Old Hansen Planetarium, former public library and planetarium located in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
The Old Hansen Planetarium is a historic building in Salt Lake City that was originally built in 1905 as a public library and later converted into a planetarium in 1965. The structure displays Beaux-Arts style with a distinctive limestone facade and served as a popular destination for school groups and families interested in viewing stars and planets.
The building opened in 1905 as a public library after a wealthy donor named John Quackenbos Packard provided land and funds for its establishment. When the library relocated in 1964, the building was converted into the Hansen Planetarium in 1965, named after George Hansen in honor of his widow Beatrice's donation to support the project.
The building served as a gathering place where residents came to read and attend community meetings during its library years. Its transformation into a planetarium reflected the city's evolving desire to offer new forms of learning and engagement to its population.
The building is located on South State Street in downtown Salt Lake City and is easily accessible on foot, surrounded by other historic sites. The location fits well into historic walking tours of the city, where visitors can examine the remarkable limestone facade and learn about early 20th-century architecture.
The building was constructed using limestone from the Green River Formation, the same material used in other famous structures such as the Kearns Mansion and Hearst Castle in California. This connection to major architectural projects demonstrates how locally sourced stone was employed for significant construction across the nation.
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