Museum of The Southwest Kicks Off Planetarium Upgrades

The Museum of the Southwest kicked off it’s grand opening for the new planetarium Saturday. Lots of folks showed up to check out the upgraded Mirian West and William Blakemore Planetarium this weekend thanks to Cimarex Energy Co. and the Abell-Hanger Foundation. The planetariums director, Valerie Rodriguez, sounded really stoked about all the new stuff they have now since the upgrade. She talked about an improved room called ‘Science on a Sphere’ that really took center stage with interactive lessons inside that project planetary and astronomical data onto a giant animated globe. She says they are looking forward to adding other fun technologies they can use with what they have now as well. The planetarium wants all that they offer to be available to everyone in the community so they do offer programs in Spanish as well and they are more than willing and look forward to working with different programs that want their own special learning experiences. They can customize tour packages for all kinds of purposes like for schools, teachers, home-schooled groups ect… Rodrigues says if you love learning about science and space, this is the place for you.

So whether you have kiddos or not, get out to the Museum of the Southwest and check out all the cool stuff they have going. Regular hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, summer Thursday hours are noon to 7 pm, Sunday 2 to 5 pm and closed on Mondays. Admission is $5 for ages 12 and up, $3 for ages 3-11 and seniors, free for ages 2 and under. Free daily admission for Museum members. Become a member today!

The last Family Friday is this Friday and the last Summer Sunday Lawn Concert is this Sunday.

SeptemberFest: 50 Years of Fest is September 6^th through the 8^th and that’s always a good time! I’ve been looking for the lady that came out to a SeptemberFest years and years ago that had the most amazing canvas art and she did an activity for anyone interested where she gave everyone cigar boxes to paint…it was the coolest this ever and I’ve been trying to find her information ever since.

This place is amazing guys, if you’ve never been out to the Museum of the Southwest at 1705 W. Missouri Ave here in Midland