Joel Bartsch: About HMNS' Burke Baker Planetarium

Friday, August 13, 2021

About HMNS' Burke Baker Planetarium

An experienced museum executive, Joel Bartsch served as a curator of earth sciences at Lyman House Memorial Museum, where he developed and implemented collection management policies, volunteer recruiting programs, and member programs. In 2004, Joel A. Bartsch was appointed president and CEO of the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS).

Since its inception in 1964, the Burke Baker Planetarium at the Houston Museum of Natural Science has entertained millions of visitors, ranging from school groups to the general public, with astronomical activities. Digistar 6, the world's top digital planetarium software and projection system, has been installed in the newly renovated planetarium.

At the Burke Baker Planetarium, guests can soar through space simulation, explore planetary surfaces, navigate asteroid fields, and enjoy the newest full-dome shows thanks to the Digistar 6 technology. In addition, the planetarium has access to the world cloud collection of information and programs that we can deliver, in addition to our capacity to develop unique planetarium experiences.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

About Joel Bartsch

Since 2004, Joel A. Bartsch has led the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) as president and CEO. In this capacity, he coordinates and leads museum staff and curators in the creation and maintenance of immersive exhibits, implements renovation strategies, and promoting museum-wide leadership. Through these efforts and many others, Joel A. Bartsch has nearly doubled both the institution’s annual attendance and membership base. He also oversaw two major expansions at the museum that added more than 250,000 square feet of space.

Mr. Bartsch began gaining experience in museum leadership more than three decades ago, when he joined the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum as a curatorial assistant and assistant to the director. He held this role during his last years as a mining engineering student at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. From there, Mr. Bartsch took on staff roles at the Texas Memorial Museum and HMNS, curator of earth sciences at Lyman House Memorial Museum in Hawaii, and director and curator of the California State Mining & Mineral Museum.

Through these positions, Joel Bartsch gained extensive experience in everything from managing daily operations and directing fundraising efforts to writing corporate grant requests. He drew on this experience when he returned to HMNS as a curator, project manager, and director of earth sciences, the positions he held immediately prior to his current role as the president and CEO.