Liberty Science Center is excited to announce that Jennifer Chalsty, a former high school teacher, has made a generous $5M gift to the Science Center to fund the creation of the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere.

Ms. Chalsty’s gift will completely transform LSC and give new purpose to the facility’s iconic dome. The new planetarium will be named the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium in her honor. Her gift is the single largest gift that LSC has ever received from an individual.

Updates will include:

• The conversion of the IMAX Dome Theater from film to digital
• The addition of software and hardware necessary for the theater to also function as a planetarium
• The replacement of the screen, and the refurbishing of the theater

The target date for opening the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium is December 2017.

“I want to thank Jennifer for her tremendous generosity. She is a remarkable, caring individual who is committed to educating the next generation,” said Paul Hoffman, LSC President and CEO. “My life has been enriched by my getting to know her through our work together at LSC.”

Ms. Chalsty praised the work of the Center, and particularly its STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) educational programs serving children from underserved communities. She said, “As a former teacher, I know that education is life’s great equalizer. I also know that if we hope to fill the tremendous need for more top quality STEM professionals, we have to start inspiring children and imbuing in them a lifelong love for these subjects. That is the mission of the Liberty Science Center and why I’m proud to support this great institution.”

The Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium is one of two major building projects in development at the Science Center. SciTech Scity, a science and technology campus, was announced in January of 2015.