Seminole State planetarium launches summer of music, history and tech

Seminole State College’s Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust Planetarium is opening its summer calendar with two low-cost shows built to showcase its upgraded dome, surround sound and broader role as a community venue on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus.

The season starts May 29 with a special encore of The Dark Side of the Moon, with showtimes at 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. The program pairs Pink Floyd’s album with custom visuals inside the planetarium’s immersive setting. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and the college lists prices at $6 for adults, $4 for seniors 55 and up, $4 for K-12 students, $4 for non-Seminole State College students with ID, and free admission for preschoolers and Seminole State students, faculty and staff.

A second program follows June 5 with Under the Dome: An Immersive Journey into Freedom and Independence, scheduled for 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Seminole State says the event is part of its America 250 commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and will take viewers through Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The college says seats must be reserved online in advance.

The timing reflects how the planetarium is being used beyond stargazing. Seminole State says the venue has served Central Florida for more than 25 years, and it is home to the Central Florida Astronomical Society, which the college describes as one of the largest amateur astronomy societies in the Southeast. After closing in July 2022 for renovations and reopening in 2023 with a Digistar full-dome projection system, the space has been positioned as a state-of-the-art immersive classroom for astronomy, humanities, nursing, earth science and virtual field trips.

For Seminole County families looking for affordable summer outings, the programming offers a mix of entertainment and education without the price tag of a major attraction. The planetarium’s new presentation style gives Seminole State another way to draw Sanford and Lake Mary residents onto campus, turning a longtime academic facility into a destination for music, history and shared civic memory.