Came to see the solar eclipse and just happened to find out the observatory was hosting a viewing. We set up a little place on the lawn and the event was so fun with so many other people. Super informative and made me appreciate what was happening while it was happening. I didn't know what to expect, but there was someone to guide us through the entire experience--letting us know what we were seeing, what to notice, when to keep our glasses on and when it was safe to remove them. 10/10 experience. So cool. There were telescopes to look through and stations set up where kids could color. And assistants to answer questions or tell us more about eclipses. TL;DR i'm starstruck. Super cool stuff happening here & very informative in an accessible way. read more

Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium - Planetarium Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This is an amazing place for children and adults alike. Now I still have not mastered parking here on the Butler campus, but a guess when I park in one of the permit areas, my prayers have been answered and I have not been ticketed or towed (knock on wood). I visited here on one of their open house nights as part of a girl scout troop trip. The staff was very friendly, energetic, enthusiastic and showed a real passion for astronomy. The open house is in 2 parts. The first part is the movie in the planetarium. The theater is very nice, but also very small and fills up quickly. The movie they showed was awesome and gave the background on the US versus Russia space race and some information on the moon landing and space station. It was well put together and very informational. My little and I really enjoyed it. They followed the up with a simulation of the Indiana night sky and an explanation of some constellations and the origins of the Orion constellation. The second part was actually going up to the observatory and look through the huge telescope. It was a line, but moves at a steady pace. I would say I waited about 30 minutes or so. It was nice to look through the telescope and see specific constellations. They moved the telescope to see different stars and planets throughout the moving of the line. Luckily, it was a clear night and we were able to see a lot That is not always the case so I would check it out before I go. Some people would double back in the line, cutting offf some people that have not viewed yet to see the telescope again after it had been moved and out on a new star or planet. I think once you viewed, you should have to go all the way to the back of teh line and get a second viewing after everyone has had attest one. But, that is just my opinion. I highly recommend getting here early because they sell out quick and you may be offered a later showing, at best. Part of my group was a little late and werer told that they could come back at 9PM. They decided to just go home as that was a bit late for them and their little. The inside of the observatory has a lot of symbolism and meaning which was explained during our tour. They had a small telescope set up outside on the front walkway that were are able to see a very clear image of the moon. It was amazing. The place is available to be rented out for groups, at a very reasonable price, but you will not get to see the telescope because available rental times are during the daylight hours. I recommend checking this place out. It is as fun as it is educational. I was like a big kid here. read more

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Did a private tour for our wedding anniversary. It was just us and our three and one year old. We watched a movie in the planetarium and went up to see the telescope. Didn't get a look at stars due to weather. I highly recommend every person living nearby that is interested in either architecture or astronomy to do a tour at least once. The observatory is having a special event for the eclipse in 2024. We bought viewing glasses during our tour for that event. read more

Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium - Beautiful building constructed in the 1950's. Love the zodiac art on the floor. - Planetarium Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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We visited the night before the total solar eclipse in April 2024. There was a presentation in the main planetarium and we got to speak to students about their preparation for the eclipse. Butler was in the path of totality so the poor astronomy and astrophysics students were frazzled but good natured and willing to answer questions. It rained just before we arrived so we weren't able to use the telescope without damaging the interior of the building in opening the dome. Instead we had a demo of how the scope works and pinpoints locations (and how it can be remotely moved and knock out unwitting students). read more

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I have lived in Indianapolis for the majority of my life and had never come to Holcomb Observatory. It was for sure an amazing experience for the books. We arrived after 9pm, I was concerned that maybe we may have been to late. We walked in and there were 3 young female students working together who were single handedly over seeing everything. They had the planetarium show going on so we sat and waited. One of the sweet young ladies was working really hard to get a good view of Venus for us as it was extremely cold out and very overcast. It was evident that the 3 enjoy their jobs as they went above and beyond to assist everyone. After alot of trial and error, the young lady came down and got us to escort us up to the telescope. It is a lot of steps, so wear comfortable shoes but definitely worth the climb. It was freezing and even then the young lady apologized several times for the weather. We couldn't see Venus but even then she was telling us when to come back to enjoy the sites. I have got to return once it's warmer outside to enjoy in all its glory. If your in Indianapolis and have never been, put it on your to do list. A few things to know b4 going, weekends are when to go unless there is an event during the week. It is free of charge and remember to wear comfortable shoes. Check the website b4 going to get any needed information and lastly enjoy the experience... you owe it to yourself!!! read more

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In my 16 years of living less than 5 miles from Butler, I'm embarrassed to say I just realized there was an observatory on campus?! Regardless, I am grateful for another awesomely cool Elite (thanks, Sigi!) for arranging an event here. We began our visit in the observatory where we viewed a short program about the constellations and their historic relationship to our current holiday traditions. We were then treated to a Clash of the Titans rendition with references to their mythological characters/constellations. Very cool, and interesting! We received an historical perspective of the building's atrium by a senior student, and our visit culminated in a trip upstairs to view Uranus and Jupiter via the huge telescope. The building itself is a cool architectural work on its own! This is a great destination if you love astronomy, want a fun place to take the kiddos, need a new date night idea, or just because. Go, I say! read more

