Quite possibly the best experiences I've ever had! If you are remotely interested in science, space, or discovery of our beloved Pluto, the Lowell is a must do. Our family did the "after dark" tour (plan to get there at 9:30 pm to poke around, tour starts at 10:30, and you'll be done by midnight). We were with an intimate group of 16 people and got to ask tons of questions, use their primary telescope to look at the planets, moons, and countless other celestial bodies. It was very casual and the guides just went with the flow. The after dark tour is great for families, a first date, or dream experience. read more

Meh... stargazing didn't happen due to clouds. Maybe a partial refund would be nice as the star gazing is probably the coolest part of the experience being sold. read more

Q: What do astronauts put on their toast? A: Space Jam. Lowell Observatory is the home of Pluto! I went for the night and saw Jupiter and several stars around it on the 116 year old telescope! The place was opened in for over 125 years and continues to draw in visitors. Its on a hill so you see an epic view of the city. I saw Orion's belt and the nebula. Saw the planetarium on a 3-4 ft screen. That could have been better, but it was a cool experience! They also have an exhibit hall and mini museum. Additionally, you can also buy a GLOW IN THE DARK SHIRT! =) read more

See all

Lowell Observatory is simply magical. While it may be a bit hit and miss, given need for a clear night, if you get one, it is amazing. There are several telescopes through which you can see, depending on time of year, planets, star clusters, nebula, etc. On the night we went, you could see the Milky way with the naked eye. The staff and docents are all fabulous. This is a don't miss read more

My date surprised me & drove me up to Flagstaff for the weekend during which went up to the Lowell Observatory to look at the stars! Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to see anything but we had a good time anyways. They have an exhibit & show, along with a museum. It's a very interactive experience; you can definitely unleash the kid inside you & have fun learning about things in our universe. The observatory itself is really cool too. There's a huge telescope for stargazing. We found the staff to be really friendly in trying to explain everything. So all-in-all, for that day, I'd give mother nature a 1 star review (for being cloudy) & Lowell Observatory a 4 star review! read more

Pluto was discovered here, need I say more? Okay, if you insist. Lowell Observatory is located on a hill that offers incredible views of Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks. We took two tours and learned a lot about the discovery of Pluto and other important work that took place at the observatory. The tours were informative yet casual, allowing for plenty of questions and answers. We also had the opportunity to look at the sun through a solar telescope, which was a first for me! Our guide mentioned that the observatory regularly hosts sky viewing events. I'll definitely find my way back there next time I'm in northern Arizona! read more

See all

This place is pretty cool! My sis in-law and I decided to check it out on our hike and learned a lot just in the gift shop! The $12 adult admission gets you in for the entire day. From what I understood that includes a very informative tour, access to the grounds and viewing whatever they're looking at on the telescope that day. I'd suggest going on a day when they are also doing a night viewing so your cost includes that too. This is the place that discovered Pluto and they're not messing around when it comes to the other space related things they look at. I didn't do the tour or the night viewing on this visit, but I plan to on my next visit to Flagstaff. read more

Here's a tip, if you come during the day, make sure you time your visit with their guided tours! We came on our last day in Flagstaff before heading back down to Phoenix, and assumed we could walk around to view the different telescopes on our own...WRONG! All of the telescopes were locked inside their viewing towers, and are only open during their guided tours. Therefore, there was not very much to see on our own. We were there for the solar viewing, but it literally took one minute to do that, since it was just a staff member standing beside a telescope that was set up, pointing to the sun. You look in the telescope, see a big red dot with some tiny solar flares on the side, and then that is it. Luckily, we were there in time for the tours, so we went on a Mars tour and the Pluto tour, where we got see the Clark Telescope (the telescope used to discover evidence suggesting the expansion of the universe) and the Pluto telescope (the telescope used to discover Pluto). The tours were pretty good, and our guide is knowledgeable. They each took about 1 hour, with some walking outside in the heat, so be prepared with some water and proper shoes if you're heading there in the summer! This place is much smaller than I expected, but it's filled with history and it's definitely interesting to see these old instruments that helped astronomers accomplish so much and help us move to where we are today. If I come again, I'd definitely come at night, where they open up the telescopes for actual night sky viewing! read more

