Zeiss Planetarium Jena

In July 1924, some 80,000 people flocked to the roof of the Zeiss works in Jena to see an artificial starry sky in a temporary dome. The press called it the "Miracle of Jena". Two years later, on 18 July 1926, a permanent planetarium opened on the edge of the old town, and it is still running today. The Zeiss Planetarium Jena is the world's oldest large projection planetarium still in operation and a monument of engineering in its own right.

History: an idea from Munich, built in Jena

The impetus came from Oskar von Miller, founder of the Deutsches Museum. In 1912 he wanted a walk-in celestial globe and in 1913 approached Carl Zeiss. That proved too complex, so in 1919 Zeiss engineer Walther Bauersfeld designed a device that projects the stars with light onto the inside of a dome. The first model went to Munich in 1924. Because of the huge demand, Zeiss planned its own planetarium in Jena, and construction began in the former Princesses' Garden at the end of 1924. After Barmen, Leipzig and Düsseldorf, Jena became the world's fourth large planetarium in 1926. In 2006 it became Europe's first laser-based fulldome planetarium. In the first half of 2026 it was modernised for €7.5 million and has been open again since 15 July 2026.

What to see

• The dome: It is 25 metres across, yet the concrete shell is only 6 centimetres thick. The Zeiss-Dywidag shell construction method was developed for it, a network of rods similar to the geodesic domes later built by Buckminster Fuller.
• Star projector: Since 1996 the centre has been occupied by the Zeiss Model VIII "Universarium" projector, which shows the sky with great realism.
• Fulldome projection: Eight projectors cast moving images across more than 800 m² of dome surface without visible seams.
• Spatial sound: The 3D sound system uses wave field synthesis and was the world's first permanent installation of its kind in a planetarium dome.
• Programme: Alongside live tours of the current night sky, there are science shows such as "Planets – Expedition into the Solar System", children's shows and music shows.

Good to know

More than 170,000 visitors came in 2024. The planetarium belongs to the Ernst Abbe Foundation. Some programmes can be shown in English on request. Visits are not recommended for children under five, and people with photosensitive epilepsy should take care.

Tickets and box office hours (as of October 2026)

• Educational and family programmes: €15, reduced €13.50, family ticket for three €36.
• Music shows: €16, reduced €14.50, family ticket €39.
• Box office: Tuesday to Thursday 09:30–14:30 and 18:00–20:00, Friday 09:30–13:00 and 18:00–20:00, Saturday 11:00–20:15, Sunday 11:00–18:00. Closed on Mondays except public holidays and Thuringian school holidays. The box office also opens 30 minutes before every show.

Shows have fixed start times and most last around 50 minutes. Reserve or buy tickets in advance, especially at weekends.

Getting there and parking

The planetarium is at Am Planetarium 5, next to the Botanical Garden. It is about a 13-minute walk from Jena Paradies station, 20 minutes from Jena West and 10 minutes from the Teichgraben central bus station. There are very few parking spaces at the building itself, so use the car parks in the city centre, for example at Fürstengraben, Eichplatz or Inselplatz.

Tripto tip

For a first visit, choose a show that starts with the current night sky: that way you experience both the classic projector and the modern fulldome technology in one performance. Allow one to two hours including getting there. The German Optical Museum is about a 14-minute walk away and takes the subject of optics further.