Carl & The Strasenburgh Planetarium Laser Shows are a Wonder to Behold!

RMSC’s 1968 “Carl” Zeiss Mark VI star projector emerges after a 1990s music laser show at the Strasenburgh Planetarium.

The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) has been a source for entertainment, enchantment, and education since it first opened its doors in 1912, as the Rochester Municipal Museum (1912-1942) at Exposition Park, now known as Edgerton Park in the city of Rochester.

A view inside the Strasenburgh Planetarium at the Rochester Museum & Science Center.

For thirty years, the museum remained at this site until a major shift in 1942, when RMSC laid the first cornerstones for its current location on the corner of East Avenue and Goodman Street on a parcel of land donated to the museum by Edward Bausch, a former President of the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company.

In 1968, the Strasenburgh Planetarium opened to the public. This move was made possible by a major donation from two prominent Rochesterians, Edwin and Clara Strasenburgh. At the time of its opening, the Strasenburgh Planetarium was the most advanced in the world, largely due to an iconic and historic piece of machinery that still resides inside the planetarium to this day, known to staff by the name “Carl”, but more formally, the Carl Zeiss Mark VI Projector.

Another shot of “Carl” emerging from its station after a light show performance at one of RMSC’s premier laser shows.

It has been a while since the heydays of the Strasenburgh Planetarium. If you were to visit in 2025, you might notice the crumbling infrastructure of the pavement outside the entrance of the building, or the aging and very dated facade that feels uninviting when you pass the museum. While some of the issues of an aging building might be a deterrent to visitors of the museum, I am here to remind you, don’t judge a book by its cover.

A notable experience happens when you enter the Strasenburgh Planetarium; you are reminded of the wonderment of science and space, especially for us stargazers who look up at the night sky in wonder as we search the heavens for constellations, planetary movements, or the cycles of the moon. If that’s not enough to convince you, the music-themed laser shows at the planetarium are one of the most unique and epic experiences you can have.

A line of people waits to enter the Planetarium auditorium to catch the 90s Laser show.

The Strasenburgh Planetarium has a series of shows dedicated to the advancement of science education, and some of the most iconic laser shows. The museum continues to add new shows, most recently, Laser Taylor Swift: Part 2, which features a full 49-minute set of Taylor’s versions of songs set to a spectacular laser performance.

If Taylor Swift’s music is not your thing, the planetarium has a wide selection of genres, including 90s Laser, Laser Billie Eilish, Daft Punk Laser, and Led Zeppelin Laser. Let’s face it, it’s not every day that we get to sit back and enjoy a fully immersive and curated set list from some of our favorite artists with a full laser performance. Especially in the comfortable new seats that were recently installed. Hope you can make it, and remember to support your local Planetarium and Carl!