Hamburg Planetarium Becomes World's First Immersive 3D Star Theatre

On February 14, 2017 Hamburg celebrated the grand reopening of one of its top attractions – the Planetarium Hamburg. The landmark had closed its doors in August 2015 to undergo major refurbishment; 18 months and almost 10 million Euros later, this historic water tower has now been updated to offer modern facilities and state-of-the-art multimedia and laser technology. It’s now the first star theatre in the world combining 3D image with 3D sound for the ultimate immersive experience.

A modern core for the old tower

The most extensive renovations were carried out at the base of the early 20th century water tower. A new entrance area was created by excavating the bottom of the historic building, and now welcomes the planetarium’s guests with a spacious and bright foyer. Recent additions also include an exhibition area, the café ‘Nordstern’ (North Star) with indoor and outdoor seating, shops, offices, and three elevators that ensure barrier-free access to the star theatre and the viewing platform.

Unparalleled technical features

Opened in 1930, the Planetarium Hamburg has long enjoyed international acclaim for its technical capabilities and diverse program. Raising the bar even higher, it has now become the first planetarium in the world whose shows combine 3D image with 3D sound.

The theatre uses a custom-made star projector from Zeiss that is integrated with a Digistar 6 system from Evans & Sutherland. The digital 8K, 3D full-dome equipment conjures crystal-clear images on the dome ceiling of the old water tower. Further enhanced by the 3D Spatial Soundwave System, the shows of the Planetarium Hamburg are currently unmatched by any other star theatre in the world.

Furthermore, the star theatre boasts the world’s largest laser and lightning system used in a planetarium. Specially developed by the world-leading German company LOBO, the high-tech lasers create a 360-degree experience of breathtaking multimedia shows with special effects and over 16 million colours.

Entertainment for all ages

Planetarium’s grand reopening is accompanied by an extensive new program. The first quarter of the year alone will see the German premieres of five new shows. Split into three sections – Our World, Our Universe, and Our Stars – the star theatre’s upcoming schedule will take visitors on a journey through time and space, replete with fantastic light and laser effects complemented by a splendid sound system.

The language of the shows is German but the magnificent images require no translation.