MISHAWAKA, Ind. — A northern Indiana school district is envisioning new ways to use its planetarium once a planned $500,000 upgrade is complete this fall.
The P-H-M Planetarium will seek bids next month for the project, which will install a new digital video theater system, upgrade a projector and add seating.
The work is being done as part of a larger $9.9 million renovation project to update technology and science labs at Penn High School, spokeswoman Teresa Carroll told the South Bend Tribune.
Planetarium director Art Klinger said the new equipment will give visitors a better experience and will allow the facility to expand its offerings.
For a life sciences show, for example, attendees can go to the African Serengeti to run with the herds of animals.
"Not only will you see it," Klinger said, "you'll experience it."
Klinger said future shows won't be limited to science curricula. He hopes to add programs that complement history and geography as well.
He hopes more high school students will use the upgraded facility.
"It would be neat, in chemistry (class), to be able to fly around a molecule and examine it," he said.
More public shows are expected as well once the renovations are completed, which is expected by the end of September.
"It's going to be really cool when this thing gets going," Klinger said.
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