See all

What a fun and interesting place to visit. If you are into space, this is amazing. They have some very interesting and interactive talks in their auditorium with people that are very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions. The history of Lowell is fascinating. The antique scopes are so much fun to look at. The main telescopes are unbelievable. If you are there on a clear night, the whole front of main telescope building slides back and the staff hooks the telescopes up to screens so you can see stuff that you will never see with the naked eye. They explain what you are seeing. Make the trip to Flagstaff....you will not regret it read more

Maybe it was the weather or maybe it was the fact that we had a high powered telescope pointed at the Moon instead of Saturn 2 degrees to left. I see the moon every day and I look through a telescope a few times in life. read more

Want to meet other "Space Nerds", observe Saturn through a telescope and stand on hallowed ground where Percival Lowell (sketched Mars) and Clyde Tombaugh (discovered Pluto), well come to Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. It's 7,200' above sea level, the night sky is immersed in stars and enthusiastic astronomers guide you through the planets, stars and universe. Oddly, Sunday has special rates, $16 adults, $14 seniors/students, 5-17 yr. olds $10 and under 5 free. All other times, $22 adult ticket, $20 senior/student, $14 (5-17) and children under 5 are free, you can view the sun and see solar flares through a special solar polarized telescope during the day, see space exhibits, have a live presentation by one of the astronomer staff , watch a widescreen multi-media show in the Sliphervision, an immersive space theater, and see Lowell's and Tombaugh telescopes. Warning the telescopes are available only at certain times so check ahead.For the same ticket you can come back at night for the big show. View the planets (Jupiter or Saturn ), the moon and it's physical features, star clusters and be treated to a wonderful staff that may inspire you and your kids to further explore space. Yes, Lowell Observatory is one of the Motherships. Five stars because I'm a nerd. read more

See all

After a long day at the Grand Canyon, we wanted to find something relaxing to do. The observatory was perfect! It was only a 10 minute drive from where we were staying. It's a $15 admission fee, which we were more than willing to pay. After reading other reviews, it seems that it might be more worth it earlier in the day since there are tours / shows you can watch. By the time we got there around 830/9pm, there were only a few things available / open. There was a constellation tour that we listened to for about ten minutes, but it seemed geared towards families/kids so we decided to discreetly make our way to the different telescopes. My mind was actually blown!!!! We learned so many things in our short visit to the observatory. We saw Jupiter (which has bands, not rings), the edge of the Milky Way and a few other galaxies. If you're in Flagstaff and need something low key to do, you've found it! read more

Visiting Flagstaff and were lucky to visit during this time (towards the end of Sept) as admission was free for 10 days. We arrived on a Wednesday night around 7:00 and it was not too crowded. Once we entered the observatory the front desk employees were very friendly and helpful. We received a itinerary for the day that had the times and topics of the lectures they had there as well as what was located on the grounds outside. There are signs that state to not use any lights (flashlight, cell phone etc) and offer red flashlights if needed since there are very limited lighting outside once it's dark. The paths for the most prt have glow in the dark stars or small string lights which are helpful. There are 2 giant telescopes displayed in certain enclosures outside which have employees there to speak on the telescopes and answer any questions. There's also an area that has several telescopes visitors can look out of (with the guidance and assistance of the staff) which is pretty cool. If weather permits the enclosure retracts and all the telescopes can be used. It was a pretty cool experience overall. If you could get there early in the evening and do not mind waiting around until around 8:30/9:00pm to get the full experience of observing the stars do it. The later in the evening it gets the more people show up. read more

Lowell Observatory - Telescope Pluto was discovered with. - Observatories Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

I went to this observatory with good expectations. Observing the stars through the telescopes is cool......if you can actually get a turn at the telescope. You pay $12 to get in and then don't get your chance to look at the stars! They really need to have employees that know how to handle people and crowds. Update: we finally got our 45 seconds at the telescope ( self imposed 45 seconds to be considerate of those in the long line behind us) and we looked at Saturn and our moon. Now THAT was really cool! I still maintain that the lines were mid-managed but I did find out that one of their other telescopes was down (for the last year). Since Saturn and the Moon were VERY cool I am increasing my star rating to 3 (3 1/2 if Yelp allowed that ). read more

