Nicholas Copernicus wrote in his “De Revolutionibus” work – “What can be more beautiful than the sky that embraces all that is beautiful”. Those who will visit the Planetarium in Torun will certainly agree with this statement. Although people in Torun had dreamt about such an institution for 50 years, the first guests saw the performance under the dome in February 1994.
The Planetarium is located in the area of the Old Town. The building is an example of industrial architecture and originates from the second half of 19th century. It was previously used as a gas container for citizens of Torun. Actually, there were three gas containers but two of them were pulled down in 1927. The remaining one was renovated in the 80’s and since 1994 is a home for the Planetarium. The Planetarium’s dome is 15m wide.
Today, the Planetarium is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Torun. This success was possible, in the first place, thanks to the fulfillment of the expectations of the guests visiting Torun. When they visit the hometown of Copernicus, they look for connections with the Universe and they find them in the Planetarium. Since the Planetarium was opened, the number of visitors has been systematically growing and amounts to over 150 000 each year. In the record year of 2011, it even exceeded 205 thousands. The total number of 2.8 million visitors has so far taken their seats under the dome of the Planetarium. Other factors, such as good cooperation with the educational system (it should be added here that about 70 % of the visitors are school groups) and the high quality of the performances contribute to the success.
The Planetarium in Torun presents popular astronomical shows that embrace almost the entire scope of the astronomical knowledge. There are also two interactive exhibition the Geodium and the Orbitarium.
The Planetarium has been organized and it is still managed by the Foundation of Friends of the Planetarium and the Museum of Nicholas Copernicus.

The heart of the planetarium is an RFP star projector of the German company Zeiss, which is used for presenting the appearance of the sky at any moment and place on Earth. Thus, on the dome we can present the configuration of 6000 stars visible to the naked eye and also the configuration of planets relating to the zodiac, the arrangement of constellations, the phases of the Moon, eclipses of the Sun and all phenomena that can be seen on the real sky, but what is the most important – far faster than in the reality. The projector is situated in the central place on the room and around it there are 196 armchairs. The integrated and computer guided video projection system, the system of 360-degree panoramic sights as well as the all-sky (a technique of covering the whole dome with a picture) and the sound system make the Planetarium in Torun one of the most interesting planetariums.
According to these visual techniques we cannot only present the sky above the Torun’s Old Town, but also landscapes of different places in space. We can, for example, visit the surroundings of the landing place of the APOLLO 17 mission on the Moon or canyons and volcanoes on Mars. Furthermore, the all-sky system lets spectators get the impression of being inside the nebulas or galaxies. Apart from typically astronomical objects there is a possibility to find oneself in the forest, inside the cave or the cathedral. Thanks to optics adapted to our condition the part of the dome from the horizon up to the zenith is covered with the huge and moving image. We can present practically every kind of astronomical objects and phenomena with excellent quality.
In the Planetarium in Torun you can watch several programmes. At the present moment, 5 of them are available in English. Those programmes are “Macrocosmos”, “The Saturn Mission”, “Eight planets ?”, “A time machine”. The first show gives information about the biggest structures in the outer space and how they were created. The second one tells the story of the Cassini cosmic probe which was sent to Saturn to examine the planet and its satelites. The programme “Eight planets?” gives us many interesting information about the Solar System and the last mentioned above – “A time machine” is a story of Earth – how our planet has changed during centuries. We offer also a special show “Summer under the stars”. It is presented only during summer holiday.

The Orbitarium is an original and highly interactive exhibition opened in summer 2005, a new idea for the popularization of the outer space. It is located on the ground floor in the building of the Planetarium. The idea is based on a mission of the Cassini spacecraft, which examined Saturn, its satellites and sent a probe named Huygens on the biggest moon Titan. Today, we know that the mission was a success and we all could admire the landscapes from this secret and not very pleasant world.
In the Orbitarium there is an impressive model of the Cassini spacecraft. Using desktops arranged around the spacecraft, it is possible to control its devices and also to check what they are constructed for. You can find out where a fuel tank is put and personally start the engines. On the screens it is possible to watch computer animation about different cosmic missions and the planets of the Solar System.
In the Orbitarium there is also a set of interactive devices and models that present phenomena observed in the Universe. Check whether it is a truth that the signal sent from space comes to us late, how much a man would weigh while living on the Moon or Saturn and why does Jupiter have a stormy atmosphere?

