Cool Hunting Video Presents: The Planetarium Projector Museum
A gaze inside the world’s largest collection of planetarium projectors
There are many beautiful things to see on the drive into Big Bear Lake, CA but one of the more interesting and unknown is the Planetarium Projector Museum. In an unassuming building a stone’s throw from the lake, owner Owen Phairis has managed to compile the largest collection of planetarium projectors in the world. Phairis, who also does an electrical stage show as Nikola Tesla called “Man Of Lighting”, has a very unique obsession with the retired machines. These fantastic optical relics have been rescued from defunct planetariums and schools, now taking residence under a re-purposed military parachute in Phairis’ space. We spoke to Phairis about the projectors and were even lucky enough to get a private viewing of the stars.
