Lowell Observatory

Was a great experience! Everyone was very nice. We went at 4pm and got to see the sun, Mars, Mercury & Jupiter as well as a big star. We will be back to do it again at night time- but very much enjoyed ourselves! For anyone with limited mobility- I would inquire ahead of time as there was quite a bit of walking. We had a good time and will return when it’s warmer

Especially with COVID and the time of year I went, it was both on the expensive side and cold. Dont ignore the dress warm if they say so. Had a blast.Thank you to Claire for the tour. Seemed enthusiastic about the subject and very knowledgeable.

I loved this visit. I underestimated the amount of time Id need or how much I would enjoy it. I was just passing through and ended up with a membership and returned 3x in a week. The presentations were all very educational and delivered with great enthusiasm. The opportunities to look through a telescope and see something real and interesting were multiple. And just this history of this Observatory made it a great place to visit. Also, a great place for birdwatching. I saw a woodpecker and 2 bald eagles on one of my visits.

Lowell is a great little diversion in Flagstaff where you can learn about space, enjoy beautiful natural landscapes, and interesting regional history. Sometimes, before Covid19, the Library at the observatory had small acoustic concerts as well. Very cool. As a collection of buildings, it is possible to visit the location mostly outside. Check their visitor center hours for details.

This place is amazing! Our family had a wonderful time visiting the observatory on our last day in Flagstaff. Theo was our tour guide and he did an amazing tour/program. He was so informative and he also made it fun. I could tell he loves his job!It was so cool to see the telescope that was used to discover Pluto! Definitely recommend you add this place to your list of must dos in Flagstaff!

We did a night viewing tour of the Giovale Open Deck Observatory. We had a blast! The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. They showed us a lot of different objects in the sky, with lots of explanation. I would highly recommend this place and will certainly come back!

Super loving staff, Miss Nina knew so much and had all the patience and care of the world. Do not hesitate to take a tour, especially if you enjoy stargazing! It was a truly unforgettable experience to visit Plutos home!

To be honest, I didnt expect much on Lowell Observatory. We visited there just because we were in Flagstaff for Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon. We found this observatory as the place which the planet Pluto was found, and decided to visit because our daughter were interested in planets. The observatory was very inspiring for both adults and kids. I recommend to attend as many tours because there are many places you cannot enter without attendance of tours.

Visit the Observatory every time we visit the Grand Canyon. It is such a pleasant and peaceful place to visit and we generally have a grandson with us to share the experience. Love the gift shop!

And the Arizona must see. The history Lowell will shock you if you are a science fiction fan, look into that. Looking at stars that are 25 thousand light-years away priceless. Learning about our solar system and universe priceless. Learning that men really did land on the moon because they used this telescope to watch them truly amazing bit of information.

One of my all time favorite places. I feel like a kid in a candy store.

Really liked this place. I would recommend visiting esp if you like astronomy.

This was a fun place to visit and learn about the history of Lowell Observatory. The tour shares the insight of Percival Lowell and how he started the Observatory. They have additional tours about the discovery of Pluto and viewing times of the stars.

Very interesting that Pluto was discovered in 1916. Mr. Lowell spent his life at the observatory developing a telescope to observe space and map the planets and stars and galaxies. A mausoleum was constructed by his wife 6 years after his death and he is interred in the mausoleum on the observatory property. The original telescope and observatory are on site and are part of the tour. A night tour brings you to another observatory where you can observe the universe through a powerful telescope. Mist go to place just for the history alone.

What an amazing day at Lowell Observatory! Hub and I visited in the morning to check out the grounds and attend presentations about the discovery of Pluto, early telescopes and more. Our admission included a return for the evening program and opportunity to view the skies through high-powered telescopes on the new Giovale Open Deck Observatory. It was exciting to see Saturns rings and view the moon up close as the size of a dinner plate. Best was seeing a star field through the 123-yo Clark telescope used to help discover Pluto. Lots for junior astronomers to love, too.

Interesting and educational place to visit. Reasonably priced. Guides are very knowledgeable and they really enjoy their jobs, it shows in the enthusiasm of their presentations. Definitely be back again.

Such a beautiful sight at night! Little spooky driving up to it though if I am being honest. Really great trip though and can’t wait to see again.

