The physics building, Smith Hall, opened in 1968 with a new planetarium contained within. The planetarium projector cost $25,000 and the total cost of the system was estimated to be $35,000. Public shows began in the Planetarium in late 1968 or early 1969, with Physics Professor Dr. Kenneth Warren estimating that it took him 1000 hours of preparation for a show.
The planetarium was a fixture of the core courses offered by the physics department (Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe and Frontiers in Astronomy) where tens of thousands of Kent State students had the opportunity to observe the night sky in their classroom. A series of physics professors dedicated their time to develop and offer shows to the public over the last 60 years. However, with the onset of COVID in early 2020, the planetarium became dormant.
In the Fall of 2023, a group of students under faculty supervision brought the planetarium back to life. The students learned how to operate the planetarium and created original programming covering both scientific and mythological topics. We have created public programs on the total eclipse, the solar system, the mythology of the Zodiac constellations and a Halloween show covering the more macabre mythology in the night sky (did you know some cultures see the Big Dipper as a coffin with mourners following behind?).