It’s not uncommon for visitors to the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium to discover parts of themselves they never knew existed. Missy Carroll has witnessed it firsthand.
The Denham Springs High School biology and anatomy teacher says both her daughters are now pursuing science careers—which she credits to visits to the Louisiana Art & Science Museum and its planetarium.
“I was always looking for fun summer activities to do with my girls. Visiting LASM inspired them to love and utilize science in their own way,” she says.
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This spring, the museum kicked off an anniversary campaign, “Light LASM: The Star of BR,” to celebrate the planetarium’s 20th birthday and its longterm impacts in the community.
The museum will host events like its annual gala—a fall gathering themed “Out of this World”—and its new recurring Dinner Under the Stars series. Local jewelry brand Mimosa Handcrafted has even designed a commemorative pendant for the anniversary.
Coupled with a donation campaign, the events aim to shine a light on the city’s planetarium—literally and figuratively. Though the planetarium’s curved dome stands out in the downtown skyline during the day, the museum hopes to raise funds to light the dome’s nighttime exterior for its anniversary.
Inside that 170-seat domed theater, visitors’ moods soar faster than a rocket as they sit back and absorb immersive celestial experiences.
“Many people have heard of 4K resolution TVs and movie theaters, but planetariums are pushing the boundaries when it comes to projection systems,” says Jay Lamm, LASM’s planetarium and facilities director. “With optical star globes, laser light shows and large format projectors, viewers can fully enjoy the wonders of the cosmos—in a mosquito-free environment.”
Disconnected from outside distractions once inside the planetarium, there’s more room for students of all ages to unleash their imaginations as wide as the rings of Saturn. Each video projection employs state-of-the-art sound and visual technology, which the museum says is designed to place spectators “in the center of the action.”
The creators of the theater’s most popular show, In Saturn’s Rings, meticulously stitched together more than
7.5 million photos to make viewers feel as if they are on the planet.
“It took the filmmakers years to put this show together, and I think it really paid off,” Lamm says.
Even if space isn’t your thing, the planetarium curates shows for wide audiences. Genres range from dramas and musicals to educational presentations and children’s programming. Little earthlings can explore the moon and sun with Coyote from Earth, Moon & Sun. The show America’s Musical Journey is a soundtrack to the nation’s diversity and offers lessons on the importance of equality. Visitors can catch up on NASA’s efforts to land the first woman and person of color on the moon in Forward! To the Moon.
The museum also hosts Family Hour Stargazing every Saturday at 10 a.m. And before each show, the theater’s dual-projector OmniGlobe shares real-time weather updates.
Donating $20 to the planetarium’s DipJar will help raise funds to light “The Star of BR”—and in doing so draw new visitors to the museum. Those visitors, too, might even discover a new part of themselves. lasm.org
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More places to see the stars
• Admire the beauty of the cosmos at Highland Road Park Observatory, which hosts weekly lectures, telescope sky viewings and kid-friendly, hands-on science lessons. hrpo.lsu.edu
• Nerd out over all things celestial over drinks at Astronomy on Tap meetups. facebook.com/aotbatonrouge
This article was originally published in the July 2023 issue of 225 magazine.