Thanks to interactive devices you will find the answer to a lot of questions and simple descriptions will explain to you the phenomena presented in the Orbitarium. A visit to the Orbitarium is an excellent idea for the entire family and school groups.
The visit in the Orbitarium lasts up to 40 minutes.

The Geodium – opened in April, 2012 – is a new interactive exhibition that tells the story of Earth from the cosmic point of view. The theme is the Earth as a planet.
The central element in the room is a globe with diameter of 2.15 m and 6 million times smaller than the Earth. It rotates 500 times faster than the Earth. The globe is illuminated by four projectors which turn on automatically in sequence to symbolize the four seasons.
In the corners there are four installations – selected cards from the history of Earth: a volcano, an ocean, a glacier and the model of human civilization.
In each corner there are also interactive devices and exhibits that explain the phenomenon specific to a particular era. Here you can experiment with Earth’s magnetism, earthquakes, tectonic plates, viscosity of lava or renewable sources of energy.
The visit in the Geodium lasts up to 40 minutes.

Planetarium im. Władysława Dziewulskiego w Toruniu zostało uroczyście otwarte 17 lutego 1994 roku, a pierwszy publiczny pokaz odbył się 2 dni później, w rocznicę urodzin Kopernika. Premierowy seans nosił tytuł „A jednak się kręci”. Tytuł ten stał się w pewnym sensie wyzwaniem dla nowej instytucji. W tamtych czasach niewielu bowiem wierzyło, że planetarium będzie w stanie funkcjonować bez dotacji z zewnątrz przeznaczonych na utrzymanie instytucji. Cytat „A jednak się kręci” zapisano nawet na projektorze gwiazd, aby przyświecał działalności.

Od tamtej chwili na sali projekcyjnej przybyło wysokiej klasy sprzętu do prezentacji. Blisko 70 profesjonalnych rzutników nie wyświetla dziś tylko pojedynczych slajdów. Już od maja 1995 roku są one łączone w panoramy, a w kwietniu 1997 r. powstał pierwszy w Polsce system „all-sky”, pozwalający na pokrycie obrazem slajdów całej kopuły. Dzięki temu, oglądając seanse, można mieć wrażenie przebywania wewnątrz gwiezdnych mgławic, w ciągu kilku chwil możemy „postawić nogę” na Księżycu, czy też przelecieć przez pierścienie Saturna. System ten umożliwia prezentację nie tylko obiektów astronomicznych. Z łatwością odbędziemy wirtualny spacer po toruńskiej Starówce i zajrzymy do wnętrza tutejszych kościołów.

Udoskonalono system dźwięku i dziś muzyka może dochodzić do widzów ze wszystkich stron, nawet spod foteli. Toruńskie Planetarium było krajowym pionierem w wykorzystaniu projektora video, bowiem od listopada 1997 roku seanse wzbogacone są w animacje i prezentacje video. Tylko zajmujący centralne miejsce na sali projektor gwiazd Zeiss RFP pozostaje od początku ten sam i wciąż daje jeden z najpiękniejszych obrazów nocnego nieba.

Klasycznie rozumiane Planetarium (sala projekcyjna pod kopułą) rozszerzyło swoją ofertę i dziś jest prawdziwym Centrum Popularyzacji Kosmosu “Planetarium – Toruń”. Pokazy nie są już jedyną formą popularyzacji astronomii. W dniu 26 czerwca 2005 roku w budynku otwarto pierwszą interaktywną wystawę – salę Orbitarium. 22 kwietnia 2012 roku dołączyła do niej kolejna wystawa – sala Geodium.

