Jena, July 14, 2026. The Zeiss-Planetarium in Jena is on the verge of its ceremonial reopening. Following a comprehensive modernization of its projection and sound technology, the historic star theater is resuming operations just in time for its upcoming 100th anniversary.
- What: Reopening and 100th-anniversary celebrations
- When: Starts Wednesday, July 15, 2026; regular operations from Sunday, July 19, 2026
- Where: Zeiss-Planetarium Jena, Am Planetarium 5, 07743 Jena
- Special feature: World’s oldest operating large-scale planetarium
Modern technology for the world’s oldest large-scale planetarium
The historic Jena star theater had been closed since the beginning of the year for extensive work. Over the past months, the projection and sound systems, as well as the dome’s projection surface, have been brought up to the latest technical standards. Starting this week, visitors can look forward to an even sharper and more immersive audio experience under the artificial starry sky.
The planetarium in Jena is considered a milestone in the optical industry. Commissioned by the Deutsches Museum, the Zeiss company developed the corresponding projection technology in 1923 and built it at the company’s Jena headquarters. Since its official opening on July 18, 1926, the world’s oldest large-scale planetarium has attracted millions of visitors.
The celebration program
The reopening will be celebrated with a multi-day program designed to appeal to both culture enthusiasts and the general public:
- Wednesday, July 15 to Friday, July 17, 2026: Three-day Fulldome Festival featuring performances by newcomers and DJs.
- Saturday, July 18, 2026: Ceremonial event for invited guests exactly 100 years after the historic opening.
- From Sunday, July 19, 2026: Start of regular operations for all visitors.
The modernization and the planetarium’s anniversary represent another highlight in the city’s cultural calendar, which is also shaped this summer by the popular Sommerspektakel der Kulturarena.
🏛️ History & Building: The cradle of the artificial starry sky
The Jena Planetarium is not only a place of science and entertainment but also a world-class architectural and industrial heritage site. The projection technology developed by the Zeiss company revolutionized the representation of the cosmos worldwide in the 1920s. The dome construction itself was a pioneering engineering feat, built using a shell construction method. To this day, Jena is considered the historic center of modern projection planetariums and attracts astronomy enthusiasts from all over the world.
Source:
Zeiss-Planetarium öffnet nach Umbau wieder
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI assistance.