Lowell Observatory - The long non-moving lines at the telescopes!!!! - Observatories Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

This is not as great as I was led to believe it was going to be based on the reviews here and online. This observatory is basically a large museum dedicated to the discovery of Pluto. The lecture given are college type lectures about Pluto and the telescopes on the grounds. If you read the exhibits it is a lot of duplicative information. There are currently no hands on exhibits for children. You can imagine how interested my 9 and 11 year old were during the lectures. I really expected it to be more like Griffith Observatory which is FREE and has a ton of hands on exhibits for kids as well as information about the solar system and telescopes that is both entertaining and understandable for kids. This place had none of that. In all, I wish I skipped this place, saved myself $80 and spent more time in Sedona. In our two week road trip through the southwest, this was the worst stop on our trip. read more

Next time you're in Flagstaff you have to stop at low Observatory it's very interesting we sat through a class or whatever you wanna call it about the solar system learned a lot I'm bad how big are Galaxy really is my head still hurts I'm thinking about it we also got to look through one of telescopes we got to see Jupiter that was really cool and all the people that work there are awesome they really take the time to answer any questions you have and teach a lot of things so if you're in the area must stop and see read more

See all

This place is kind of small but i guess you can't expect too much from an observatory. We went at night with our two toddlers around 8pm. It was dark so it was hard to keep track of our kids . So we did not enjoy it as we were too tense from the possibility of losing one of kids in the dark. Also there are a good amount of cliffs so it's important to be careful of where you walk. The staff there was very informative and kind. That was a plus. The telescopes there are really cool. I would go again when the kids are older and they know what they are actually looking at through the telescope. read more

We had a great time at the Lowell Observatory. The telescope used to discover Pluto in 1930 is on display, along with other telescopes used in landmark discoveries. At night they set up portable telescopes around the grounds and opened two of the Observatory's large telescopes. We got to see Jupiter and four of its moons, and a few star clusters. I'd recommend going earlier in the day for the daytime tours and then coming back at night to see the stars. And bring a coat at night! read more

Lowell Observatory - Observatories Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

See all

One place you need to see if you visit Flagstaff. Take the tour and see all there is to offer. The observatory is so interesting.

We went with a large group for a tour of the Observatory grounds. Our tour guide, Emory was fantastic. He is very knowledgeable and was very excited talking about the history of the observatory. He never missed a beat with answering all of our questions. We enjoyed the presentation of the life in the universe. The gift shop is small but has some really cool items. We got some awesome shirts and other items. The staff throughout are very nice. Everything is very clean and welcoming. I will definitely be back at night to see some planets!!! read more

Well worth it at $10 for admission. We went at 6:00PM and watched a presentation on picking out some constellations. Friendly/helpful staff were eager-almost too eager ;) to provide information about the stars and planets. Got to see a close up of the moon and Jupiter after the sunset. read more

Lowell Observatory - The moon - Observatories Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

Great morning visit. Hogan wAs very knowledgeable and friendly. The information was presented appropriately to the group that included adults and children. Facility clearly marked and easy to access. Excited for new buildings. More restrooms would be helpful and I delighted that this is part of the building plan. read more

Lowell Observatory is a real treasure! We are so lucky to have it in our backyard. We've gone several times- each time was fantastic. We were able to go in both daytime and evenings for different events. The kids love it too. They host lots of kid-friendly events throughout the year. They allow the kids (and adults) to look through giant telescopes, they talk about the history of the observatory and astronomy in such a fun way which allows the kids to be really absorbed in the whole experience. We've not been since the grand opening of the new Giovali deck but we can't wait to go and check that out too! read more

Wow! I was blown away. The staff are super friendly, knowledgeable and are passionate about the universe. There was a telescope set up on the walkway and the gentleman (I didn't get his name) was enthusiastic and educated. Then we went up to the Pluto telescope and Ashlyn and Josie were fun, amazing and knowledgeable. This is a "must see" while you're in Flagstaff whether you're into astronomy or not. read more

