Das Planetarium: Eintritt frei • Raman K. Prinja, Chris Wormell

Astronomy and cosmology are subjects I can never get enough of. Everything related to the universe, outer space, and the physics behind it is endlessly fascinating. Recently, I stumbled upon the book The Planetarium: Welcome to the Museum and simply had to have it. The whole design appealed to me so much that I just have to introduce it here—it’s truly beautiful and a real gem, especially for young readers (around 8 years and up). I’d also like to use this post to show some pictures of the book’s wonderfully designed interior.

The entire Welcome to the Museum series is structured to make the reader feel as though they are visiting a museum—in this case, a planetarium. The chapters are called “rooms,” each introduced with an illustration and a short introductory text. The book provides a wonderful overview of the cosmos and the universe. It begins with an introduction, followed by chapters on telescopes, the solar system, the Sun, the night sky, stars, galaxies, and finally the universe itself. Starting from Earth, the reader journeys farther and farther out into the infinite expanse. The book touches on many topics: it briefly introduces each planet, explains the Sun and how the solar system will eventually end. It presents constellations of both the northern and southern hemispheres, explores the full life cycle of a star, and covers galaxies, galaxy clusters, and the expansion of the universe—all in a concise, engaging, and easily understandable way.

The book can be read quite quickly, but the experience is delightful and feels very much like a museum visit in book form. The carefully chosen typography and newly illustrated plates have a vintage style reminiscent of old classroom charts—nostalgic and charming. Combined with the warm paper tone, it perfectly captures the illusion of stepping into an old-fashioned planetarium. I really loved that aspect.

The information is beautifully presented, very fluid and enjoyable to read, and includes all the essentials. Topics such as the transit method for discovering exoplanets or the different end stages of stars depending on their mass are excellently explained, both textually and visually. There’s also a section on galaxy collisions. I especially appreciated the visual representation of the Big Bang and the formation of the universe according to current scientific understanding.

The illustrations are wonderful. They have a consistent, harmonious style, beautifully drawn, often with striking colors, and are remarkably accurate when compared to real images from the Hubble Telescope. It’s hard to imagine a more visual way to convey these concepts. When the diagrams show Earth’s location and then expand to depict larger cosmic structures, it’s both vivid and easy to grasp. The illustrations are sprinkled throughout so there’s always something to look at—just like in a museum, where the exhibits take center stage accompanied by informative text.

The book itself is of very high quality—large format, thick smooth paper, and even thread binding. I’m genuinely impressed by the production quality, and the price is more than fair. From Prestel Publishing, I also have a similar book, Animalium: Welcome to the Museum (original German title: Magische Welten), which is equally beautiful. For me, it’s clear that I’ll be collecting more titles from this series.

Conclusion: This beautiful nonfiction book, which truly feels like visiting a planetarium in book form, is a wonderful collection of essential information about space, astronomy, and the universe. From short profiles of the planets and the Sun, to explanations of the size and structure of the cosmos, galaxies, black holes, and the fate of our solar system—the reader gets a rich and comprehensive overview. The charming and vivid illustrations make it a visual pleasure, with all concepts presented clearly and engagingly. The book can be read quickly, but it’s a joy to do so. I also loved the high-quality production, including the thread binding. A highly recommended and stunning book.

Book information: Das Planetarium: Eintritt frei • Raman K. Prinja, Chris Wormell • Prestel Publishing • 112 pages • ISBN 9783791373522