The Constanţa Planetarium now offers a state-of-the-art interactive show

After an investment of 1 million euros, the facility has become one of the most advanced of its kind in South-Eastern Europe

The Planetarium in Constanţa, Romania, was recently renovated to the tune of 1 million euros. With works now complete, it is ready to accept visitors as one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in South-Eastern Europe.

The planetarium is part of the Constanţa Museum of Natural Sciences Complex, which features a dolphinarium, aquarium and a micro-reservation for exotic birds. The project was funded through an INTERREG cross-border programme between Bulgaria and Romania.

North and South Dobruja – a joint image for tourism

The programme offered funding between 2014 and 2020 and was supposed to promote the Constanţa-Dobrich region on both sides of the border with a common image in tourism. The regions are also known as North and South Dobruja and are famous for their fertile lands and unique nature due to the Danube Delta.

The funding focuses on three key areas: astronomy camps, navigation by stars and cultural and natural restoration.

The funding project was called UNIMIS and it involved the Constanţa complex, the Naval Academy and College 'Mircea cel Batran' in Romania and the History Museum in Kavarna, over the border in Bulgaria. The total funding was just over 1.4 million euros, with the lion’s share going to the planetarium.

In fact, according to a report by AGERPRES, the main investment in the renovation, or 730,000 euros, went towards purchasing two new projectors – one from a US manufacturer and another from Japan.

Despite the price tag, officials at the planetarium hail the new system for its state-of-the-art interactive 4k experience. The planetarium will be able to host 360-degree projections of the starry sky and navigate constellations and celestial objects, and visitors will be able to participate.

The President of the Constanţa County Council, Mihai Lupu praised the project as a vital part of the region’s bid to reinvent itself in terms of its cultural-educational offers.