Named after the former New South Wales governor, Sir Thomas Brisbane, the Planetarium is an homage to the governor’s passion for astronomy. A scientific expert in his own right, Sir Thomas Brisbane’s exploration of our southern skies resulted in the cataloguing of 7,385 stars. However, not all of his peers shared his enthusiasm for astronomical discovery – with Lord Bathurst, Secretary of State for the Colonies, pithily remarking that he wished for someone to run the colony, not the heavens.
Located in the lush surrounds of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Toowong, the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium opened its doors to the public on 24 May 1978. It features a superb 12.5m diameter Cosmic Skydome (hemispherical planetarium theatre), which was refurbished in 2013 with a new optical star projector. In the foyer are multiple attractions and historical artefacts that can be explored including fragments of asteroids, spacecraft models and a well-known replica of Neil Armstrong’s Apollo spacesuit.
In 2018, the Planetarium introduced a new exhibition called Skylore: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Astronomy. The exhibit was sourced and curated by Monash University astronomer Dr Duane Hamacher in close consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from Brisbane, Katherine in the Northern Territory, Murray Island in the Torres Strait and Goodooga in New South Wales. In traditional language, Mt Coot-tha is known as Kuta, meaning a place of wild or black honey, or a place of many hives of wild, stingless native bees.
With approximately 130,000 visitors a year, the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium is one of our city’s star attractions.