We had such a great time. They have tables for picnics. But no grills. I would suggest bring water, sun screen and a light sweater. Kids crafts and lecture. My kids loved the talks. And the night star gazing was so cool. The staff is so great with all the ppl. Showed such great passion that we just wanted to but a telescope and learn more.

Whether you are using Flagstaff as a base to visit the Grand Cañon, or as a waypoint along I-40, the observatory is worth a day to see. I was surprised at just how close it is to Flagstaff, less than 10 min to the center. It cost under $15 with various discounts available, and that gave a full 12 hour access.We took in three talks and movies, with tours of two of the telescopes, and the went to town for lunch. We returned to listen to 3 afternoon/evening talks, look through some telescopes, and do some star gazing. There are also a few short walks around the nicely wooded hilltop.One of the better ways to spend a day, and a good mix of history, science, technology, and wooded beauty.

Wonderful day trip. We arrived in the afternoon and spent time learning the history of how Pluto was discovered there. Returned after dinner and was able to view several stars and the moon through telescopes.

Absolutely awesome place to go to! Did the nighttime telescope viewing, which had amazing views of the Moon and Saturn. We got discount tickets from our hotel and your ticket is good all day. The presentations are very interesting and informative. Definitely worth a visit!

We took the Pluto tour and the guide was really great. He was knowledgeable and funny. We were able to look at the sun through a couple of pretty cool telescopes.I wish we could have gone back at night for the evening tours. The place was really small and there weren’t telescopes available at all times- you had to be part of a tour.

If you visit Flagstaff, Arizona, make this one of your stops! There are a lot of great displays of historic value here. They even have a powerful telescope for you to look through. We had a docent give a talk outside using a powerful Lazer to outline the (mostly) visible stars forming the astrological signs. She told stories about the Greek and Roman gods in the sky.It was a great display of the powerful old telescopes and newer technology powered ones. Its a great place to stop and visit!

Fun to visit and see oldest and largest refracting telescope still in use in U.S. Attended evening lecture that was very informative. Loved it!

An amazing place to learn more about astronomy, the planets and especially Pluto! There is a beautiful observation deck where we got to see the sun through a special telescope. Worth the drive from Phoenix or the Grand Canyon!

We arrived after dark - telescope viewing & info were awesome! I would recommend seeing it during the day, then staying or returning for night time experience. With better planning we would’ve arrived an hour or two before sunset. Dim lights throughout the property as they are committed to preserving the night sky, which is awesome! But would’ve been better seeing it in the daylight, then the evening. Thinking about how vast the universe is will blow your mind!

Great place to check out. Friendly staff and nice to walk around. Wonderful view up there, too!

What an interesting and wonderful place to visit. I wont ruin it for you, but I highly recommend taking the tour with the guides and listen to their topics of discussion at the top the hour. So many interesting facts and artifacts here, you could spend all day, and night here learning and star gazing.

The tours here are fun and you can tell that the tour guides genuinely love working there and know the history really well. The facilities are really pretty, there are a number of buildings, restrooms aaaand even a large gift shop. The grounds are beautiful and its a fun place to walk around and learn a little.

Great experience. I strongly recommend an evening visit so you can explore the night skies. Plan to spend 3-4 hours. There are several knowledge sessions that we found interesting. And nothing better than aquiring that basic knowledge before telescoping. It just makes you appreciate the objects in the night sky even more and immerse in amazement.

So cool to stand where Pluto was discovered, definitely come at night there are about 5 telescopes and some are open and they have it pointed at a planet or star. Would definitely recommend and its definitely worth the admission.

Fun, informative, historical, and a great place to take your date, your kids, or even just by yourself! Prices for day passes are cheap enough to still leave some spending money at the (pretty expensive) gift shop, and the annual passes are a great price if you live close enough. They also offer Lowell After Dark on certain days, so you can actually get to use the telescopes!

Where to start. The staff is so friendly. Nice gift shop. So many tours and times. Tickets are reasonable. Membership is very reasonable (great bang for the buck.) Membership provides free membership to more than 350 science centers worldwide.This is a very unique experience and place. Do not miss the kaleidoscope.

