58
Annual Conferences Spanning 39 Cities
236
members across 164 cities and 4 countries
474
Professional Development Resources Provided
Thanks to the range of initiatives we offer, our impact on the planetarium community is both far-reaching and relevant. We take pride in achieving our mission as a professional development organization and invite you to share in the excitement. Check out some of the ways we succeeded below!
Conferences
- 58 Annual Conferences
- 1 Virtual
- 1 Hybrid
- 39 Cities
- 7,390 Attendees
- 22 Sponsors (last year)
Professional Development
- 219 Quarterly Newsletter Issues
- 147 Astronomy Literacy & Education Standards Views
- 61 Educational Resources
- 47 Live Show Scripts
Products
- Cosmic Colors (original show)
- 30 Shows & Show Kits
Membership
- 236 Members
- 4 Countries
- 164 Cities
Social Media Followers
- 830 Facebook
- 715 Twitter
- 181 Instagram
Annual Conference Locations
The Annual Conference serves as our main platform for professional growth. It shifts location annually, offering attendees the opportunity to explore new destinations, discover innovative approaches, and network with science educators from across the country. In the near future, our Annual Conference could be held near you! Use the resources here to learn where our conference visited.
All Our Historical Conference Locations
2024 – Peoria, IL (with WAC)
2023 – Kingsport, TN (National Planetarium Conference)
2022 – Buffalo & Williamsville, NY
2021 – Kalamazoo, MI
2020 – *Virtual Conference*
2019 – Toledo, OH
2018 – East Lansing, MI
2017 – St. Louis, MO (National Planetarium Conference)
2016 – Flint, MI
2015 – Grand Rapids, MI
2014 – Muncie, IN
2013 – Peoria, IL
2012 – Pittsburgh, PA
2011 – Champaign, IL
2010 – Notre Dame, IN
2009 – Bay City, MI
2008 – Milwaukee
2007 – Wheeling, WV (with MAPS and SEPA)
2006 – Merrillville, IN
2005 – Grand Rapids, MI
2004 – Detroit, MI
2003 – Cleveland, OH
2002 – Menasha, WI
2001 – Richmond, KY (with SEPA)
2000 – Chicago, IL
1999 – Kalamazoo, MI
1998 – Martinsville, IN
1997 – Cleveland, OH
1996 – Minneapolis, MN
1995 – Grand Rapids, MI
1994 – Wheeling, WV
1993 – Dayton, OH
1992 – St. Louis, MO
1991 – Youngstown, OH
1990 – Indianapolis, IN
1989 – Champaign, IL
1988 – Bowling Green, OH
1987 – Merrillville, IN
1986 – Cleveland, OH
1985 – River Grove, IL
1984 – Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, & Waukesha, WI
1983 – Rochester, NY
1982 – Peoria, Normal, IL
1981 – Columbus, OH
1980 – East Lansing, MI
1979 – Minneapolis, MN
1978 – Bloomfield Hills, MI
1977 – Toledo, OH
1976 – Chicago, IL
1975 – Cleveland, OH
1974 – Terre Haute, IN
1973 – Grand Rapids, MI
1972 – Youngstown, OH
1971 – Mt. Clemens, Oak Park, & Roseville, MI
1970 – East Lansing, MI
1969 – Minneapolis, MN
1968 – Rochester, NY
1967 – Cleveland, OH
1966 – Cincinnati, OH
1965 – Grand Rapids, MI
1964 – East Lansing, MI
How to Get Involved
Our organization wouldn’t exist without the members and sponsors who make it successful and valuable. You too can get involved, sharing your skills and experience in a variety of ways.
Communicate
Attend an annual conference or state meeting to network, learn, and share your ideas and experiences.
Join our professional development opportunities to enhance your skills and knowledge. Zoom seminars usually occur once a month.
Volunteer
Host an annual conference or state meeting.
Assist the History Committee in identifying, assembling, and chronicling photos and documents related to our events.
Join Planetarians for the Planet, a group aimed at effecting change regarding critical environmental challenges related to Earth’s climate, environment, and biosphere. Your passion and expertise can make a difference!
Host an international planetarian. We proudly support the IPS Week in the United States project by covering the hosting fee for GLPA member organizations.
If you have any questions or other ideas for how you can contribute to the industry, please contact someone on our executive committee. We look forward to working with you!
Photo Galleries
Whether you want to find photos of yourself, or simply wish to smile at past memories, our photo archive on Facebook awaits you. There’s no need to log in, just click and go!
Check the ‘Photo’ section on Facebook for photos from other years. Special thanks to our Conference Photographer, Conference Videographers, and everyone else who contributes photos to the archive! Click below for high quality versions of all photos and videos. Feel free to explore and download them at your leisure.
Planetarians For the Planet
Planetariums play a crucial role in raising awareness of the world’s environmental challenges. With their ability to visualize Earth’s diverse climates, environments, and biospheres, they can show how the right community support might protect these areas.
The Why…
That’s where Planetarians for the Planet comes in! We’re exploring ways for planetariums to effectively convey this information and utilize potential collaborations and partnerships. By reporting these opportunities to the GLPA Executive Committee, we create ways for the organization to fund or support environmental planetarium initiatives.
Join us, and together we can make a real difference in protecting our planet!
Click Below for a series of resources that may help planetarians engage their audiences in these important topics.
