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Digital planetarium will
foster museum growth
During the Apollo era, many of my Sunand his friends, who helped fund the planedays included a trip to the planetarium at
tarium. I absolutely owe my career to them.
the Besser Museum. My very first visit to
The Besser Museum now stands on the
the planetarium had happened only a few
crest of a technological innovation that will
years earlier when I was
enhance education bein the third grade at Imyond what is easily
manuel Lutheran
imagined. The possiSchool. I remember
bilities for the comvividly the experience,
munity and the region
and though many things
are endless.
have changed, I can still
The University of
tell you exactly where I
Michigan’s conversat. The earth revolved
sion to a digital planearound the sun about 18
tarium occurred in
times, and I became the
2007, and our ability
director of that same
to teach has never
planetarium. There I
stopped growing.
learned my craft, added
Today, we include
to my museum expericontent on not only
ence and helped expand
astronomy, but also
the museum’s educathe human brain, geoltional programs.
ogy, weather, biology,
Four years later, a
inner space and other
move to Ann Arbor led
specialized topics reBy Matt Linke
me to what I have done
quested by educators.
University of Museum
since 1989: direct the
Also, the dome has
Museum of Natural History
planetarium at the Unibecome a research viPlanetarium Director
versity of Michigan
sualization tool for
Museum of Natural
university faculty.
History.
Multiple abilities such as these, firmly
Over time I have come to understand the
seated in the Besser Museum, will make the
relationship between museums, planetaria
entire facility a hub for education at many
and communities—and the potential for
levels. I am thrilled that the Besser Mugrowth that this relationship offers. Alpena
seum has the opportunity to become more
is so fortunate to have had a man like Jesse
relevant to the educational needs of
Besser, who made the museum possible,
Northeast Michigan.
Hap H[