My first observatory experience. The employees and volunteers were extremely kind and patient with my groups many questions. We appreciate all the cool things we learned. Seeing into the past is just something you cant understand until you experience it.Probably not possible, but my only suggestion would be to change out all the bright path lights out with dimmer solar lights to help with night vision.

Great day trip from Sedona, great for the junior astronomer in all of us. Lots to do and many telescopes for viewing after dark.

Awesome we went at night and it was incredible to see the stars with the huge telescopes. We also got in free because we have the Science Center membership. We had no clue we could so that was a huge surprise. Staff is very knowledgeable and doesnt mind answering questions. Loved it and recommend for all ages.

Really cool spot. I was very impressed by the amount of knowledge the staff had there! Great spot to hit up if you are visiting town. Great for kids and adults.

Really great experience. Very historical. Lectures good. But not great. Very high level if you are already an astronomy buff. Nothing new. And a little too detailed for those who dont know about astronomy. Viewing was outstanding. Worth the trip, but dont set expectations too high.

A must for any astronomy enthusiasts. Lots of programing during the day for all age ranges including science demonstrations and solar observing. The views through the historic telescope are amazing.

Super cool here!

The Lowell Observatory is a really cool place! It isnt often that we get to look through a telescope, and weve never looked through telescopes like these. My son thought it was really awesome that he could see Mars and Uranus. We loved learning in such a hands-on environment, and everyone who was working the equipment was so helpful and knowledgable. Also, the fireplace in one of the buildings is so gorgeous, it has inspired me for future home plans! Cant wait to go back again.

Fantastic guides to explain everything youre looking at and the history behind it! Fun for ages 8-88!

This place was so cool! Wish we could have stayed til dark. But, we got to see the moon through their huge telescope! It was so incredible! Go here and make sure to come at night!

Wish I would have looked at the schedule earlier because I missed a few programs I would have liked to see. I watched a couple programs at the Rotunda and saw a little in the telescope, even though it was cloudy.Finished up with Stars and Galaxies presented by Claire. Have to say, she did a great job. Loved it all, and look forward to visiting again.

Great lectures and tours available. The grounds are lovely and peaceful. Accessible to downtown quick and easy. A dont-miss place in Flagstaff!

Amazing place to visit! You also can get the chance, if conditions are right, to view space from the telescope! I was able to see the star Regulus on my visit which I had only see from photographs.

The Home of Pluto is very cute! If you enjoy space, youll enjoy this. There isnt a ton of free stuff to do, but theres enough to justify stopping in if youre in Flagstaff. Also, be prepared to stop on your way out for a lovely view of Flagstaff. (And Gorishfish says hi.)

We stopped by the Lowel Observatory when we visited arizona and were on our way to the Petrifield forest

Very neat place, so much history!!

Closed due to covid-19.An amazing observatory with great history

Awesome. Very educational and entertaining.

Literally out of this world! Wonderful tour!

I live Astronomy, and waited over a decade to finally visit here. This is the first big scope Ive gotten to see. It was raining, but staff tried to have tours anyway, but no viewing. I wouldve liked to see more. Girls were all pretty and in need of many hours of additional education and training. The scenery stole the show, the trees and gardening were so awesome it could have been an arboretum. Spectacular setting. The Clark refractor is a well preserved iconic masterpiece, a true work of art. Amazing the truck tire bearings, awesome improvisation.

Ive never been to an observatory. Im 25 and I brought my folks in their late 40s and we had a really great time. It was fun. And cool. It didnt feel like it was just for kids. Id love to come back for an event. The price seemed high, but honestly, it was worth it. Just go already!!

Great side trip when visiting the Grand Canyon! Especially with kids. This was the observatory that disc Pluto, so lots of cool exhibits about that. You can even look through the telescope that discovered Pluto if you are there at night. Definitely go at night, as they have lots of opportunities to look at the sky.

It was my first time going I loved it and plan on going back for the constellation tour

Sunrises and sunsets at Lowell are magic!!! Theres a small park just below that is amazing as well.

Loved this place! The place itself is so peaceful and quiet. The staff are so nice and friendly. At night it is really beautiful as the sky lights up with so many stars and so does the little town of Flagstaff below. This was the first time I saw Saturn and it was beautiful :)

Lowell was really neat but pricey. The tour leader was super sweet and knowledgeable, she made corny jokes but it was all a part of quaintness. Big facility and they are expanding so its a nice place for the family.

