invme Place
Everywhere
All cities · Everywhere →
EN
ENEnglish RURussian FRFrench DEGerman ITItalian ESSpanish PTPortuguese PT-BRBrazilian Portuguese ES-MXLatin American Spanish FR-CACanadian French EN-GBBritish English UKUkrainian PLPolish JAJapanese NLDutch KOKorean SVSwedish DADanish NBNorwegian FIFinnish CSCzech HEHebrew ELGreek ZH-HANTTraditional Chinese HUHungarian RORomanian HRCroatian SKSlovak SLSlovenian ETEstonian LVLatvian LTLithuanian BGBulgarian TRTurkish

Zeiss Planetarium

Planetariums & observatories ·Bochum ·Closed
4.63.5K
#1Planetariums & observatories in Germany
Make a plan here
Directions Website Call Bookmark

Sign up free — See who's going and message them.

Is this your place? Get the badge for your website

More photos 11

1 / 11
Zeiss Planetarium — Bright planetarium lobby with curved ceiling, exhibits, and visitor seating
Zeiss Planetarium — Bright planetarium lobby with curved ceiling, exhibits, and visitor seatingZeiss Planetarium — Historic Zeiss planetarium projector displayed under blue lightingZeiss Planetarium — Spherical planetarium projector in its purple-lit exhibit spaceZeiss Planetarium — Planetarium projector silhouetted against a green illuminated domeZeiss Planetarium — Astronaut exhibit and space displays in the planetarium galleryZeiss Planetarium — Satellite model suspended beneath the planetarium’s curved ceilingZeiss Planetarium — Planetarium dome partly framed by leafy trees on a sunny dayZeiss Planetarium — Planetarium’s curved roof rising above the grassy slopeZeiss Planetarium — Low view of the planetarium dome and its sloping lawnZeiss Planetarium — Globe and astronomy display beside the lobby windowsZeiss Planetarium — Astronomy objects displayed in a glass case along a wooden wall

Opening hours

Today09:00 – 16:30Show all
MondayClosed
Tuesday09:00 – 16:30
Wednesday09:00 – 21:15
Thursday09:00 – 21:00
Friday09:00 – 22:00
Saturday11:00 – 22:00
Sunday10:30 – 21:00

Shorts

Why go

  • A central star projector works alongside eleven Zeiss Velvet LED projectors for digital full-dome shows.
  • Original floors, much of the furniture and wood paneling remain from the building’s 1964 opening.

What's inside

  • The circular building contains a domed auditorium with reclining seats arranged around a central projector; the ceiling is the projection surface.
  • The dome is 20 metres wide and seats 251 people. A gallery around the auditorium houses permanent and temporary exhibitions.
  • An Astroshop and café are also on site.
  • The programme includes science talks, astronomy and other themed presentations, music shows, audio plays, readings and performances.
  • The auditorium’s Fraunhofer spatial sound system is used for shows and specially produced audio dramas.

With kids

  • Children’s programmes include an interactive family show following Fritz, Sigrid and Gustav on a journey through space.

History

Bochum commissioned the planetarium and still owns the building. Astrophysicist Susanne Hüttemeister has directed it since 2004.

  1. 1960Bochum approved a planetarium on the former Schützenhof grounds.
  2. 1962–1964Designed by city building-office head Karl-Heinz Schwarz, the planetarium was constructed from 1962 to 1964. Heinz Kaminski, founder of the Bochum observatory, initiated the project.
  3. 1964It opened on 6 November as West Germany’s first large postwar planetarium.
  4. 1976Director Joachim Prölss welcomed the planetarium’s millionth visitor on 10 November.
  5. 1986–1987The dome projection surface was renewed and the projector overhauled in 1986. During a closure in 1987, the controls were converted to PC operation.
Show all
  1. 2004Astrophysicist Susanne Hüttemeister became director.
  2. 2005The planetarium became a protected monument.
  3. 2010Zeiss installed the FullDome Powerdome digital projection system.
  4. 2017A spatial sound system developed by Fraunhofer IDMT was added.
  5. 2018The Universarium IX star projector received a technical overhaul and LED lighting. The planetarium was named a Big Beautiful Building for its architectural significance in the Ruhr region.
  6. 2020The projection technology was modernized with eleven ZEISS LED projectors.

How to get there

  • On footThe planetarium stands near Ruhrstadion on the northeastern edge of Bochum city centre.

Accessibility

  • Accessibility

Sources: Planetarium Bochum - Wikipedia · Startseite - Wir zeigen das Größte. - Planetari… · Geschichte - Planetarium Bochum: Wir zeigen das… · Besuchsinformationen - Planetarium Bochum: Wir … · checked 4 Oct 2026

Where
Castroper Str. 67, -, Bochum

Plan from here: With kids →

Questions and answers

How large is the Zeiss Planetarium dome?

The dome is 20 metres wide and seats 251 people.

Can couples marry at the Zeiss Planetarium?

Yes. The domed auditorium is one of Bochum’s wedding rooms, where couples can marry beneath the stars.

Does the Zeiss Planetarium have shows for children?

Yes. Its programme includes children’s shows, including an interactive space journey with Fritz, Sigrid and Gustav.

How invme works
  1. See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
  2. Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
  3. Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.
Join free

Reviews on invme

Sign in to review
Comment Share
Loading comments…