Ze wszystkich trzech atrakcji mogą korzystać zarówno widzowie indywidualni, jak i zorganizowane grupy. Planetarium czynne jest przez cały rok. Stało się jedną z najpopularniejszych atrakcji turystycznych Torunia i regionu. Jest też jednym z najliczniej odwiedzanych planetariów w Europie, frekwencją bijąc na głowę inne, nawet większe obiekty. Autorskie pomysły, niepowtarzalne pokazy tworzone według własnych scenariuszy i materiałów wizualnych oraz niezapomniany klimat Torunia – miasta Mikołaja Kopernika to główne, choć nie jedyne powody sukcesu.

Sala Planetarium to miejsce, w którym, dzięki specjalnej aparaturze, wyświetlamy popularne pokazy astronomiczne. Projekcje te trwają około 40 minut. Zależnie od tytułu, opowiadają o wielkości i budowie Wszechświata, opisują najbardziej popularne gwiazdozbiory na niebie, przybliżają tajemnice planet i galaktyk.
Sercem sali Planetarium jest projektor gwiazd RFP II niemieckiej firmy Zeiss, który służy do wiernego odtwarzania wyglądu nieba z dowolnej chwili i dowolnego miejsca na Ziemi. Tak więc na sztucznym niebie, którym jest kopuła o średnicy 15 m, możemy przedstawić układ wszystkich 6000 gwiazd widocznych gołym okiem, konfigurację planet na tle zodiaku, układ gwiazdozbiorów, fazy Księżyca, zaćmienia – słowem wszystkie zjawiska widoczne z Ziemi na niebie prawdziwym. Projektor zajmuje centralne miejsce na sali, a wokół niego znajduje się 196 foteli.
Niezwykłe, przestrzenne obrazy tworzą animacje video oraz slajdy wyświetlane w dwóch specjalnych systemach: panoram 360 stopni oraz all-sky.
Siedząc wygodnie w fotelach oglądamy seanse. Nad naszymi głowami pojawiają się tysiące gwiazd i kosmiczne animacje. Opowieść prowadzi dla nas narrator, a całości dopełnia muzyka.

Sala Orbitarium to oryginalna wystawa interaktywna udostępniona zwiedzającym od lipca 2005 roku. Jej centralnym elementem jest model sondy Cassini o połowę mniejszy od oryginału pracującego na orbicie planety Saturn. Z pulpitów rozmieszczonych wokół sondy można sterować jej urządzeniami, a także sprawdzić do czego służą. Warto poszukać, gdzie umieszczony jest zbiornik paliwa, a przede wszystkim własnoręcznie uruchomić efektowne silniki odrzutowe. Na zawieszonych ekranach można wyświetlić krótkie animacje komputerowe i prześledzić losy innych misji kosmicznych oraz poznać bliżej planety Układu Słonecznego.
W sali Orbitarium znajdują się też interaktywne stanowiska. Dzięki nim znaleźć można odpowiedzi na wiele pytań, a przystępne opisy tłumaczą prezentowane zjawiska i procesy zachodzące we Wszechświecie. A wszystko to poprzez zabawę, proste eksperymenty i w atrakcyjnej formie. Wizyta w Orbitarium to doskonała propozycja dla całych rodzin oraz grup szkolnych.

Wykaz stanowisk interaktywnych w sali Orbitarium: transmisja sygnału w kosmosie, ocean chmur, atmosfery planet, tornado, opóźnienie sygnału, spłaszczenie planet, ciśnienie atmosferyczne, zorza polarna, ciążenie, czas podróży, ciężar.
Wizyta w sali Orbitarium trwa 40 minut.