Dont miss this opportunity. If you enjoy astronomy this is a must see. They have lectures and videos. The staff are well educated. Fun during the day and also star viewing at night through big telescopes.

Its really cool if you are more interested in history come in the day time. If you more interested in science and looking at stars come at night. All the employees were super friendly and informative I would highly recommend!

The tour guide Lisa was very energetic and explained things very well. Great for all ages. We want to go back tonight to see the planets.

Our first time going to Lowell Observatory, awesome learning about the stars and planets, moon and sun - have to come and be amazed - want to come back.

Very cool place. Able to see a solar flare through their solar telescope.

Our first visit to any observatory, interesting enough to justify the entrance fee but not a huge campus and (to my untrained and somewhat myopic eyes) the planets seen through the portable and Clark telescopes were not like the pictures. Dont get me wrong, its wonderful that we can see these planets better through the scopes; just expect bright and rather featureless circles, not detailed. Just a case of exaggerated expectations I suppose. Still a great place, and the gift shop has some nice items for every budget.

Great views. Liked the quiteness of the surrounding area.

Awesome experience. This is where Pluto was discovered. Cool model to show the distance between planets and distance of planets from Sun. Have really nice informative lectures to attend. They bring out telescopes to look at different stars and planets that are out. Also has a neat little gift shop.

Great place. Makes me wish I would come and live here. View of the city is poetic from up here

If you are reading this you might be on the edge of going or not. Stop reading now and just go. You dont know anything about the solar system, the sun, stars...Neat place set in beautiful grounds. Friendly and helpful staff.

Man this Observatory was wonderful, its a bit small but thats okay because it has history. You can walk around yourself to check it out or do the guided tour. The tour was neat because you get to hear about the history of this place. My kids and I really enjoyed going, seeing the actual telescope, the museum and other kid zone activities. I would go again and recommend to anyone interested in this sort of thing! Had plenty of easy access parking, I believe you can pay for a day or get the membership.

This is one of the coolest places I have ever been! And Ive traveled the world... here I can travel the universes! Staff and volunteers are kind and friendly and passionate about their work up there. A must visit for all. Ill have to go back for sure

Nerd alert! There is some very cool stuff at this observatory! Evidently, they also offer nighttime programs in which visitors can use some of the telescopes. I went during the day and it was informative. The tour was jamb-packed with info. Also, a gorgeous view from the observatorys location.

If you have any interest in astronomy or just enjoy looking at the night sky Lowell Observatory is a great stop. Founded by Percival Lowell in 1894, the observatory continues to be an active research institution. There are tours of the observatorys classic Clarke refractor and the telescope used by Clyde Tombaugh to discover Pluto.And if you have the time, make an evening of it as well. There is live viewing through the 24 Clarke refractor, weather permitting, as well as other evening activities.

This place is astounding! We had a blast and it was so informative and cool for the price! For less than $30 we got to learn about the stars life and death cycles, hear some cool stories and facts about the astrology and its past, and look through MULTIPLE super cool telecopes - each with a staffer who was very knowledgeable! We will go back!

Loved it, different programs throughout the evening ending with a telescope viewing at the Orion Nebula.

Really educational experience. Everytime Ive visited, Ive learned something new and fascinating. Word of caution when visiting though is to beware of the weather. Clouds can negatively impact the experience while the staff try their best to accommodate. Overall pleasant experience but I would avoid holidays or Saturdays as it can get pretty crowded.

Educational. Great tools we got to look through 5 telescopes and saw incredible detail on the Moon and intense colors from a star 150 light years away!

This was an amazing experience, we initially came to go for a few hours and we ended up staying the entire day and ended up staying in Flagstaff another night to experience the evening/night talks and exhibits. We learned alot from the many talks we attended and there was alot of history to take in.

I cannot say enough good things about Lowell. I love that place and will go back each time Im in Flagstaff! Such a cool place or leaning and exploring! We took 19 high school students here and had a fantastic time.The visitor center was cool and the lectures were great but what stole the show were the telescopes! I wish we could have changed some of the lenses to see more or less of the nebula, but thats a tiny item and likely a pain to do.Dont miss out! Worth the fee!

