American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

Hayden Planetarium; Department of Astronomy and the Hayden Planetarium; Department of Astronomy and the American Museum-Hayden Planetarium
birth: 1935
death: present
The Hayden Planetarium opened on October 3, 1935 and provided a physical space to represent the American Museum of Natural History's recently established Department of Astronomy. From this beginning, the relationship and identity of the Astronomy department and the Hayden Planetarium, as well as their staff members, were interchangeable. In 1999, the Department of Astronomy changed to the Department of Astrophysics and the Hayden Planetarium began to have distinct leadership. In 2000, the Hayden Planetarium reopened as part of the Rose Center for Earth and Space. This record primarily represents the Department of Astronomy and Hayden Planetarium between the years 1935 and 1999.
The Hayden Planetarium has been a premier exhibition and educational space since its opening in 1935, acting as the figurehead for the AMNH Department of Astronomy. From the inception of the Department of Astronomy, there was a desire for a permanent physical hall for this branch of science (1, 1925, p. 34). Clyde Fisher, curator in the Education department, was ultimately responsible for the planning, promotion and design of this project, modeling it in part after the Adler Planetarium in Chicago (1, 1931 p. 52). On October 3, 1935, the Hayden Planetarium opened to the public. At this point, the Department of Astronomy effectively merged with the Hayden Planetarium, with all staff members holding joint responsibilities for the scientific department and the physical space. Thus, Fisher would be named the first Curator of the Department of Astronomy and Hayden Planetarium (1, 1936 p. 38). In 1953 the department name changed to Department of Astronomy and American Museum-Hayden Planetarium (1, 1953 p. 71).
Although the department scientists have continually conducted research in their field, because of the nature of the material, the majority of the actual physical specimens in the Museum collection are meteorological. A close relationship with the departments relating to the earth sciences was maintained. The Planetarium's physical space has allowed for a strong educational outreach program. Besides the popular sky shows and educational programs, the Department offered celestial navigation courses for service personnel during WWII (1, 1937 p. 7), as well as participating in the 1939 New York World’s Fair (1, 1940 p. 13-14). Public participation was encouraged through the Junior Astronomy Club, publications such as the Sky magazine, and radio broadcasts from expedition sites. Expeditionary work largely focused on recording observations of eclipses (1, 1938 p. 57; 1, 1956 p. 36; 1, 1964 p. 28). Additional research work was undertaken by the scientists, both individually and collaboratively with other institutions. The Planetarium was also a continuous space for exhibition of scientific artifacts and representative artworks. Artists such as Charles Knight, D. Owen Stephens and Helmut Wimmer contributed to this artistic legacy of the Hayden Planetarium through permanent and temporary exhibits. These complemented the continuing sky show programs. The content of these shows and other programs continued to reflect the current cultural phenomena and collective public interest as well as evolve technologically throughout the 20th century. In the 1970s the Perkin Wing was erected which replaced the Copernican Hall of the Sun with the Guggenheim Space Theater, and added a new Hall of the Sun exhibit space, a research library and a gift shop (1, 1972, p. 19).
In the mid-1990s plans were made to redesign the Hayden Planetarium space as part of a larger exhibition hall. Thus the Hayden Planetarium was rebuilt as part of the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Along with the Hayden Planetarium, the Rose Center is comprised of the Harriet and Robert Heilbrunn Cosmic Pathway, the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Hall of the Universe and the David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, which opened in 1999 (1, 2000 p. 13-14). Along with the physical changes, there was a shift in departmental focus at this time, with the Department’s name changing to Astrophysics in 1999 and the creation in 2000 of the parent Division of Physical Sciences, which comprises both Astrophysics as well as the sibling Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. At this point the administrative and curatorial responsibility for the Hayden Planetarium was effectively separated from the scientific department. For more complete historical records of the earlier and later incarnations of the department, see Department of Astronomy (record ID: amnhc_3000047) and Department of Astrophysics (record ID: amnhc_3000046).
1924The Department of Astronomy was instituted as part of the Division of Mineralogy, Geology and Geography. (1, 1925 p. xix) Department of Public Education Curator Clyde Fisher was put ‘in charge’ of the fledgeling Astronomy department and an Astronomy room was put on exhibition. This contained paintings and photographs and both anticipated and benefitted from public interest in astronomical matters due to the upcoming 1925 eclipse. (1, 1925 p. 32-33) Meteorites in the collection were displayed in other Museum spaces. (1, 1925 p. 33) Descriptive plans, anticipated costs, and an advisory committee for the erection of an Astronomy Hall are presented in the Annual Report for the year 1924 (1, 1925, p. 34)
1930Studies were begun for the plans of a building to house a Zeiss planetarium similar to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. (1, 1931 p. 52) This planning work would continue into the next year (1, 1932 p. 60)
1933Charles Hayden donates funds for the purchase of a Zeiss Projection Planetarium and Copernican Planetarium (1, 1934, p. 3; 1935 p. 28, p. 87).