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Largest telescope in the Hoosier state. Wonderful students and faculty who coordinate tours. They have watch events at night on weekends, as well. Add them on Facebook and keep up with the schedule. read more

Absolutely worth checking out. It is a cheap way to fill an evening. I would suggest one of the restaurants located near Clowes Hall for dinner, followed by a stroll through the Butler campus and/or it's gardens and then take in the stars... The performance is generally run by the students who are as helpful as can be. You get to watch an awesome show, learn a little bit about astronomy and get to peep through the telescope... all that for next to nothing. Paid $5 for adults... But bring cash... that is all they will take. Took a point off simply because the seats are soooooo uncomfortable and after the show you will experience a long wait at the telescope. read more

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Wow I was blown away by the observatory and telescope here at Butler. After living in the area for many years was on my list of things to see. This facility is the best of both worlds. It was built in the 50s and I can say they did an excellent job of theming the building like a Disney ride. Then the observatory's program was awesome. Apparently the had just finished a renovation with new seats and one heck of a projector. They can take you at the speed of light far away to see what our own galaxy looks like from a distance. Really good show on the sun. Then you can look through the telescope which is the largest in the state. We saw Jupiter and Saturn. Staff was very knowledgeable. Price is right at 7 per adult 5 for kids. I believe the telescope is free to see as well. read more

Such a fun thing to do! The staff was engaged and knowledgeable. Get there early as the shows sell out quickly (like within 15-20 minutes of the doors opening). They accept cash and card for admissions. You can opt out of watching the video and just look through the telescope. The one thing to note is that you have to climb three flights of steps to see the telescope, so if you can't walk up steps don't count on going up. read more

My daughter and I have been wanting to visit a planetarium for some time and the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium has been on our radar. We checked the website and had a listing of "open to the public" tours and star gazing on most Fridays and Saturdays in the spring thru fall so we thought this would be a fun activity to do together. The observatory is located on the far northern end of the Butler campus. Sunset Rd. is (currently) a complete mess and I ended up at the south end of campus; I finally got back to the north side and found some parking (Clowes Memorial Hall was having some event so parking was at a premium). The building looks like it was meant to be there; it's completely seamless and beautifully situated at the top of a large hill. It very well may be the highest point at Butler. An abundance of green space in front of the building and a well landscaped walk up to the observatory add to the appearance. Doors opened at 8PM - we were greeted by two students (who ended up being the presenters) and we paid a whopping $5 ($4 adult/$1 student) and told the presentation would be given at 830PM downstairs in the plantarium. We were invited to look around in the interim - so we did that for a bit then found our seats in the round downstairs. You can tell the building was built in 1954 - it sort of reminded me of a cross between the original dark rides at Disneyland in CA and my first elementary school in Ohio. The walls are old, the bathrooms are old, and it has an academia old school feel to it. The perfect blend of serious science and nostalgia IMO. The planetarium was running a slide show on its roof to pass the time before the show started. Various slides talking about constellations, planets, etc. were the order of the day along with "trivia" type things. We were one of the first ones there and by the time the show started there were around 25-30 people. I would estimate the planetarium would easily seat 100+. Compared to other planetariums - I would say this is slightly smaller than I've been to. The show started and was given by the aforementioned students - they were both exceptionally bright and knowledgeable on the topic de jour (in this case, Jupiter). Better than half of the presentation was slides until they brought the lights down and brought the stars into focus and talked about constellations (this was by far my favorite part and I wish it was longer). Putting the sky into motion would have been really cool - I did not ask if this was possible with their setup but have seen it done at other ones. After the presentation they described the main telescope in detail - it is the largest telescope in the state of Indiana! Unfortunately, it is currently under renovation. The original build of 1954 was (obviously) not inline with 21st century standards and from philanthropic gifts was being updated with computer controls, etc. They did take small groups up the winding stairway on the outer portion of the building up to the observatory to see it (don't look down!). It is MASSIVE and I really wish we could have looked thru it. They are scheduled for testing thru May with hopefully allowing people to see thru in June. One of the students remained in the lobby area and gave some very interesting history about the building and its unique features. After the observatory viewing they did set up a small telescope outside for viewing Jupiter. We were able to see the dust rings of Jupiter (yes) along with three of its moons. It was a beautiful evening outside and perfect for stargazing. I really can't say enough about the two young men running the presentation - we really had a lot of fun and all day yesterday my daughter talked about how much fun she had. It really was a good time and something that I will look forward to again in the future. Additionally I plan to send a complimentary note to the physics and astronomy department thanking them for putting this on for the general public. read more

