Baker Planetarium Celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Apollo Mission

The president and CEO of the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS), Joel A. Bartsch has served the museum in an executive role since 1991, when he accepted the position of curator and director of earth sciences at HMNS. Responsible for developing organizational strategy and museum messaging, Joel Bartsch also serves as the lead spokesperson for the museum.

One of the celebrated features of the museum is the Burke Baker Planetarium. Opened in 1964, the planetarium has presented educational programs on astronomy to millions of visitors. Equipped with the latest technology, the Baker Planetarium has a Digistar 6, the world’s leading digital planetarium software and projection system.

With the Digistar 6 system, visitors get to enjoy the simulated experience of flying through the universe, exploring planetary surfaces, and navigating asteroid fields. In 2020, the planetarium is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing with a new show called Apollo & Beyond: Conquering Gravity. As part of the anniversary year, HMNS is organizing a related fundraising program with naming opportunities for the new Baker Planetarium seats.

---