The Robert H. Johnson Planetarium provided a space for thousands of students to learn about the stars for decades. Unfortunately the planetarium was closed in 2009 and has been neglected since. We are dedicated to seeing this staple of the Lakewood community reopened so the next generation of students and the public can have access to the night sky. After restoration, we envision the planetarium providing walk in and scheduled shows covering both educational and entertainment content for all ages. The theater would also be open to the public for events ranging from concerts and movies, to speeches and other community activities.
Of course repairing nearly a decade of neglect will take a lot of work. Learn how you can get involved below and check out the restoration plan to learn what steps we are taking to bring the RHJ Planetarium back to the Lakewood community.
Join our email list to stay informed on the restoration progress and hear updates on how you can help. We plan on sending out monthly updates, so we promise not to become yet another spam email in your inbox.
The first step in restoration is letting people know about this project. Following and sharing our pages on Facebook and Instagram are simple ways you can help us reach more of the community and keep up to date on the restoration progress.
Donating is one of the most tangible ways you can support the planetarium's restoration. We need the community's support so we can start restoration now while we work to get the county's support.
I remember in grade school learning about space and how wonderful it is. This place isn't just virtual star-gazing, this is a place that let me learn how the sun and stars all work together and how we are a part of the universe.
I hope your quest to save the dome is successful, I think it is awesome what you're doing :)
I, too, loved this planetarium as a child. And even though I went into the medical field, I never forgot my love of the stars. I think this is a wonderful idea.
This place was the catapult for my passion of STEM. I’m still a student in the stem world and would love to help light others interest in any field of science.
For the first time in over a decade efforts are being made to repair and restore the RHJ Planetarium to a world class facility. This is an opportunity for Lakewood to restore a historic community space for everyone to learn about the natural world and gather together. This is a multi-million dollar project, and we can start making progress now with donations from the community as we work with the district to get additional support.
Not only will your donation help get the restoration started, but having your support helps to show the district that restoring the planetarium is important to the community and a worth while investment.
Right now the easiest way to support the restoration is to contribute through our GoFundMe campaign. If you'd prefer to contribute through other means please contact us below and we'd be happy to work with you.
Let the committee know if you are interested in volunteering or contributing to the restoration. There's a lot involved with restoring the planetarium and we will need the support of volunteers as well as contractors to reopen it, so there are ways everyone can help. We are happy to answer any questions regarding sponsoring the restoration or volunteering.