A hidden gem right inside of Flagstaff city limits. It did not take me more than 12 minutes to get to the observatory, Park, and get set up for some really interesting discussions and lectures on space, led by students of Astro physics at NAU next-door. Even better is that you can look through industrial scientific telescopes without a huge long line and see the amazing sites that are currently being studied at the University and at the observatory. My personal favorite was the constellation walk in the evening that started at 9 o'clock and at 9:30 PM. read more

This was such an awesome and cool Place!!! So educational and it was so much fun!! The only thing I would say is that it is VERY dark out there and you are not allowed to have any lights whatsoever. A lot of the paths are lighted but some are still pretty dark. I tripped quite a few times. It'd be nice if you can have a red light to walk around and see! Love this place though!!! read more

Fantastic grounds, fantastic staff. 10000000% worth a visit! I recommend checking the schedule for the day to see what kind of presentations they have going on for the day. We went around 7:00pm so missed all the day presentations just because we didn't know. read more

I'm sorry to give this a bad review because honestly I was super excited to visit. Purchased my ticket online with no issues. Arrived after dark around 7:30 and couldn't find a parking spot. The overflow parking lot was not well marked or lit. Traveling as a single female this worried me. I risked it. The entrance to the visitors center was not clear and I ended up at the observation deck only to find out that I was in the wrong place. I finally made it to the center and was given a map and sticker to enter. I was told that I should check out the Clarke telescope which I went to right away. I spent 45 min in line with a entire jr/high school class that was loud and disrespectful. No staff was present to ensure that the other visitors could enjoy their time. I managed to see Saturn. I then walked to the Pluto Observation scope only to find that it is just the old telescope and not operational. There were maybe 5 more scopes that where we could see Jupiter and a few other clusters. That's it. My experience was less than par and really seemed to be hyped up more than it was. If I were you I'd pass. Seems like I just made a donation towards their next telescope purchase. I'd like my $25 dollars and 2 gallons of gas back! read more

An awesome date night experience! Loved learning about the Observatory and the universe!

I was looking forward to this place and was not disappointed. It was informative and the tour guide was passionate about the subject. You could see everything in about 2-3 hours including tours. They have a nice gift shop with souvenirs, snacks, and drinks. read more

Lowell Observatory - View of Flagstaff - Observatories Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

Well worth the visit and admission - even on a chilly day. :-). Dress warmly if you will be talking the guided tours. And do take the guided tours - the staff are a great resource and know how to explain things well. If the solar telescope is available, make sure to take a look at the sun through it. We went on Tuesday - when they close by 5pm, so we didn't return for any night-time viewing. FYI - they are currently building a brand-new visitor center which will have heated seats on the roof for night-time viewing. We plan to return when that is available. Also, remember to check out the gift store for cool stuff. read more

Went specifically to look through a large telescope ( Clark ) Spent $60 to look through a large telescope. Once there, was told could not look through large telescope because of humidity. Was told there were three small telescopes I could look through. Looked through one of the small ones and saw a bright spot in upper left corner- was told it was Saturn - woohoo. Left. read more

Fun place to explore when visiting flagstaff. Well priced considering there are a fair amount of things to do from telescopes, to exhibits, to tours. Friendly and helpful staff. Very kid/family friendly. read more

See all

Our visit to the observatory was ruined by bad weather. When we arrived at approximately 3pm the skies were clear but as the day progressed cloud cover worsened. I know this isn't the observatory's fault but they failed to inform us that the large telescope facilities would not be open until later in the evening had we known that information common sense would have led us to avoid the visit all together as we knew the weather would possibly be worse in the afternoon. The price also seemed pretty steep for what that facilities seemed to offer. Think endless average college level power point presentations.. read more

Unfortunately, we were unable to enjoy the facilities. We arrived at 4:30 to enjoy the grounds and wait for the telescope to open. We paid for the admission at the advice of the gift shop clerk and left for dinner. When we returned at 6;15, we were notified that due to the clouds .. that were THERE AT 4:30 when we were told we needed to purchase the admission .. the telescope was closed. I get you can't see anything through clouds but why advise us to pay 15.00 a person if the weather wasn't clearing and the staff knew that? And, the policy is NO REFUNDS due to weather. Interesting. We took this to the on site 'manager' who was NOT very pleasant in the explanation and chose to accuse us of using the facilities and were lying about it...... ...... after all was said and done, we did get a refund but left with a sour taste in our mouth about the policies of this business/attraction. read more

