Lowell Observatory
1400 W Mars Hill Rd
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
928.774.3358 or 928.233.3211 - Public Tours

Lowell Observatory is located one mile west of downtown Flagstaff, Arizona atop Mars Hill. Founded in 1894 by Percival Lowell, the Observatory is an active research institution and also has a long history of informing and educating the public about astronomy. The Observatory welcomes over 70,000 visitors annually. Guests enter the Mars Hill campus through the Steele Visitors Center. It has three main parts: an interactive exhibit hall and McAllister Space Theatre, the Giclas Lecture Hall, and northern Arizona's finest astronomy gift shop. In the exhibit hall, visitors experience interactive displays such as Explore the Universe, Explore the Solar System, the hands-on Honeywell Children's Exhibit, and much more. Regular guided Space Theatre programs introduce participants to everyday concepts of astronomy, current Lowell Observatory research, and current night sky highlights. The Lecture Hall features fascinating multimedia shows, set to music, that help visitors better understand astronomy, space, and the Observatory's rich past and present.

Daytime guided tours begin at the historic Clark Telescope, purchased and put into operation by founder Percival Lowell in 1896 to aid his studies of Mars. The Clark is still in regular operation today as a main stop on the guided daytime tour and for nighttime telescope viewing.

The guided tours also include a stop in the Rotunda Library Museum in the historic Slipher Building. The Rotunda Museum was originally built to house Percival Lowell's library and now is a very unique exhibit space that chronicles the rich past of Lowell Observatory as the first permanent scientific research institution in Arizona, starting years before Arizona became a state. One exhibit is the blink comparator that Clyde Tombaugh used in the 1930 discovery of Pluto. Another exhibit of particular note is the spectrograph used by V.M. Slipher in 1912-17 to gather the first evidence that the Universe is expanding. This work laid the foundation for the Big Bang Theory. A hand-on exhibit for kids is also a popular exhibit in the historic Rotunda.

There is much more to experience at Lowell Observatory including self-guided tours, group tours, and special programs. The Pluto Walk is a scale-model of the Solar System with Fun Facts for kids and signs for all ages to probe distance in the Solar System. Lowell Observatory welcomes visitors for both daytime programs and tours and nighttime programs and telescope viewing.

Please enjoy our Rich Media Panel on ArizonaKey.com and then feel free to visit us online at www.lowell.edu.