The Mission of the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium is to inspire wonder, curiosity, and responsibility for the natural world. Inside our classic Victorian building, you’ll find a dazzling array of animals and artifacts, gems and meteorites, shells and fossils, and much more! Take a trip through the cosmos in Vermont’s only public planetarium. A full calendar of events, workshops, lectures and field programs invites everyone to explore the nature of our world.
The Fairbanks Museum was founded in 1889 by St. Johnsbury industrialist Franklin Fairbanks. Inside, our collections include natural science specimens, historical artifacts, and ethnological items collected from Oceania, the Near East, Africa, Egypt, Japan & native North America during the Victorian era.
Our Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium, Vermont’s only public planetarium, opened in 1961 and continues to offer guided tours of the cosmos every day. Our planetarium offers an immersive, surrounded experience. Regularly scheduled presentations are recommended for children ages 5 and older. Take a tour of the cosmos, get transported by extreme weather, or travel through time to the age of the dinosaurs. Choose from a selection of films and in-person presentations during your visit. Or reserve the planetarium for a private show!
Since 1981, meteorologists at the Museum have produced Eye on the Sky weather programming that is broadcast daily on Vermont Public and regional radio stations.
