In the Mediendom, viewing the starry sky has become a journey to fascinating worlds. Modern technology makes the dome appear as a transparent observation lounge. The sky opens up and a virtual spaceship launches into the cosmos. Affecting us by its infinite vastness, its variety and its beauty the universe can be experienced in a deeply emotional way.

On the one hand the Mediendom represents science in a new way, e.g. you can virtually promenade through monuments of ancient cultures. The presentations combine the different facets of human knowledge to an extensive view of our cosmos. On the other hand the new technical chances are used for experimental art or for contemplative presentations. Additionally, surprising and spectacular effects are used to entertain audiences.

The Mediendom is a special multimedia room at the University of Applied Sciences, Kiel, used as a lecture room and working place by the students of the internationally orientated Master course of study “Multimedia Production” established in 1999. It has a dome of 9 m in diameter and allows to create multimedia products by using different kinds of tools. Shows of different kinds, such as planetarium shows, a show about the rain forest in Costa Rica, Magellan circumnavigating the globe for the first time and shows for entertainment, are produced at the Mediendom. There are cooperations with other planetaria like Hamburg and with institutions of art like the Muthesius Academy of Art and Design and the Kiel Ballet and artists like Rudolf H. Herget and Christine Högl.

The Mediendom is a prototype of a new form of event locations as well as an outstanding educational institution for the interdisciplinary study of multimedia production. Its technical core is a novel 360° image simulator called Digistar 3 from the US company Evans & Sutherland enabling the students to produce dome filling presentations of novel pedagogical depth and visual attraction. The paradigms of immersive media production are to a large extent unexplored. Using an interdisciplinary approach trendsetting potentials are developed at the University of Applied Sciences, Kiel. Doing so, the cooperation with worldwide operating partners is our daily practice.

We want to use new multimedia technologies to achieve new dimensions of aesthetic and to appeal to the senses and the emotions of our visitors. Our aim is to touch the hearts of the audience and thus arouse their curiosity about science and even abstract and difficult subjects. Subjects of science are indeed difficult and are rarely understood by non-professionals. It is our profession to explain things in a way that can be comprehended without expert qualification. Moreover, multimedia enables us to educate in an entertaining way.