Great place to visit a couple hours before dark so that you can get the most of it and stay into the evening and become one with the universe..its a short walk from town but is up a hill. I walked it however driving is easier

Sadly bad weather didnt allow us to see through the telescope but was still very informative and great staff. I enjoyed the youth that worked there so fascinated and loving their schooling in astrology taught the troop amazing information!

Great to visit and you would find our life is too short.

A combination of science, history and beauty. The presentations are academically heavy with tons of information. They freely allow questions and have good visuals to assist your understanding and keep the learner involved. They do use a good deal of vocabulary and names which it would help me if they showed the words in the visuals to assist visual learners. Pluto was discovered here! They have the original Clark telescope! The view at night from the mountain top is quite breath taking. All of the presenters were friendly and helpful. Well worth seeing!

The scheduled presentations where really good. Super cool telescopes. I would highly suggest going there towards the evening and on a clearer night so you can see more things through the telescope. We were still able to see Jupiter even though the sun was still out.

If you thought Arizona had beautiful skies, here you can see the universe up close. This observatory discovered Pluto and trained the Apollo astronauts. They have a new 4 or 5 telescope viewing platform that opened 10/5/19 that lets visitors look through actual high powered telescopes. Another huge plus, $70 gets you and your entire family access to the observatory for a whole years as well as free or discounted admission to other science facilities around the country. Love this place!

Very interesting and lots of information. The tour guides are very good at their job. There is lots to learn and see. The tours are very informative. It is a great place to visit and it is well worth the money.

The historical telescopes are amazing to see. Plus it is cool looking through a big telescope. Make a point to visit the Pluto telescope at the top of the hill.

Pluto was discovered here! You can walk there from downtown Flagstaff, makes it for a good workout with stunning views along the way!

As a family, we love going to Lowell though our kids are a little young to appreciate the walking tours.

The place you must go if you have kids with you, or you are a astrophile, we tour the observatory, and watched moon, jupiter,saturn using the professional telesclop, really a great experience to inspire kid about the stars and we also gain a lot

Pluto the dwarf planet was discovered here. Great stories within the city of flagstaff. One of the fastest research patent filing happen from Lowell Observatory and the instructor is good. Try to reach at 10.30 am on a clear day.

Awesome! I was thinking this was going to be a normal, kinda eh, walk around and read things while looking at structures. There were maybe a couple things to read, but there were so many interactive activities and programs. We learned about canals on Mars, how Pluto was discovered, and even got to look at M67 through the 125 year old telescope that Percival Lowell used himself! Every single staff member was very knowledgeable and answered all of my questions (I have many ). My only complaint - there are no sidewalks to use to walk up to the observatory. My kiddo and I braved the steep hill climb along the roadside anyway - we did just fine, but are both in very good physical condition and would not recommend walking up for anyone with small children or who have mobility issues. I would definitely come back!

This place is amazing. We did a private tour with Kevin and Hogan, with every penny. The wind didnt allow us to break out the Clark telescope but, even on the smaller telescope they wheeled out got us, what you are able to see is truly mind blowing. The quality of content from our two tour guides was exceptional. We didnt want the night to end. Well be back for sure!

The new observation deck is amazing! I got to see Saturn which was great. Also attended a lecture about stars and galaxies which was very interesting. You have to be there for the constellation mythology tour, the individual who does the whole thing is very funny and engaging. Super interesting night.

Excellent docents, interesting history and just overall a calming place to visit, especially for science fans. Loved being here!

Fantastic place to come if you are at all interested in space. We came during the day and did a few of the tours and then returned in the evening for the viewing through the telescopes. Unfortunately we didn’t have ideal conditions as there was quite a bit of cloud cover, but a great experience nonetheless.

From my observation...this place is outta this world. Loved it.

This was one of the most interesting places Ive ever been. There is so much history to experience and all of the employees and volunteers were very helpful.

Great place to stop in for a few hours and learn some history of astronomy...

The Lowell Observatory was a great learning experience for my family. The presenters were very knowledgeable of the topics. We enjoyed being able to look at the moon through a high powered telescope (the outdoor one). I highly recommend this as a destination and taking the opportunities to listen to the various talks. This made a nice highlight for a weekend trip to Flagstaff.