A Planetarium for Memphis

In November 1953, a group of high school boys formed the Memphis Astronomical Society. They gathered monthly at the Memphis Museum to hold astronomy programs and then look at stars from the museum lawn. Their programs were open to the public and anyone over the age of 12 could join the club. One of the members, Mike Snowden, wanted to take the club’s passion to a new level and get a planetarium for the city.

The Astronomical Society hosted two meetings at the museum in March 1954 to see if there was enough interest in their idea. At the second meeting, Spitz Laboratories sent a man to demonstrate the Spitz projector on a portable canvas dome in the museum’s club room. Former mayor Walter Chandler and Park Commissioner H.S. Lewis attended the demonstration and left in favor of procuring a planetarium. Early conversations suggested putting the new attraction at the…