 The McLaughlin Planetarium was closed on November 5 , 1995 . The president of the ROM stated that the closure of the planetarium was due to a combination of falling attendance and a declining interest in space , and that the closure was necessitated by provincial budget cuts . The decision came as a surprise to many , as attendance had rebounded in recent years , and the planetarium was one of few in North America at the time that was turning a profit . The closure meant that 40 people lost their jobs . 
