The Downing Planetarium at California State University, Fresno marked its 25th anniversary this year. Since opening in April 2000, the planetarium has welcomed up to 20,000 visitors annually and played a significant role in science education for both students and the public in the Central Valley.
Dr. Steven White, professor of physics and founding director of the planetarium, reflected on its impact: “The planetarium is a remarkable resource for the university, but also for the city of Fresno, for all the people that live here and see our shows,” White said. “Most of what we do are field trips for schools, and students come here from all over the Valley. It’s been remarkably rewarding. I’ve talked to thousands and thousands of kids. Everybody is interested in the sky and space, and they want to know what’s out there.”
As one of only four planetariums in the region, Downing Planetarium draws visitors from as far away as San Luis Obispo and Bakersfield. Its offerings include astronomy courses for Fresno State students using a 4K star projector within a 73-seat auditorium topped by a 30-foot dome. Public shows sometimes incorporate elements of pop culture; recently, an event set to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” sold out.
Interest surged further this fall after a TikTok video featuring the planetarium went viral in August with over 34,000 likes, resulting in increased attendance.
The origins of the planetarium trace back to Dr. White’s early efforts bringing portable astronomy presentations to local schools before acquiring equipment from Kansas State University with support from Fresno State’s Department of Physics. Key financial backing came from Dr. F. Harold Downing—a retired orthopedic surgeon—his son Dr. Tom Downing (a dentist), and Tom’s wife Cynthia Downing (a businesswoman). All three have longstanding ties to Fresno State.
“When we were first talking to Fresno State, my father talked about setting up a scholarship,” Tom Downing said. “So they created a little scholarship, and when my father saw it, he said, ‘I was thinking of something more significant.’ The next thing we heard, they had a planetarium building planned, and we added some scholarships to create a real significant project that my father was totally behind.”
Construction progressed quickly after institutional support emerged from Dr. Brandt Kehoe (then-dean) and then-university President Dr. John D. Welty.
Subsequent years brought technological upgrades—including transitioning from slide projectors to computer-controlled high-definition systems—and continued investment from the Downings led to creation of an endowment managed by the Fresno State Foundation.
“We wanted to make sure that the planetarium was going to continue operating no matter what, so we created an endowment,” Cynthia Downing said. “That endowment has been well invested by the Fresno State Foundation. They’ve done an excellent job of managing it, growing it, and the planetarium has been able to maintain state-of-the-art programs and equipment. I’m really proud of that.”
For Day of Giving 2025, Tom and Cynthia Downing established an endowed scholarship fund named after Stephen and Kathleen White.
“Everyone involved in the College of Science and Mathematics who is promoting science education is doing something so important over the long haul,” Cynthia Downing said. “The investment in youth and education is going to pay society back.”
After three decades leading operations at the planetarium—including during periods when demand kept it open every day—Dr. White is retiring under California State University’s Faculty Early Retirement Program while associate director Dan Brown manages daily activities as a search begins for his successor.
“I’ve been at this for 30 years,” White said. “I love teaching about the night sky and working with kids. I’ve had students who came to the planetarium when they were little, and they remember that. I’ve had students who now introduce their children to me. There are several boys named Orion because of my class. We’re operating, we’re busier than ever, we have new shows and we’re having a huge response. I’m very, very proud of it.”
