The South Downs Planetarium is a volunteer run educational charity located in Chichester, West Sussex, (Registered Educational Charity No. 1096869). Our main goal is to provide an environment where visitors of all ages can learn about science in a very visual and exciting way.
The Planetarium project was started in 1992 by members of the South Downs Astronomical Society who wanted to establish an educational centre to promote astronomy, space and Earth sciences on the south coast of England.
We opened to the public on 30th July 2001 and are one of the largest Planetarium in the British Isles
Our primary focus is school visits and we provide a wide range of activities which supplement national curriculum work and meets the educational needs for children of all ages and abilities. When a school visit arrives at the planetarium we are able to offer them an experience of awe and wonder to learn about the night sky the planets and space exploration as they enter the planetarium dome.
Address
The South Downs Planetarium and Science centreSir Patrick Moore Building
Kingsham Farm
High School entrance in Kingsham Road Chichester
West Sussex
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups that benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and, following his accession, His Majesty The King emphasised his desire to continue the Award. The winners are announced on 14th November each year, the date of the King’s birthday.
The dedication and professionalism of the volunteers at the South Downs Planetarium and
Science centre in Chichester were recognised when they were honoured with The King’s
Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK
and the equivalent of an MBE.
South Downs Planetarium was opened by the Astronomer Royal Lord (Martin) Rees,
President of the Royal Society, and its Founding Patron was the late Sir Patrick
Moore the eminent astronomer, author and broadcaster. It serves a broad catchment in
Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey and across the South of England. Since it opened in July
2001, the Planetarium has welcomed nearly 300,000 visitors and is currently visited
annually by around 9,000 children of school age and 6,000 adults. Responding to the exciting news, Chairman of Trustees Ann Mills said: ”The South
Downs Planetarium volunteers are truly delighted to receive the King's Award for
Voluntary Service. It is wonderful that their loyalty, expertise and enthusiasm in
every aspect of our work has been recognised in such an amazing way. This is a
well-deserved award from His Majesty The King that recognises the unique
contribution of our volunteer team.” 
Do you have a few hours to spare during the day, in the evening or at weekends on a
regular basis? 
Would you like to join our team of volunteers and help with our visitors from Schools or our Public Shows?
There are a number of ways to get involved.
Find out more by contacting Ann Mills
For further information about all South Downs Planetarium activities:
Postal Address
The South Downs Planetarium and Science centreSir Patrick Moore Building
Kingsham Farm
Kingsham Road
Chichester
West Sussex
For SatNav use PO19 8EB
We also provide learning experiences for other visitors and groups. This includes Astro Navigation for members of the Royal Navy and International Navies as part of their officer training.
Teacher Training
We provide 'Teacher Training' courses for university students hoping to teach sciences at primary or secondary school level.
Telescope Courses
Several time a year we hold half day Telescope courses for visitors wanting to learn how to choose and use their new telescope.
Outside Observing
Every year we hold several outside activities, providing an opportunity for members of the public to safely observe the sun using our solar telescopes or after dark observe the wonders of the night sky with our planetarium team.
