Mayo High School Planetarium Celebrated 60th Anniversary
The Rochester facility marked six decades of space education with a retrospective presentation.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Mayo High School recently held a celebration for the 60th anniversary of its planetarium, the oldest facility of its kind in Minnesota. The event highlighted the program's long-standing impact on the Rochester community and student body.
Why it matters
The planetarium serves as a rare educational resource, as it remains one of only three school-based planetariums currently operating in Minnesota. Its longevity reflects a sustained commitment to hands-on astronomical science in the classroom.
The Mayo High School planetarium has hosted nearly 1 million visitors over its 60-year lifespan. It serves as one of just three school-based planetariums in Minnesota, supporting a student population of over 1,500 at the school.
The players
Ben Joslin
He has served as the director of the Mayo High School planetarium for the past four years.
Mayo High School
This is a public secondary school in Rochester, Minnesota, that currently enrolls more than 1,500 students.
The details
Former and current directors utilized the facility's iconic domed ceiling to project a historical slideshow during the anniversary gathering. Guests also observed a live demonstration of the original star ball projection machine that has been in use since the school's opening.
Timeline
Mayo High School and its planetarium first opened in 1966.
Howard Schriever served as the planetarium director from 1966 to 1985.
Larry Mascotti led the planetarium programs between 1985 and 2014.
Paul Larson served as the planetarium director from 2014 to 2022.
The 60th anniversary celebration took place in September 2026.
Culture Shift
This facility highlights the endurance of the Minnesota school-based planetarium network, which stands as a unique outlier in modern secondary education infrastructure. The Mayo High School planetarium anchors this specific network as its oldest continuously running facility.
Students and residents in Rochester maintain access to a historic teaching tool that remains operational after six decades. The facility continues to provide a practical space for educational programming that complements the standard high school curriculum.
The takeaway
The planetarium's 60-year run demonstrates the lasting value of dedicated science facilities in fostering student engagement. Schools looking to maintain similar legacy programs should focus on consistent leadership and community-wide involvement.
Further reading
Learn more about local academic initiatives in the Secondary Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rochester Post Bulletin.
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