The BGSU Planetarium presents the America 250 speaker series from July 13-31. (BGSU photo/Haven Conn '22)
The "America 250" series blends history, space and art into free, family-friendly evening programs
The BGSU Planetarium will host a nine-person speaker series from July 13-31, with events scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The America 250 series is free to attend and includes planetarium shows for all ages.
Preview of Events
Event: America 250 Speaker Series in the BGSU Planetarium
When: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (July 13–31)
Cost: Free and open to the public
Monday, July 13
Kicking off the America 250 speaker series at 7:30 p.m., Andrew Layden, Ph.D., presents "America's Missions to the Moon: A History of Adventure." Following his talk, the planetarium presents "Dawn of the Space Age" at 8:45 p.m.
Wednesday, July 22
At the halfway point of the series, Amílcar Challú, Ph.D., takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. to present "Navigating with the Stars in the Vast, Early Americas." At the conclusion of his speech, the planetarium presents "Navigating with Lewis and Clark" at 8:45 p.m.
Friday, July 31
Concluding the Planetarium speaker series, Kate Dellenbusch, Ph.D., presents "Founding Voices Under the Stars" at 7:30 p.m. At 8:45 p.m., the planetarium presents "The Wright Way to Fly."
“A planetarium may not be the most obvious venue for America’s semiquincentennial, but we wanted to provide programming that brings everyone together to honor 250 years of independence.”
KATE DELLENBUSCH, PH.D.
DIRECTOR, BGSU PLANETARIUM
This July, Bowling Green State University kicks off its America 250 planetarium speaker series, bringing together American history, space and art. As BGSU honors America’s 250th anniversary, local families and community members are invited to look back at the country’s history while enjoying free planetarium shows.
The series runs from July 13-31, with events scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Speaker presentations begin at 7:30 p.m., followed by planetarium shows at 8:45 p.m. The series is free to attend and offers a budget-friendly weeknight activity for all ages.
Throughout the series, speakers will explore American innovation, core national values and the ways local history, art and music have evolved leading up to this milestone anniversary.
“A planetarium may not be the most obvious venue for America’s semiquincentennial, but we wanted to provide programming that brings everyone together to honor 250 years of independence,” said Kate Dellenbusch, Ph.D., director of the BGSU Planetarium and teaching professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. “This series crosses a broad range of topics, providing interesting subjects and learning opportunities for everyone.”
Opened in 1984, the BGSU Planetarium has served as a hub of education for decades, welcoming the public to free events and programming. In addition to standard programming and hosting school field trips, the facility has hosted everything from live musical performances and poetry readings to packed, family-oriented watch parties for solar eclipses and NASA rocket launches.
“We look forward to continuing a long-standing tradition of providing educational opportunities and entertainment for community members,” Dellenbusch said. “We hope to see everyone at this year’s America 250 speaker series.”
All events are free and open to the public. For the full schedule of speakers, topics and planetarium show times, visit www.bgsu.edu/planetarium.
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Updated: 07/01/2026 01:49PM