The Planetarium and Astronomy Center includes a 100-seat planetarium, an accessible roof deck for celestial observation, a warming room, a STEAM laboratory, an explorers' room, a kitchen, offices, and Connecticut’s largest public viewing research telescope, the 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain reflecting telescope.
The 11,000 sq. ft. facility is designed to maximize collaborative interactions and provide flexibility. The planetarium, lobby, and explorers’ room are visually connected to the lobby. The telescope offers real-time feedback to monitors on the first floor and in the planetarium. Rotating wall panels allow the planetarium to open to the lobby, creating one large space for multidisciplinary events. The planetarium is flat-floored to accommodate multiple uses with a tilted dome for viewing comfort. Respectful of its location on a working farm museum, the 40-foot-diameter planetarium dome is nestled within a barn-shaped structure. The elevator is within an attached silo.
SM&NC’s primary function is education for all ages. Astronomy and science offerings are expanded into a hands-on STEAM lab encompassing school programs, summer camp opportunities, public programs, adult enrichment, and family programs. The Planetarium and Astronomy Center is the second phase of the master plan TSKP STUDIO helped develop for SM&NC. The facility will be a powerful cultural tourism asset for the State and City of Stamford, enabling the museum to become a distinguished regional leader in science education.