The beloved Planetarium in the Silesian Park dates back to 1953 when the decision to build the facility was made to commemorate the Copernicus Year. Opened on December 4th, 1955, the Silesian Planetarium was the first planetarium in Poland and one of the 21 such facilities in the world. Several weeks before the opening day, the workers and engineers from the German Kombinat VEB Zeiss Jena, led by Heinrich Blumentritt, arrived in the park to install the heart of the Planetarium – a refracting telescope with 30 cm in diameter.
The device was installed on top of the Park Hill (Góra Parkowa), which was the highest point of the Silesian Park. The design was prepared by Zbigniew Solawa. The dome of the Planetarium is 23 m high and serves as a giant screen; the 5-m high projector is installed directly below and weighs 2 tonnes.
Aside from the unique projector, the Silesian Planetarium also has a telescope with a 30-cm lens, providing 800x magnification to marvel at the wonders of space. The facility also has its own seismic station and weather station.
In 2018, the upgrade works in the Planetarium have started; when they are completed, the Silesian Science Park will have a new educational facility which will serve as a lecture hall and will also house various workshops. The museum will be refreshed, with new sensory equipment and unique facilities. The weather column will make it possible to recreate various weather phenomena, and the spaceflight simulator will take visitors to Earth orbit.