Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP)

The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP) is administered by Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE). The BASE is devoted to science popularisation and non formal science education.

Started in 1989, the JNP has emerged as a premier institution devoted to science popularization and non formal science education in India. It attracts over 3 lakh visitors annually, majority of whom are students. It is equipped with a large 15 M dome and a state of the art hybrid projection system installed and commissioned in 2017. The JNP organizes several interesting programmes aimed at school students and general public. These are: monthly star gazing, science club activities, science movies, Sky-theatre shows every day, viewing of astronomical events etc.

Our science education activities include: Science Education in Early Development(SEED) for Primary school students, Science Over Week-ends (SOW) - Interactive Week-end Sessions for high school children, three year long week-end programme Research Education Advancement Programme (REAP) for undergraduate students, Summer Programmes, Science Exhibitions and Workshops. These programmes attract thousands of students every year. Over 135 students from BASE have got admission to Ph.D. courses in premier research institutes in India and abroad. Several of these REAP students have subsequently taken up post doctoral and regular research and teaching positions in prestigious centres. These include: Raman Research Institute, Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Jawharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, TIFR, NCBS, ICTS, Wild Life Research Institute, Oxford University, Michigan State University, Delft Institute, State University New York, Buffalo, University of Florida, Cornell University.

The BASE has established a Science Centre in the Planetarium which has become a nucleus for non-formal science education at all levels. A Science Park with over 50 exhibits has been developed and set up in the campus. Lakhs of visitors are using these models to learn science in a joyful manner.

The activities of the Science Centre and the Planetarium have made the BASE a unique institution for dissemination of science.