

  Laserium was the Planetarium’s evening laser-performance format, presented from 1977 through 1990. It used the dome as a canvas for laser-based visual entertainment and supplemented the venue’s science-oriented daytime programming with a more music-and-light-oriented experience. The format reflected the Planetarium’s effort to attract audiences through varied audiovisual entertainment.

• Digital planetarium show · 1995

  Digistar II shows

  Introduced during the 1995 redevelopment, Digistar II enabled monochromatic three-dimensional simulations and virtual journeys through outer space. It expanded the range of narratives that could be presented under the dome, moving the attraction beyond a mechanically generated representation of the stars while retaining its astronomy and space-exploration focus.

• Immersive full-dome entertainment · 2004

  Digistar III full-dome shows

  The Digistar III upgrade, installed in 2004, provided full-colour imagery and supported both pre-rendered and real-time presentations. It allowed audiences to experience immersive journeys through outer space and other full-dome video environments. This was the Planetarium’s most advanced documented presentation system before the venue ceased operating as a separate attraction in 2006.

• 2006

  Conversion into The AuditoriumStrategy

  Background

  Madame Tussauds moved to replace the Planetarium’s astronomy programming with broader entertainment content.

  Action taken

  The venue was renamed The Auditorium, closed as a standalone planetarium in July, and incorporated into Madame Tussauds.

  Aftermath

  The London Planetarium ceased to operate as an independent attraction, while the building continued under other entertainment concepts.

  Source

• 2004

  Upgrade to Digistar IIIGeneration change

  Background

  The Planetarium replaced or advanced its digital presentation capability after the Digistar II era.

  Action taken

  It introduced the full-colour Digistar III system, supporting real-time and pre-rendered full-dome video.

  Aftermath

  The venue gained an immersive visual platform capable of presenting more contemporary space and entertainment shows.

  Source

• 1995

  Redevelopment with Digistar IIStrategy

  Background

  The Planetarium modernized its presentation technology during a reported £4.5 million redevelopment.

  Action taken

  It installed Digistar II, adding digitally generated three-dimensional journeys through virtual outer space.

  Aftermath

  The upgrade gave the attraction a more programmable and cinematic format than its earlier projector-led shows.

  Reported redevelopment cost. £4.5 million (1995 redevelopment)

  Source

1. 1London Planetariumen.wikipedia.org