Sala Geodium to druga, obok Orbitarium, wystawa interaktywna stworzona w toruńskim Planetarium wg własnego, oryginalnego pomysłu. Została udostępniona zwiedzającym w kwietniu 2012 r. Jej oferta skierowana jest do grup szkolnych oraz osób indywidualnych.
Wystawa Geodium poświęcona jest Ziemi jako planecie. Jej centralnym elementem jest obracający się i odpowiednio oświetlony model kuli ziemskiej o średnicy 2,15 m. Dzięki grze świateł w łatwy sposób można przekonać się, dlaczego mamy cztery pory roku, a po dniu następuje noc.
Wokół globusa znajdują się interaktywne urządzenia, dzięki ktorym można samodzielnie eksperymentować, włączając odpowiednie przyciski. Na wystawie są też 2 stanowiska z kolekcją skał i minerałów.
Cztery narożniki sali Geodium to plastyczne instalacje pokazujące, jak na przestrzeni dziejów zmieniała się nasza planeta. Odwiedzający znajdą tam wybuchający wulkan, ocean będący kolebką życia, monumentalny lodowiec z orzami polarnymi, czy wreszcie makietę cywilizacji człowieka.
Wykaz stanowisk interaktywnych w sali Geodium: pole magnetyczne, trzęsienie Ziemi, konwekcja, atmosfera Ziemi, efekt Coriolisa, precesja osi ziemskiej, płyty litosferyczne, lepkość cieczy, cyklon, krążek Newtona, tworzenie wydm, źródła energii odnawialnej i start rakiety.
Wizyta w sali Geodium trwa 40 minut.

We take our spectators on an extraordinary journey – over our heads, on the dome of Planetarium we will see the most important monuments and beautiful places in the Old Town, and all this at night, when our city looks fabulous. We relocate in time – we take a look at medieval Torun, just like Copernicus used to see it, as well as in space – we go into the depths of space and understand the connections that Toruń has with distant stars and planets. Our guide for this unique journey will be Nicolaus Copernicus.
This session is an offer not only for tourists visiting Torun. Soft music and beautiful views of Toruń will thrill all of our spectators. Session lasts 20 minutes.

Torun is a remarkable city, “Walking in the Old Town” is also an unusual display. Its purpose is not to show the stars and planets but beautiful town of Nicolaus Copernicus. Within fifteen minutes we will have a walk to the historic old town of Torun, both day and night. We will also be able to “enter” all the churches, which are located in the Old Town.
• Display can be presented only for 45 minutes before the start of the first session, or shortly after the end of the last session of the day.

All of us as a child dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Laika the Astrodog is a fairy tale for children, showing the bravest dog in history who first saw the Earth from space. Through her eyes we get to know the day and night, admire the rainbow, go through the storm, among the stars we look for dog constellations in the sky, to finally take part in trials of strength and do the cosmonaut test.

Every day we are surrounded by colors. The sea is blue, the grass green and the sun is yellow. When night falls, the world seems to lose these colors. The sky becomes black and white. Nothing could be further from the truth! It turns out that the cosmos is more colorful than the Earth. Moon is revealed to us as a silver globe, Mars is the red planet, the stars are not white at all, and far nebulae are a real richness of color. In contrast to our planet in the cosmos we meet minimum of green.
During the show we will find out why Orion escapes from Scorpio and we will try to imagine what the sky looks like on planets orbiting stars other than the Sun. Interesting story, interesting information about the Universe, a lot of humor, cheerful music, stars whirling over the heads and foremost dome full of color, that is all the young lovers of Planetarium adore.
Display is a familial travel to exotic worlds of colorful planets, stars and nebulae.

Every adult was once inundated with dozens of questions like:
Why in the night is dark and can the sky may be red?
What is the constellation?
Is it true that the in the sky are the carts and the bears with their tails?
How the moon looks like up close?
What are the stars?
Are there aliens on the other planets?
Can you answer every question? Take your child to the Wonderful Journey display. After watching this show your child will be able to answer all these questions by himself/herself.

“Please sit back in your chairs because for a while it will be hot and then shockingly cold!”
The display starts with these words which shows the coldest and hottest place not only on Earth, but in the planetary system. The planet circling closest to the Sun is Maercury and the farthest is Pluto and the ice blocks. The first planet is too hot for the people, and the last is too cold. It’s not easy to find places in space where people could live in the future. Only a third planet is a mainstay of life and our only home. Young spectators learn about the beauty and uniqueness of the Earth in comparison to other hostile worlds.
Display “Quest for Fire and Ice” contains elements of astronomy, geography, nature and ecology.
It is designed for primary school children.

