Artifacts of

The Buhl Planetarium and

Institute of Popular Science,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2001 March 7

Artifacts to be Retained in Building –

  1. Zeiss II Planetarium Projector[oldest operable, major planetarium projector in the world !] with custom-made Westinghouse Elevator[first projector in world installed on elevator !] ; Control Console; Perforated, Stainless Steel(Inner) Dome[15 feet below Copper-clad(Outer) Dome].
  2. 10-inch, Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope[second largest operable, siderostat-type telescope in world !] , with Solar Observing Screen
  3. Beautiful Brass and Marble Compass/Foucault Pendulum Pit
  4. Grand Clock at Great Hall entrance
  5. Wood-paneled Library and Board Room on second floor
  6. Original Lecture Hall[a.k.a. Little Science Theater] Seating –

The seating in the Lecture Hall is original 1939 seating. This original seating should be restored, NOT replaced. One company which specializes in seat restoration is Country Roads, Inc. of Greenville, Michigan; this company restored the seats in the 97-year-old concert hall of Boston's New England Conservatory of Music: Jordan Hall, in 1995. To meet present-day fire codes, the Lecture Hall's current seating capacity of 250 would have to be reduced to around 175-200, to allow the addition of two new aisles along both Lecture Hall walls[currently, the Lecture Hall has only one central aisle].

Artifacts In or On Building Which Should be Retained, Unless They Can be Displayed to the Public Elsewhere in Pittsburgh –
  1. Large World Map[largest Mercator’s Projection Map in World, at 1939 World’s Fair, NYC]
  2. History of Technology Mural[commissioned by the U.S. Steel Corporation]
  3. Painting of Halley’s Comet[donated by the late Willard F. Rockwell, Jr.]
  4. Exterior Wall Inscriptions[original part of building exterior]

Artifacts Which Can be Preserved Elsewhere in Pittsburgh –

  1. Epideoscope[antique, microscopic overhead projector]
  2. Oscilloscope[large, older model]
  3. Lecture Hall Science Table

gaw 3-7-2001

Glenn A. Walsh

633 Royce Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15243-1149

Telephone: 412-561-7876

Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >

Internet Web Site: < http://www.planetarium.cc >

Internet Web Site --
History of The Buhl Planetarium and
Institute of Popular Science, Pittsburgh:

< http://www.planetarium.cc >