Securiton Protection for Moscow Planetarium

The Moscow Planetarium was once the showcase for the space nation’s status and achievements. But following the fall of the Soviet Union there was a lack of both funding and general interest in the institution. Nonetheless, after a closure of 17 years and various delays in the renovation work, the Planetarium re-opened in June 2011. It is now all the more resplendent and boasts a reliable fire protection system from Securiton.

The Moscow Planetarium was first inaugurated in 1929 and for decades it proved a huge public attraction for a great nation proud of its space travel. With a dome 25 m in diameter it was also the largest in Europe. Like so many other museums, institutions and cultural establishments after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Planetarium lacked the necessary funds for its upkeep and for urgently needed renovations.

The Planetarium closed its doors in 1994 and was privatised in 1998. The premises were then used for other purposes and became completely run down. After much to-ing and fro-ing the City of Moscow took matters in hand in 2004 and launched a programme of complete renovations, which were completed this year. The Planetarium re-opened in the heart of Moscow in mid-June 2011 and is now once again one of the most modern educational establishments for astronomy in the world. The historical building was raised hydraulically by 6 m to gain an additional storey. The floor space covering 17,000 m2 includes interactive models, a Foucault’s pendulum, a large collection of meteorites, and artefacts from more than 50 years of space travel.