It’s Battler and Walczyk and Arrow and Swarek, Zephyr, Cupid and Rudolph and Daredevil…
But who remembers that the procession of Santa Claus is the Comet? It is what him who knows best about the stars. Even as a child he learned the mysteries of the cosmos and constellations. Now, together with his friend he traverses sidereal and planetary corners. He gets to know the other worlds, and the stars lead him like a compass. Thanks to his knowledge he saves mission of Santa Claus by helping to spread the gifts not only on Earth.
Session is presented during Christmas and is designed for younger guests of Planetarium.

Is the Star of Bethlehem is only a symbol of Christmas, did it really shine in the sky 20 centuries ago, pointing the way to Bethlehem for the Magi? The only trace is modest information in the Gospel of st. Matthew, however, astronomers have been trying for centuries to solve the mystery. Today we know a lot of real objects that surprisingly appear in the sky. In the era of high-speed computers we can accurately reproduce the appearance of the sky from thousands years ago, trying to even specify the date of the birth of Jesus. But is astronomy really able to discover all the secrets? Star of Bethlehem display, presented only during the Christmas season is full of mood you try to connect faith, tradition and science.

At first glance, the sky seems to be static. Just devote a few hours to see the daily movement of the Sun, moon or the stars. Looking closely you will see that one of them will not change the position, setting the directions of the world and our latitude. Within a few nights, we observe position change of the Moon on a star background. Finally, comparing the appearance of the sky in a few months, we will see another change, this time due to a slow circuit of the Earth around the Sun. And all these movements are perfectly visible to the naked eye. How to understand and see them in the real sky? The Rotating Earth display faithfully reproduces the basic phenomena of the celestial sphere at different times of the year, and most importantly, in a comfortable environment, and within less than an hour.

A journey to the ends of time and space. During the amazing flight departing more and more from the Earth, we find planets, stars, galaxies, and finally embrace the universe in the largest scale. Also we set off on an incredible journey in time. We see the birth and decline of galaxies, the formation of our solar system. We will learn about the evolution of the universe over the quadrillion years, the beginning and the possible end, raising the question about the future and purpose of our civilization.

Until recently the names of the solar system planets were: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. According to last year’s decision of Astronomical Union (dated 24 August 2006) Pluto is no longer the ninth planet, but only a dwarf planet.
“The eight planets?” display presents the most important information about the planets of the solar system, from Mercury to the … Well, Neptune and Pluto? The question mark in the title is no accident. The new definition of planets is simple and obvious, but it causes controversy not only among astronomers. That is why we will try to get to know the voices in the discussion. Are decisions of the Astronomical Union have always been in line with our traditional notions and habits? We will also check somewhat controversial question of whether our Earth corresponds to the current definition of a planet.
According to it, the planet is a body that:
1. is in orbit around the Sun,
2. has a nearly round shape,
3. cleared the space around its orbit from small bodies.
From this session we will learn how the solar system was born and how its size was perceived in ancient times and at the time of Copernicus.

“In the beginning there was nothing, there was only chaos”
With these words it used to begin the most ancient myths about the creation of our planet. Though it may seem simple and trivial, but they were the first attempt to describe the birth of the Earth.
Today, in a period of great development of science and technology, we can show how the beginnings of our planet really were. Just come to Torun Planetarium, sit back in a chair and using our equipment and a bit of imagination go on an incredible journey.
Journey, during which you will:
- witness how our planet was born and how the surface was shaping
- see how long and extraordinary journey Earth came by over the years (before appearance of the human)
- survive the biggest catastrophe in the history of the Earth – a collision with another planet,
- experience a flight to the Moon with the astronauts of the Apollo program,
- visit the other planets in the solar system in search of alien life forms,
- travel to the future and see the Sun dies, and the Earth with it the.

The stars are accompanied to human from the beginning of its history. Just as the trees in the forest, you will see only the closest. An experienced woodsman does not have to cut any of them to know its age and species, so the astronomer knows the structure of stars, although they represent only a points of light in the night sky. Display “Stellar Forest” is a journey to the distant lights of universe, as well as our daily star – the Sun. Thanks to computer animations, the latest images and research on the dome of the planetarium we can discover the world of the stars up close.