1935On October 3, the Hayden Planetarium opened to the public, with Clyde Fisher as curator of the Department of Astronomy and Hayden Plantarium. (1, 1936 p. 38)
1936A celestial navigation course for navigators and aviators was first offered at the Planetarium in cooperation with the Weems System of Navigation of Annapolis. (1, 1937 p. 7)
1937Fisher led the Hayden Planetarium-Grace Peruvian Eclipse Expedition to observe and record the solar eclipse. (1, 1938 p. 57) Workers and craftsmen were assigned by the WPA to the Department (1, 1938 p. 33-34)
1939The Department of Astronomy contributed to the New York World's Fair. With cooperation from the Bartol Research Foundation, technical staff built the Cosmic Ray Counter, a machine which received cosmic ray impulses that were transmitted to turn on the lights at the Fair. The machine would also be used at the opening of LaGuardia Airport (1, 1940 p. 13-14)
1942In response to the wartime need for training, the Hayden Planetarium entered into a contract with the United States Navy in July of 1942 to educate 10,000 students of the Midshipmen’s School and to continue providing other navigation courses. (1, 1943 p. 6-7) William Barton assumed the role of Department Curator. (2, 1943)
1944Associate Curator Marian Lockwood assumed the role of Acting Curator after the death of William Barton (2, 1945)
1945Goorge Atwood was appointed Chairman and Curator of the Department. (2, 1946)
1950Robert Coles, who had been with the Department since 1941, took over the Chairmanship. (2, 1951)
1953The name was changed to the Department of Astronomy and the American Museum-Hayden Planetarium. (1, 1953 p. 71) Joseph Chamberlain became the General Manager and Chief Astronomer of the Department, (2, 1954) a title which would change to Chairman and Astronomer in 1956 (2, 1957)
1955The Museum sponsored the Ceylon Expedition, which sent a team to Ceylon to take documentary film footage of the eclipse. Chamberlain acted as leader of the expedition and Nicholson accompanied as scientist, along with R.E. Logan and Lee Boltin as photographers. (1, 1956 p. 36)
1956In January and February, Chamberlain and Nicholson contracted with the Air Force through the Western Electric Company for an expedition to research and pinpoint the geodetic positions of radar installation sites in northern Canada. (1, 1956 p. 36)
1963The Quebec Solar Eclipse Expedition was sent by the Museum to observe the total solar eclipse. Kenneth Franklin acted as leader of the expedition and Nicholson again acted as expedition scientist. (1, 1964 p. 28)
1964With the naming of Chamberlain as one of the new Assistant Directors of the Museum, Thomas Nicholson is promoted to the position of Chairman and Astronomer of the Department. (1, 1964 p. 15)
1969A new Zeiss VI projector was installed in the Hayden Planetarium. The Planetarium reopened to the public in October of 1969 after a month closure for installation of the projector and refurbishment to the Star Theater. (1, 1970, p. 18-20). In July the Planetarium hosted a splashdown party for the broadcast of the Apollo 11 moon landing team. (1, 1970, p. 20)
1971The Guggenheim Space Theater was completed and took the place of the former Copernican Hall of the Sun. (1, 1972 p. 18) Funding is received through the Richard S. Perkin Foundation and the Charles Hayden Foundation to contruct the Perkin Wing, which will house a library, shop, and the Perkin Hall of the Sun. (1, 1972, p. 19)
1972Branley retired to Astronomer Emeritus, and Kenneth Franklin was appointed Chairman (1, 1973 p. 17)
1974Mark Chartrand assumes the role of Chairman (1, 1974 p. 15) The Planetarium began offering nighttime Laserium programs of light display with music (1, 1975 p. 14)
1975The library and shop of the Perkin Wing open to the public. (1, 1975 p. 14)
1976The Hall of the Sun opened as part of the new Perkins Wing. (1, 1977 p. 16)
1980Chartrand leaves the Museum in October of 1980 and Allan Seltzer is appointed Acting Manager of the Department (1, 1981 p. 13)
1981William Gutsch is appointed Chairman of the Planetarium. (1, 1982 p. 13) Allen Seltzer travels to Siberia to photograph the solar eclipse (1, 1982 p. 13)
1982A new computer automated system is installed in the Planetarium which will allow for more complex and dynamic sky shows. (1, 1983 p. 12)
1991An expedition is sent to Hawaii comprised of scientists and artists to observe eclipses (1, 1991 p. 11; 1992 p. 16)
1993Planetarium Visiting Committee led by J. Richard Gott III reviews and compiles recommendations for the future of the Hayden Planetarium. (1, 1993 p. 18)
1994Funding is acquired from the Perkin Fund and the City of New York to obtain and develop advanced computer graphics equipment to enhance the art and animation displays at the Hayden Planetarium. Utilization of the Internet to receive and share imagery also commences. (1, 1994 p. 26)
1995In January the Museum announced their plans for the Planetarium and North Side Project, which would eventually become the Rose Center. These plans were reviewed and approved favorably of by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee in November. (1, 1996 p. 50) William Gutsch resigned from his departmental chair. Neil deGrasse Tyson served as acting chair until being named the inaugural Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium. (1, 1996 p. 23) The Mineral Sciences department is renamed the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences with Edmond Mathez as Department Chairman and Curator. (1, 1996 p. 24)
1998With the University of Washington, the Earth and Planetary Science staff members participated in the "black smoker" expeditions at the Juan de Fuca Ridge off the coast of Washington and British Columbia. (1, 1998 p. 30). Samples from these expeditions would be included in the Gottesman Hall when it opened in 1999. (1, 1999 p. 17)
1999Department of Astrophysics established in July of 1999 in preparation and anticipation for the opening of the Rose Center. Michael Shara was appointed Curator-in-Charge of Astrophysics and Mordecai-Mark Mac Low joined the department staff. (1, 1999 p. 6; 2000 p. 17)
1999Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth opens in June, marking the completion of the first stage of the Rose Center (1, 1999 p. 6)
2000Establishment of the Division of Physical Sciences, comprised of the Department of Astrophysics and the Department of Earth and Planetary Science. James Webster was named the Divisional Chair. The Department of Astrophysics would retain a strong relationship with the Department of Exhibition (1, 2000 p. 17) On February 19, the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Hall of the Universe, the Scales of the Universe, the Harriet and Robert Heilbrunn Cosmic Pathway, and the redesigned Hayden Planetarium open to the public, which incorporated the new Space Theater. Along with the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, these comprise the new Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space. (1, 2000 p. 13-14)