Located in Coronation Park, the Queen Elizabeth Planetarium is a showpiece of Modern Expressionist design.
Designed by architect R.F. Duke, it was one of the first planetarium buildings ever built in Canada. Constructed by R.V. Coambs Construction Limited, the structure resembles a flying saucer due to the rounded shape and hovering raised entrance with concrete cantilevered canopy. It is topped with a twenty-six foot diameter dome that was originally orange but later painted silver. There are floor-to-ceiling windows with gold anodized aluminum frames, multicolored hardwood, and terrazzo and tile flooring. The fieldstone block faces are adorned with geometric shapes.
The Planetarium was dedicated in commemoration of the Royal Visit of Queen Elizabeth II in July of 1959, and it officially opened in 1960. Reaching its peak of 33,500 visitors in 1967, the Planetarium was closed on December 31, 1983 after the opening of the nearby Edmonton Space and Science Centre (now Telus World of Science). Currently, the building remains vacant and unused.
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