The shows were really good -- I especially liked the Stars and Galaxies show. Their shows are fun and informative for science lovers such as myself. We were looking forward to using the big telescope, but the humidity and the weather didn't permit us to do so. :( Luckily, they made everything a bit better by bringing out a portable telescope to view the Moon and Jupiter. Cool stuff! Hopefully, they could add more activities for the people who would visit on days with bad weather. I'm pretty sure the locals could come back on another day when the weather clears up; unfortunately, for visitors like us, that isn't an option. read more

In order to completely see the grounds, you have to be sure to catch a tour, otherwise you'll be walking around an empty park with all the doors locked to the buildings. We showed up after 4 and had to run to the telescope to catch up with the tour. For me the most impressive part was the last leg of the tour, where you walk up the hill and see the telescope that was used to discover Pluto. Wish we could have stayed for the after 5:30 events where they let you look through the bigger telescope and observe the heavenly body of choice for the evening. But, half our party was tired and wanted to head back to Phoenix. Oh well, next time. read more

Alan and I were here 10 or 15 years ago. We took the tour and found it fascinating. In the years since they have built several new buildings and have expanded the museum. As we walked from the parking lot we were greeted by a sign saying, "You can observe a lot by just watching", LP Berra. Alan realized it was Yogi. We started our Pluto tour this time in the building that used to house the museum. Our guide was very informative, as was our previous one. He led us up the walkway showing the planets in relation to one another, stopping to give information by each one. The tour ended at the building where Clyde Tombough photographed the night skies, ultimately discovering Pluto. We climbed the stairs to see the telescope/camera he used. There was a second, Deep Space Tour we could have taken, but we lacked the energy. This place is worth hours and hours and sadly we didn't have that. We did stop in the gift shop on the way out and Alan bought a t-shirt that said, "When I was your age Pluto was a planet!". Very cool. We'll have to return, sooner. I recommend it highly. read more

What a jewel we have here in Arizona. I mean, seriously. The founder of this amazing privately funded institution of higher knowledge was so far ahead of his time is makes one's head spin. And to stand in the very spot where Pluto was discovered is the most incredible feeling ever. Today I had the pleasure of going on two guided tours of Lowell Observatory and a brief glance at the sun through a telescope. Our guide, Ben, was a cornucopia of knowledge and made the experience quite memorable. Sadly, Ben is leaving LoOb and Flag for greener pastures; I wish him well in his new teaching roll, as I'm sure he'll be just as captivating. In addition to the tours, you can also take in a short film about the history of Lowell Observatory and walk through the interactive portion where you can put the planets on order (I cheated, but don't tell the staff) and learn fun trivia on each of the planets, as well as Meteor Crater. My only regret was I didn't return for the night viewing. Seriously, for $8 with the ability to leave and come back throughout the same day, this is a colossal bargain. read more

In 1930 Clyde Tombaugh a young researcher working for Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff,Arizona discovered Pluto which was later reclassified as a 'dwarf planet'. Today the Observatory is open for public viewing. If such history excites you then you MUST visit this place and marvel at the wonders of the cosmos. The observatory is open from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.The tickets are priced at $12 for adults and $6 for kids.There is plenty to do here especially for the kids there is solar viewing in the mornings followed by guided tours of pluto discovery telescope,Clark telescope and the Rotunda library. We went during the evening which i would say is a better time for adults,the drive is very exciting and you can see the whole city from up top.They have a lot of multimedia shows exploring the constellations, stars, visible planets, and other celestial objects.They also have two smaller telescopes outside for viewing the stars and other constellations. The sky up here looks so different, perfect for some star gazing even without any fancy instruments. However the best part was the dome where we saw the Clark telescope in all its glory.You have to see it to believe it (something you would find in sci fi movies).We could see Jupiter through the telescope that night, which was pretty awesome. They also have a gift shop where they sell t shirts and other starry merchandise. Cheers! read more