London Planetarium, Marylebone Road 1971

A busy lunchtime scene outside the London Planetarium, its distinctive copper-clad dome dominating the streetscape just as it had since opening in 1958. At this time the Planetarium was still one of London’s most futuristic attractions, drawing school groups, tourists and astronomy enthusiasts to its spectacular star-shows beneath the dome. The scaffolding around the entrance suggests maintenance or refurbishment work—common during this period as the building was kept up-to-date with new projection technology. On the street, a Renault 4CV adds to the atmosphere of early-1970s London, while the grand Edwardian buildings of Marylebone rise behind. Long before Madame Tussauds absorbed the venue in the 2000s, the Planetarium stood as a modernist icon of scientific wonder in the heart of the West End.