Buhl Planetarium under Construction

1938-11-18

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Title
Buhl Planetarium under Construction
Identifier
MSP80.B008.C11.I04
Source Identifier
MSP80.B008.C11.I04
Description
The Buhl Planetarium has the oldest operating major planetarium projector in the world. The Zeiss Optical Works in Jena, Germany, manufactured the projector at a cost of $135,000. It has 106 lenses capable of producing 9000 images of stars. It was the first building of its type to have an operating theatre with a special sound system for the hearing-impaired. Architects Ingham & Boyd designed the building in 1939 in the stripped Classical style at a cost of $1.07 million. The octagonal dome is composed of copper and formerly hosted the most popular feature of the Planetarium, the sky show projected on the dome’s interior. The building boasts sculpted reliefs and Indiana limestone walls designed by Sidney Waugh, a well-known sculptor. The structure was the first public building in the City of Pittsburgh to be built with air conditioning.
Genre
photographs
Subject
Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
North Side (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Domes--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
Buildings--Design and construction--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
Planetariums--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
Source
Trimble Company Photographs, 1924-1951, MSP 80, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center
Contributor
Detre Library & Archives, Heinz History Center
Collection
Trimble Company Records
Rights Information
In Copyright. This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).. Rights Holder: Senator John Heinz History Center
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Rights Holder
Senator John Heinz History Center