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Work Begins On University of Alaska Fairbanks Planetarium

Construction under way for University of Alaska Fairbanks Planetarium, a $9 million project with 65-seat dome. Expected completion in 2026, will showcase research and attract tourists as a unique educational tool.

Tue June 24, 2025 - West Edition #13
webcenterfairbanks.com


The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) has begun building a planetarium as an addition to its University of Alaska Museum of the North, according to webcenterfairbanks.com.

The UAF Geophysical Institute has sought a planetarium for decades, said Bob McCoy, the director of the Geophysical Institute at UAF.

The project's development was first announced in September 2024. That's when UAF Chancellor Dan White mentioned at convocation the school's intention to build the facility.

Davis Constructors & Engineers was named as the general contractor in 2024, according to UAF. Completion is expected in 2026.

When it opens, the 5,700-sq.-ft. addition to the west end of the museum will house a 65-seat planetarium under a 10-meter dome. A planetarium has been part of the vision for the museum since it opened in 1980 and also a longtime goal of the UAF Geophysical Institute.

Patrick Druckenmiller, the museum director, said the construction of the planetarium will cost about $9 million, according to webcenterfairbanks.com.

"The lion's share of that comes from a single private anonymous donor," he said.

"This will be an amazing facility for talking about all the wonderful things that we do here at UAF, in terms of our research," Druckenmiller added, noting that the plan is to use the facility for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to education and tourism.

McCoy discussed reasons for building the planetarium, including showcasing the research done at the university. That's something the National Science Foundation and NASA want their collaborators, which include UAF, to do, webcenterfairbanks.com reported.

He said the community has sought a planetarium for years, giving UAF another educational tool and means to attract tourists.

"As a classroom, I think it's really a unique — very unique opportunity," Druckenmiller said. "I mean, what more of a perfect way to talk about the solar system?"

He also expects the facility can be used to teach topics such as studies, glaciers and wildlife, according to webcenterfairbanks.com.

"To explain planetary orbits on a chalkboard is one thing, but to show it on a dome, show the planets moving around, you can speed it up," McCoy said.

The dome can also be used to help people understand the changes in daylight and sunrises in the Arctic, while allowing for aurora viewing when the summer sun doesn't permit visibility, webcenterfairbanks.com reported.

Both Druckenmiller and McCoy said that being able to show those aspects of Alaska will be a tourist draw.

"One of the things that would be nice, with all the tourists coming in the summer, is if we had a planetarium movie," McCoy said. "So, we're buying cameras. We're giving them to our researchers when they go in the field. These are planetarium cameras, so they can make movies of whatever research they're doing."

While construction is under way, Druckenmiller said disruptions to the rest of the museum have been negligible, as the rest of the building is fully open, webcenterfairbanks.com reported. 




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