The William M. Staerkel Planetarium is a planetarium at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. It is the second largest planetarium in the state, the largest being the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, and has the first Carl Zeiss M1015 opto-mechanical star projector installed in the western hemisphere.
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I visited this place fairly recently, and though the stories were good, it felt like they had been told countless times before. The show I attended was meant for younger audiences, but the display was still enjoyable. I had also visited this place a long time ago during a school field trip, and it seemed like they were still using the same old projector from back then (decades ago). The planetarium experience wasn't fully immersive due to dark or light spots caused by the aging projector. While I understand that replacing the projector can be costly, considering the location, it's probably time for an update. The photos displayed here were truly impressive! There's something special about seeing things in person rather than just in pictures. For children, this place can be incredibly educational...
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The Staerkel Planetarium is a hidden gem in the Champaign area.
The Good: The planetarium theater itself was beautiful. Located on the Parkland College campus, the planetarium's state-of-the-art digital projection system, operated by the (nicest) planetarium director, Dave Leake, proved to be breathtaking. His storytelling held my son's attention the entire time - and I'm sure seeing Santa up in the sky didn't hurt either!
The Bad: At the time of our visit, campus construction blocked the front entrance of the planetarium, making it a bit difficult to navigate our way inside.
Overall: We loved the kid-friendly show at the William M. Staerkel Planetarium, and would certainly return for...
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This is an amazing hidden gem to go to with your kids in the Champaign area! If your child is into space and learning the planetarium will be right up their ally. The amazing friendly and knowledgeable staff will show you the amazing night sky's and wish you off to far away planets on the amazing domed theater screen. The movies and programs that we have been to so far been both captivating and educational for my son.
They can do large party's like scouts,4H, school clubs, ect. They also have it where you can rent the place for birthday parties. You have to contact them via the parkland college website for...
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