Charles F. Hagar Planetarium

After more than 50 years of continuous operation, the Charles F. Hagar planetarium is closing for renovation in Fall 2026.  Since opening in 1973, we have served over 100,000 visitors, including SF State students, San Francisco school children, community groups, and members of the general public. We have also trained and mentored hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students interested in planetarium operations and science education and outreach.  Many have gone on to careers in science education in the Bay Area, California, and beyond. All of our offerings are free and the planetarium is wheelchair accessible.

The Spitz star projector, which was state-of-the-art in 1973 will be replaced by a new state-of-the-art Zeiss star projector manufactured for us in Germany.  The new projector will reproduce the stars, Sun, Moon, planets, and Milky Way--reproducing the night sky as it appears in the darkest places anywhere on Earth on any date and time far in the past and far into the future.  Plans also include a video projection system running OpenSpace, allowing visitors to explore the Earth and other planets in the Solar System using real data from NASA missions, fly among stars in the Milky Way, visualize the distribution of galaxies in the universe, and more.  Circular seating will accommodate more than 40 visitors in a configuration we have long found to be conducive to interactive experiences.  We look forward to building on a proud tradition of providing stimulating laboratory experiences, live shows for school groups and the public, and an inspiring training ground for future STEM teachers.