A museum dedicated to the science of planets is proposed here. Planetary Science is a realm of knowledge and research that seeks answers to questions about the origin of planets, their evolution and interaction, their dynamic interiors, surficial processes, as well as atmospheres, oceans, and magnetic fields, natural satellites, and the ability to host life. Integral to the formation and evolution of planets are the many moons, asteroids of all sizes, comets, ring systems and various objects in the solar system not considered “planets,” further broadening the boundaries of fields this museum will address. Finally, our species currently resides on one planet, Earth, which is reacting to the anthropomorphic development of its surface and atmosphere – making humanity’s activity a process to be considered in the broader context of “Planetary Science.”
While many of the world’s famous museums have departments, halls, or portions of their collections dedicated to planetary science or some aspect of it, and many universities, research centers and corporations have branches dedicated to their specific work in planetary science, there is not one sole publicly accessible institute which organizes and presents a complete story of planets, from formation, to planetary evolutionary processes, and death. Included among these science stories has to be that of asteroids and small bodies, planetary satellites, the comets, and extrasolar worlds. The lack of a museum dedicated to this subject represents a unfilled need for the museum-going public and for the science community and a tremendous opportunity. The Museum of Planetary Science and Exploration would host presentations of all of these topics under one roof.
The amount of data now retrieved from many planetary exploration missions combined with modern high definition and fidelity presentation and exhibition technology present an opportunity to display other worlds in majestic ways. Examples of these are 3D printing, IMAX projection, panoramic displays and full spherical projections.
Modern science and technology will be combined to bring the planets to visitors. Exhibits will address all scales of Planetary Science, from accretion of microscopic particles to the eventual stabilization of a solar system, and exoplanets.