Vermont Space Grant Consortium

Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium

Program Type: Informal Education

The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium inspires appreciation for the natural world and motivates the stewardship of a healthy planet. One of its most distinctive programs has been astronomy, utilizing a wide-range of opportunities to educate students, adult learners, and the greater public in the areas of fundamental knowledge, as well as current events and developments. Important resources that sustain this program include: The Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium and its associated exhibit gallery, supported by audio-visual media, as well as ten professional and student grade telescopes for outreach visual astronomy programs; the Exploration Station, including hands-on exhibits and a 60-diameter interactive OmniGlobe; and a partnership with the Northern Skies Observatory in nearby Peacham, VT, home to a 17 Planewave Telescope, with the ability to be remotely operated for observing and imaging. The Fairbanks Museum estimated that approximately 7,500 students were reached directly through classes and the planetarium.