Johannesburg Planetarium, Planetarium in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Johannesburg Planetarium is a domed projection hall located on the Witwatersrand University campus that seats approximately 400 visitors. The space uses digital technology to display astronomical objects and space science content across its curved interior.

The facility opened in 1960 with a projector imported from Hamburg, Germany, becoming the continent's first fully equipped planetarium at that time. This launch represented a major step forward for scientific infrastructure in South Africa.

The facility serves as a learning space where schools and communities discover stories about stars and space through regular presentations. Visitors leave with a deeper connection to the night sky above the southern hemisphere.

Plan your visit during regular hours from Monday through Saturday when scheduled shows are available throughout the day. Access the facility through Gate 10 on Yale Road at the Witwatersrand University campus.

The projector inside came from Hamburg's planetarium, in use there since 1930; Hamburg's parliament sold it on condition that it be rebuilt at the Zeiss factory in Oberkochen and that Johannesburg later build a new planetarium for Hamburg. The instrument was dismantled and completely overhauled before shipping.