Birla Planetarium

B. M. Birla Science Museum is an Indian science museum located in Hyderabad, India. Constructed by civil engineer Mr. P. A. Singaravelu, it comprises a planetarium, museum, science center, art gallery as well as a dinosaurium.The museum itself was the second phase of the science center when it opened in 1990.

The Birla Planetarium is a wing of the Science Center. The planetarium was inaugurated by Mr. N.T. Rama Rao, on 8 September 1985 and is one of three Birla Planetariums in the India. The others are the M.P. Birla Planetarium in Kolkata and B.M. Birla Planetarium in Chennai.

                   

Birla Science Center

 The B.M. Birla Science Centre is one of the most  prestigious institutions in the country for the dissemination of science and  has several innovative programmes in the popularization of science and formal  and non formal education and research. It is recognized both as an Institute of  Higher Education and for R&D..No less than twenty two Nobel Laureates and several  other equally eminent scientists.President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, three Prime Ministers of the day, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao and Shri I.K. Gujral, Shri Krishna Kant, the then Vice President and any number of important public dignitaries, Governors, Chief Ministers, Ambassadors,have taken part in its multifarious activities. This apart there have been well over ten million visitors.

 Science Museum

 The B.M. Birla Science Museum was the second  phase of the Centre opened in 1990. It is a unique facility which includes a  Participatory Science Museum as also an Archaeology and Fine Arts Section. The  Science Museum has also received an equally good response and rating. It  showcases India's own achievements in science, in collaboration with Government  of India departments like the Department of Ocean Development and the Indian  Space Research Organization.

 Science Projects:

 The Science Projects Division develops unique hands  on exciting  Science Packages. These  packages constitute Mini Science Centres and have been put up at Raipur and  Narainpur in Chattisgarh, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Agra in Uttar Pradesh,  Vijayawada, Kurnool, Cuddapah and elsewhere in Andhra Pradesh, Jaipur in  Rajasthan and elsewhere as also for Air Force and other Government run 

schools.

                 

Planetarium

 The B.M. Birla Planetarium was the first phase of the Science Centre. It was inaugurated in 1985. Not only it is one of the best attended Planetaria in the world, it has also been acclaimed to be amongst the very best with a better rating than those in Europe, USA, Far East, Soviet Republics and elsewhere. The cosmic presentations here have highlighted various mysterious of the Universe as they have unfolded—from Halley's comet through.space explorations of the solar system to the riddles of Black Holes and the newly discovered dark energy. This apart, special interactive sessions for students are organized. The Planetarium also conducts a popular course on Astronomy and Astrophysics. The Planetarium also regularly creates exhibitions on relevant topics.

             

Dinosaurium

The Dinosaurium is the newest addition to the planetarium and science center and opened in 2000. Its exhibits include a 160-million-year-old mounted Kotasaurus Yamanpalliensis, excavated at Adilabad district in Andhra Pradesh and presented to the Science Museum by the Geological Survey of India. The Dinosaurium also has a collection of smaller fossils of dinosaur eggs, marine shells and fossilised tree trunks.

 Archaeological galleries 

The archaeological galleries  comprise a variety of unique archaeological exhibits both excavated and collected The galleries are arranged in the  chronological order. The variety of  objects include excavated material, stone sculptures, wood carvings, bronzes,  temple ware, ancient locks, folk material, miniature paintings of different  schools, arms and armory, palm leaf manuscripts, illustrated manuscripts etc.

The excavated material which are on display are the ones dated back to 40,000 years to 2nd century A.D.These are from 3 excavations conducted by the Archaeological Division of Birla Archaeological &Cultural Research Institute (BACRI)

The Excavation at Hashmatpet, a suburb of Secunderabad, unearthed a Megalithic Burial datable to 2nd C.B.C. The products of the excavation that are on display comprise pottery, stone axes and iron implements 

etc.