Visitor numbers increased at the dome theater of Seiren Planet, the Fukui City Museum of Natural History Annex, which marked its 10th anniversary. Approximately 19,073 people visited from April to August, with the expansion of screening programs for adults and a change in the operating structure cited as contributing factors.
Visitor numbers increased at the dome theater of Seiren Planet, which marked its 10th anniversary, and the expansion of new screening programs introduced from April has paid off. Visitor numbers reached 19,073 from April to August, approximately 1.5 times the year-earlier level.
The facility has a dome theater capable of screening 8K images and permanent space- and astronomy-themed exhibits. Following a change in the designated management operator, its operating structure expanded to include a wider range of screening events.
Collaborations between planetarium images and music by Queen of the United Kingdom and Japan's Sakanaction have been well received, with the immersive experience unique to a dome theater proving popular with visitors. The “Sakanaction Day” held on 25 September was sold out.
In April, the facility began a free 15-minute screening program introducing scenic spots in Fukui Prefecture. The content changes monthly, featuring locations such as the Shakudani Stone quarry, the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum and the Echizen Coast, with the aim of attracting tourists from outside the prefecture.
Museum director Ishido Hiroaki (石堂 裕昭) expressed his intention to balance the museum's educational and tourism functions and said he hoped to contribute to revitalizing the city center.