The first photograph shows the historic telescope built by 13-year-old Daniel Kamin at the original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science in 1955. The second image shows the photograph of the Moon taken by Dan Kamin with the telescope in March of 1957. The successor to the original Buhl Planetarium is now the Kamin Science Center, from a $65 million gift given by Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin.
(Images Source: Friends of the Zeiss; Photographer: Glenn A. Walsh)
By Glenn A. Walsh
Reporting for SpaceWatchtower
Following the amazing donation of $65 million to Pittsburgh's Carnegie Science Center on 2024 January 20, the instittion has been re-launched as the Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Science Center. The grand public opening occurred two months ago on Saturday, 2025 September 13.
Science museums in Pittsburgh began on 1895 November 5 with the dedication of The Carnegie Museum of Natural History in, whar would become, the city's Oakland Civic Center district. The city's first museum of astronomy and the physical sciences came on 1939 October 24 with the dedication of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (later known as the Buhl Science Center) in the center of the Lower North Side business district (formerly, the downtown business district of Pittsburgh's twin city, Allegheny City, which merged with Pittsburgh in 1907). The much larger Carnegie Science Center (which included a new Buhl Planetarium and Observatory), on the city's North Shore of the Ohio River, succeeded the original Buhl Planetarium on 1991 October 5.
As a young teenager, Daniel Kamin beczme fzsscinzted with aatronomy aftet several visits to the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. In fact, he once commented, “If I wasn't a real estate guy, I could have been an astronomer.”
In 1955, at the age of 13, he built his own reflector telescope in the Amateur Astronomers Workshop on the, lower level of Buhll Planetarium. In March of 1957, he used his telescope to photograph the Moon. This historic telescope, along with the photograph of the Moon, are now on permanent display on the first floor of the Kamin Science Center.
Professionally, Dan Kamin followed in his grandfather's footsteps with a career in commercial real estate. He now heads Kamin Realty, which was founded in 1916 by Herman Kamin. Kamin Realty is now the 38th largest real estate development firm in thenation, with properties in 48 states including nearly 17 million square-feet of developed space.
The Kamin Family Foundation was founded by Daniel G. Kamin and his wife, Carole L. Kamin. In addition to the Science Center, the Kamins have made other donations to Pittsburgh-area instituions. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History received a donation of $25 million, this-past February. Also this year, an $11.5 million donation now allows children and teens (ages 6 to 17) free admision to the Heinz History Center.
An alumnus of Shady Side Academy, Daniel Kamin has also contributed an undisclosed amount toward a veterinary teaching hospital on the site of the former Shadyside Middle School, for the National Aviary.
Last year, Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin were recognized with the 2024 Outstanding Philanthropists award, gicen by the Fundraising Professionals, Western Pennsylvania Chapter.
New on the first floor of the Kamin Science Center, in the entrance lobby, is a 25-foot digital media wall. The new outdoor signage includes the new Kamin Science Center logo, displaying a leter “K” for Kamin, star-field, and a telescope pointed to the stars. Inside is a new way-finding system, to help visitors navigate the five-story building.
At the building's main entrance is Carole's Garden, a pollinator-friendly entrance garden. This is named for Carole L. Kamin, the second philanthropist responsible for the $65 million gift.
Next to the entrance was a race car sponsored by PNC Bank and owned by Chip Ganassi Racing. This was a small preview of a future exhibit, the “Science of Speed”, scheduled to open next Summer and including a go-cart track.
Usually, the Science Center introduces a new exhibit every two and one-half years. With the new Kamin funding, Science Center officials expect nine new exhibits over the next 27 months.
Other future exhibits, benefitting from the Kamin donation, include:
> 9,500-square-foot Sports360 opening in December;
> Respnsive Science exhibit on local Climate Change impacts
> Building Futures exhibit about the skilled trades
> New fourth floor space for early learners
> New interactive exhibits for the Robert Pierce Atrium Gallery
> Community -focused outdoor engagement park
> First floor gallery refresh
Also on the first floor of the Kamin Science Center, in the Robert Pierce Atrium Galler as part of the SpacePlace exhibit, is a static display of the historic Zeiss II Planetarium Projector, used for sky shows in the original Buhl Planetarium for 52 years. Buhl Planetarium's historic 10-inxh Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope remains in storage.
Internet Links to Additional Information ---
Photographs from Day of (Re)Launch of Kamin Science Center:
Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/kamin/relaunch/relaunch.html
Official Internet Web-Site for Kamin Science Center:
Link >>> https://kaminsciencecenter.org/
Related Blog-Posts ---
"4.48 Million Mars Exhibit Opens in Pittsburgh." Wed., 2023 Jan. 11.
Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2023/01/448-million-mars-exhibit-opens-in.html
"Moonshot Space Museum Opens in Pittsburgh." Thur., 2022 Oct. 20.
Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2022/10/moonshot-space-museum-opens-in.html
Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss
"$65 Million (Re)Launch of Kamin Science Center, Pittsburgh"
Thursday, 2025 November 13.
Artificial Intelligence not used in the writing or production of this article.
© Copyright 2025 Glenn A. Walsh, All Rights Reserved
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gaw
Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), America's fifth major planetarium and Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, the fourth of only five libraries where both construction and endowment funded by famous industrialist & philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>> http://www.planetarium.cc Buhl Observatory: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc
* Other Walsh-Authored Blog & Web-Sites: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/gawweb.html
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