The Cincinnati Observatory is excited to host our 5th annual Pride Night. The event includes access to the Observatory and grounds with activities presented by the observatory staff and volunteers. Activities include face painting, a glitter bar, yoga, and more! There will be Local LGBTQ organizations sharing information. Young guests will enjoy a storytime and then join Astronomer Dr. Wes Ryle to learn about the science of rainbows. A highlight of the evening will be an interactive panel discussion with LGBTQ+ astronomers, offering guests the chance to hear firsthand about their experiences in the sciences, the challenges they’ve faced, and the passion that drives their work. All guests will leave with more knowledge of the LGBTQ community in Cincinnati and some special pride goodies! The evening will also include solar viewing, weather permitting.

Tickets: $12/adults, $7/kids and members

Guest Presenter: Chuck Strubbe

So, you want to get started finding objects in the night sky with a telescope, binoculars or just your eyes. Or, you bought that telescope and tried and tried to find stuff up there, but frustration crept in and now, that telescope is in the basement or the closet or the attic. This is the class for you! This class will explore all the ways you can get involved in astronomy, the pitfalls along the way and how to keep looking up.

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

Pricing details:  Non-members $20/class.  Members $15/class

Join us for our early-morning events in 2025, Sights Before Sunrise. These are clear-only events so we will let you know the day before if the event is a go. This program is for those who want to be the first to see objects that will be up later in the year at our typical viewing times. This event will include viewing through our historic Mitchel telescope of 1-2 planets and the
Moon. Coffee and donuts will be available.

$5/person, Free for members. If you would like to join our email list for cancellation notices, please fill out this form.

Aliens, Atoms and Allegories!: Cold War Influences in Science Fiction

Fear! Paranoia! World annihilation? Colonies in Space? This presentation explores themes in Science Fiction during the Cold War and how anxieties and technology influenced the genre through allegorical narratives. Iconic films, literature, and media were a powerful tool for self-expression, propaganda and the explanation of the unknown.

Non-members - $20 / Children $5 / Members $15

Walk-ins welcome!

Join us for a fun night at the Cincinnati Observatory, under the stars! The Cincinnati Observatory has the oldest public telescope in the United States and is the center for Astronomy Education in the region. Several of our community partners will be joining us for some out of this world fun! The event will include dinner, a tour of the telescopes with viewing of the Sun if weather permits, and several exciting STEAM activities for the whole family!

Tickets are free and exclusively available via a CHPL Discovery Pass. Get yours here! 

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.

The Planet Walk originally scheduled for June 5 has taken a detour. Due to weather, the walk will now take place on June 24.

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!

Tickets: $15 non-member/$10 kids/Free for 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.  June is SOLD OUT.

Reservations required.  Space is limited.

High in the foothills of the Andes mountains in Chile, a new observatory and telescope are coming online. The Vera Rubin Observatory, named after a scientist integral to the discovery of dark matter, is poised to begin research operations this summer. The 8.4 meter telescope hosts the largest digital camera telescope ever built and will image the entire southern sky every few nights for the next decade. Join us to learn what this telescope means to the world of astronomical discovery!

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

Tickets: Non-members $25/class.  Members $20/class

Part of our stellar Summer Programming, these half hour tours feature both of the Observatory’s buildings and two main telescopes, as well as access to our out-of-this-world gift shop. If time and weather permits safe solar viewing through a telescope will be provided.

Tickets are $10/adult, $5/child, $5/senior, $5/veteran, free for Observatory Members

Advanced reservations are required. Select either the 5:00 or 6:00 timeslot.

Registration closes 30 minutes before the scheduled tours begin.

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

Recommended for ages 12+. 

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.  

Learn how to harness the power of the Sun! Join us to celebrate our closest stellar neighbor, eat some ice cream, and safely view the Sun through our 1845 telescope (weather permitting). This event includes short talks about the Sun, tours of our historic buildings, face painting, and more! As a special treat we will also have sundaes for those in attendance, free with admission. The program runs rain or shine.

Tickets: $12/adult, $7/child or member

Walk-ins welcome but reregistration is appreciated.

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