Tickets: Members $50, General Public $60 

Space is limited for this fabulous event, so sign up today! 21+ only, please. 

The Cincinnati Observatory has a rich history dating back to November 9, 1843, when former U.S. President John Quincy Adams, at age 77, delivered a speech and laid the cornerstone atop Mount Adams. Since that founding, the Observatory has been dedicated to sharing astronomical views with Cincinnatians and visitors from around the world. Join us to celebrate 182 years of astronomical and historical significance with FREE tours and access to our current exhibit, Atomic Labs to Launch Pads: Ohio’s Race to the Stars. Solar viewing will also be provided through our 180 year old Mitchel Telescope, weather permitting.

Tours begin in the Mitchel building every 30 minutes, 12-2:30pm.

Admission is free, no reservations required. 

Guest Presenter: Anna Hehman

This Veterans Day, discover how Cincinnati Observatory’s own Dr. Paul Herget used the power of mathematics and the stars to save lives during World War II. Once classified, his wartime work applied astronomical calculations in a groundbreaking way that helped the Allies turn the tide. Join us for this fascinating story of science, secrecy, and service.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $20/class

Members - $15/class

Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Veterans and active military - FREE

Image credit: SYSTEMS MAGAZINE, Jul-Aug 1955, contributed by Herb Grosch

The cost is $30 per person. Price includes materials for the activity, snacks, and drinks.

Recommended for ages 12+. 

Explore our solar system on a guided Planet Walk tour! Starting at our Sun marker, you'll step through the inner planets before venturing out to the gas giants and beyond. Each footstep represents 8.2 million miles, culminating in a 450-foot walk to Pluto. Join us for a cosmic journey through the solar system!

The planet walk is on grassy and slightly uneven terrain. Not suitable for most strollers or wheelchairs.

Tickets: $15 non-member/$10 kids/Free for Members

Walk-ins welcome!

Bundle up and blast off to the far reaches of our solar system for Ice Giant Night! Join us for a family-friendly evening celebrating the mysterious worlds of Uranus and Neptune — the cold, blue planets at the edge of the Sun’s domain. Peer through telescopes to glimpse these distant worlds (weather permitting), explore hands-on “cool” science experiments, and enjoy icy-themed treats and activities for all ages. Discover the latest images from NASA’s missions, learn what makes these planets so strange, and experience the beauty and mystery of the solar system’s frozen frontiers.

Tickets:  $15/adults, $10/kids and members

For most of human history, everyone could look up and see the Milky Way. Today, nearly 80% of us live under skies too bright to reveal this treasure in our skies. In this illuminating program, we’ll explore how light pollution affects astronomy, wildlife, and even our health—and what we can do to bring back the beauty of a truly dark sky. Learn how cities and citizens around the world are reclaiming the night, and how you can help keep the stars visible for future generations.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class

Members - $20/class

Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Image credit: Getty Images

A Comprehensive Tour of the Cincinnati Observatory

For 150 years the Cincinnati Observatory has explored the universe from our site in Mt. Lookout. But as the Birthplace of American Astronomy our history goes further back than that.

You’ll hear the fascinating history of the founding of the observatory and learn why 30 years earlier John Quincy Adams traveled to Cincinnati to lay the original cornerstone. We'll explore our two grand telescopes, tour the museum, and take a peek behind the scenes. Learn about the work of our astronomers including their contributions to time-keeping, weather forecasting, World War II and the early space race. Weather permitting we'll treat you to spectacular views of the Moon through the oldest continuously used telescope in the world.

Tickets: $30/person non-member, $25/person members 

Weekly Public Program

Astronomy Evening at the Cincinnati Observatory is the perfect program to get acquainted with all of the offerings of your local observatory. Located in picturesque Mount Lookout on the East Side of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Observatory is the oldest one of its kind in the country that still uses its original telescope from 1845, and now you too will get to participate.

This 90 minute long, family-friendly program features an Astronomy themed presentation on the different things you can experience in the night sky. Tours of our historic buildings and viewing through our telescope takes place during the second part of the evening (weather permitting).

Tickets: $15/adult, $7/child, FREE For Members.  

Reservations required.  Space is limited.

Stories From Our History

This special program offers those seeking to learn more about the Observatory’s history a more detailed, in-depth guided tour at Noon or 1:30pm. All the wonderful details covered in a Daytime Tour are included - as well as more stories of how the Observatory came to be (and almost didn’t!). You'll also discover the Observatory’s role in weather forecasting and timekeeping as well as visit our interactive Sundial, original 1843 cornerstone, and more! Tours last approximately one hour with plenty of time for questions and some behind-the-scenes fun! Perfect for local history, astronomy and science buffs ages 12 and up.

General Admission $10 (recommended for kids 12+), $5/senior, $5/veteran, FREE for Observatory members

Space is limited.  Advanced reservations are recommended.

Before calendars and clocks, the stars told us when to plant, when to travel, and how to find our way home. This Thanksgiving season, join us for a reflective and inspiring evening exploring how humanity has always looked to the heavens with gratitude. From ancient harvest traditions to the cosmic origins of life itself, we’ll rediscover why the night sky remains something to be truly thankful for. Weather permitting, the evening concludes with telescope viewing under the autumn constellations.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class

Members - $20/class

Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Image credit: Henrique Feiten on Pexels

Interstellar Adventures is a Saturday evening program at the Cincinnati Observatory, geared for families with children 5-12 years old. The evening includes adventures that take you around the Observatory and around the Cosmos. Pizza is included in the price of admission. We will view through the telescopes (if clear). Each adventure is around a different space-related theme.

Theme:   Nov 1 -Saturn

                 Nov 29 - Space Rocks

Join us for at least 4 Interstellar Adventures in 2025 to be entered to win a free Family Membership to the Cincinnati Observatory in 2026!

Tickets: $15/adult and $10/child

Join us for our annual Supermoon event, a one-of-a-kind evening that combines the magic of a
brilliant Supermoon with the cozy joys of the winter season. Explore the mysteries of our nearest neighbor with our newest museum exhibit “Atomic Labs to Launch Pads: Ohio’s Race to the Stars,” highlighting the role of Ohio in the Apollo and Artemis programs. We’ve also got plenty of fun back on Earth! Enjoy a complimentary cup of rich hot chocolate and make some gooey s'mores over our mini fire pits. Other activities include talks about the Moon, a lunar sound bath, food trucks, kids activities, and a raffle for some out-of-this-world Apollo goodies. We will be viewing the Moon and Saturn through our telescopes, weather permitting.

Don't miss out on this glowing night of science and fun!

Tickets: $15/adult, $10/Kids and Members

Embark on a romantic celestial journey with our "Late Night Date Night" at the Cincinnati Observatory. Couples will enjoy a star-filled evening complete with guided stargazing through historic telescopes (weather permitting), an intimate astronomy talk, and a cozy atmosphere perfect for making memories under the night sky. Whether it’s a first date or a special anniversary, this enchanting evening promises to bring the magic of the cosmos a little closer. Ticket price includes admission for two, mocktails, and dessert. 

Tickets: $80 per couple  18+ Only.  

Tickets: $15/adult, $7/child, FREE for Observatory Members