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Looking for something different to do on a Friday or Saturday night and it won't break the bank? Then head to Butler's campus and attend a public tour of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium. For just $3 for adults or $2 for kids, you will get kid friendly slideshow in the planetarium and weather permitting, an opportunity to look into their improved/upgraded 38'' telescope. The planetarium portion of the evening provides a basic introduction to the planets as well as additional information as to what you might see that night. A student, think TA, provides the narrative. The planetarium is a throw back to the 1950's, wooden benches included. For the second portion of the evening, depending on the size of the crowd, you will be broken up into groups of 2 to take turns in the Observatory. For the group not viewing the observatory, you will wait in the lobby area while you are shown and provided additional detail about the murals on the floor and walls and what their meanings are. Don't forget to look up though to view the gorgeous lighting fixture. For the Observatory portion, you are provided additional information while the telescope is moved into position. You will get a chance to view through the lens more than once to view different objects. It is important to note, that while you are technically inside, the roof does open, so on chilly nights, I would bring a warmer sweater or jacket. Overall, this is a great experience and something different to do. Tips: # Bring cash, as they only accept it as a form of payment for admission #Check out their website to view their ClearSky Clock to help you determine if it will be too cloudy to see anything through the telescope on the night you wish to visit. #While they have wheelchair access to the planetarium and lobby area, they don't have an elevator to the telescope viewing area read more

Great learning experience and sooo cool Took my 3 littles this evening. Admission is very reasonable for the planetarium show ($3 kids, $5 adults) The show this evening was on Pluto aka Planet X. The show is hosted/narrated by a Butler student. It was a great presentation, a little wordy for vert young ones but I enjoyed. The kids really perked up after the Pluto lesson and he turned on the stars and discussed constellations. Afterwards you can head up the stairs to look at the telescope. Unfortunately it was a damp evening due to rain so they couldn't open the roof. ***You can however come back and look thru the telescope for free sans the planetarium show, just around by 9:15. They are open most Fri and Sat evenings. Check the website. We'll definitely be back. read more

Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium - Butler Observatory telescope - Planetarium Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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What a fun "field trip" for adults and kids alike. This is perfect for a date night or an inexpensive family outing. The show starts with a short film and then a Butler student enthusiastically shared knowledge about the stars and constellations. The evening wraps up with a trip up to view the stars. A fun night for the whole family. read more

This is a really neat and educational experience. The evening I went was not the A-game for the Observatory but, I will be back! Advice on the Planetarium show, get there early. We arrived about 15 early and the show was almost full. The Planetarium is...a tad cozy. There is maybe room for 30-40 people. It also shows it's age, with the church pew-like seats. The show was quite educational and was ran by an astronomy student, which was great to see a student running a show like this. The first portion was a PowerPoint about Pluto and the second part was an explanation of the stars. Not thee most high tech place but, it was fun for a night out. Another tip: Bring Cash! After the planetarium show, we were led up to the observatory area to look through the big telescope. We were super excited since it was a clear evening and both Jupiter and Saturn were within view. However, there were technical difficulties with the telescope and we were unable to view. We will be back to check it out. The students who ran the evening did all they could to get it working, including calling multiple people. Some guests got super upset, which was uncalled for. The students did find a smaller telescope for us to check out and we got to see Saturn, which was really fun. I will be back again to check out the larger telescope! There were a few infants and small children there. I don't know if this environment was the best for the children. I would suggest anyone to check out the Planetarium and Observatory! read more

If you are looking for something different this is a must. We went on a Saturday night and really enjoyed it. First up was a movie about the universe. Then there was a star talk about Orion. After the talk we went up to look through the telescope. We were able to see clearly and if we waited until after everyone had gone we could have requested to look at other things in the sky. We brought our little one and she enjoyed it as well. read more

It is a decent value for $5, but don't waste your time. We went just to enjoy the wonders of one of the largest telescopes in the US. We were not there for the planetarium show (another story) but we stayed through it. The observatory telescope was a huge disappointment. First, we viewed Venus and it was just a very small, out of focus, blob. It should be stated that I have 20/20 test vision. That was not the issue. Then, after the planetarium show, we viewed Jupiter and same result. We did not stay for the Saturn viewing knowing we would be equally let down. This same week we had viewed Jupiter and Saturn with a $1,000 spotting scope and were amazed with the image clarity, seeing moons and rings. Something is wrong with the Holcomb telescope. These planets should be amazing, yet they are hugely underwhelming at Holcomb. Once again, don't waste your time. read more

Very cool experience. It was neat to have access to the huge telescope, but I will admit I was expecting a bit more from the view. When we looked through it we just saw a bigger ball of light than what we would have seen without it. We were also allowed to see the moon through another telescope by the front steps which was neat, but it didn't feel like I was getting a better view of the moon, it just looked a little bigger. It was still a fun experience that we really appreciated. read more