Eugenides Planetarium, Science museum and planetarium in Palaio Faliro, Greece
The Eugenides Planetarium is an astronomy and science facility in the coastal district of Palaio Faliro, south of Athens, recognizable by its hemispherical dome. Inside, the main hall features a large dome screen used for sky projections, while the broader complex includes additional exhibition spaces on separate floors.
The Eugenides Planetarium was inaugurated on 7 June 1966 by King Constantine, after Stavros Plakidis and Dimitrios Kassapis proposed it to foundation president Marianthe Simou. Its first hall seated 240 under a 15-metre dome and used a Zeiss Mark IV projector with 29,000 parts. In 2003 two new wings added a digital dome of about 25 metres and 280 seats.
School groups and families are a common sight here, sitting together under the dome during presentations and looking up at the projected sky. The circular seating arrangement gives the experience a communal feel that sets it apart from a typical museum visit.
Dome presentations run on a fixed schedule, so it helps to check the next showing time before you arrive. The building has a cafe on the ground floor, and English narration is available during shows for non-Greek speakers.
The Science and Technology Centre within the complex lets visitors handle and test exhibits rather than simply look at them, covering topics like optics, mechanics, and energy. This hands-on section occupies a separate part of the building and is easy to miss if you head straight for the dome.
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