Why did you decide to build a new planetarium?
We wanted to come up with new ideas to help popularise science and extend Techmania’s more informal tools of education. So we decided to create a very special planetarium – the first 3D Planetarium in the Czech Republic.
How much has been invested in the project?
When reconstruction of additional areas of the science centre as a whole is finished in June 2014, overall investment in the project will be about CZK 600m (US$30m, £18.1m, E22m). European funding for the building and equipment of our 3D Planetarium was around CZK 140m (US$6.9m, £4.2m, E5m).
What benefits will the new planetarium bring to Techmania?
With the help of the 3D Planetarium, we can extend the offer of popular science for our visitors. Physics, astrophysics, chemistry, mathematics, as well as biology, geography and geology are now the wonderful fields of knowledge we’re able to communicate to visitors. We can also focus on attracting more visitors. In the first month of opening, over 10,000 visitors came to the new attraction.
What are its unique features?
There are three main features. Firstly, the 2D and 3D full dome projections offer a great variety of educational movies. Secondly, the Science On a Sphere technology in its own separate mini-theatre [where projections are made onto a suspended globe] enables original ways of presenting scientific as well as wider educational issues.
Finally, the Space exhibition, containing 27 interactive exhibits made by the Techmania team, guides visitors around the elements of space and its exploration. With all these features, our main aim was to offer interactivity, fun and great educational value.
What shows will you be offering?
There are both 2D and 3D movies – some of them we purchased and others we’ve made ourselves. The ‘Heaven above Plzen’, for example, is a show explaining the constellation of stars in the sky in different seasons. We also have the Gyroscope Show, which explains G-force and disorientation in orbit. We’re open seven days in a week, and all the show and movies we offer run on a daily basis.
How many visitors do you expect to attract to the new planetarium each year?
In March, there will be newer parts of the science centre open, so we hope and believe we’ll finish 2014 with around 200,000 satisfied, entertained and well-educated visitors.
What kind of tickets and prices do you offer?
We offer full price, reduced price, group and family tickets. You can visit the Space exhibition and the Science On a Sphere show separately, or just go to see the 2D and 3D programmes. There are variations for all the target groups that Techmania attracts.
What are your future plans at Techmania?
The future is clear: we want to become an integral part of informal education for schools and the public in the Czech Republic. Our goal is to maintain our variety of interactive exhibitions, and produce quality scientific shows, workshops and lectures. We aim to be the leader in science communication in the Czech Republic, promoting science and technology as well as we possibly can.