Tickets: $15/adult, $7/child, Free for Observatory 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.

Join us at the Observatory to see the ringed planet! 

Celebrate all things Saturn at the Cincinnati Observatory’s Saturnday event! The ringed planet is the star of the show at this festival which will feature informative talks on Saturn, a vote on the coolest moon of Saturn, a hula-hoop (rings!) contest, face painting, food trucks, our latest museum exhibit, building tours, and night sky viewing (weather permitting).

As an added bonus, this evening is also NASA’s International Observe the Moon Night and we’ll be able to join the worldwide celebration with observations of the Moon through our historic telescopes (weather permitting).

Tickets: $10/child (ages 3-17) and Members, $15 non-members

There are so many activities that we’ll hold this event rain or shine! All proceeds go toward our educational outreach programs and preservation of our historic telescopes and grounds.

Pre-registration is available, but walk-ins are welcome.

Online Class

Join Assistant Collections Manager, Mandy Askins for our History at Home series. These fun, online classes are about the history of astronomy and the Cincinnati Observatory. Best of all, you can take these from the comfort of your own home and will receive a copy of the recorded classes that you can watch again at your convenience.

Ohio in Space: Origins of Space Exploration

Known for innovation and invention, it's not surprising that numerous programs and inventions related to space exploration came from Ohio. In 1954, at Mound Laboratory in Miamisburg, Ohio, two scientists created a small steam engine powered by polonium-210. By 1959, they had patented their invention and were using the much longer half-life power of plutonium-238. Just a few years later in 1961, the United States launched the Transit IV-A, the first satellite to carry a radioisotope power system into space. Observatory Director, Dr. Paul Herget worked with Projects Vanguard and Mercury, as well as the Manhattan Project in early efforts of space exploration and established the Observatory as the Minor Planet Center in 1947.

This presentation, given by Mandy, will cover the origins of early space exploration programs, the invention of space nuclear power, and its significance to the Space Race and how Ohio and the Cincinnati Observatory paved the way for mankind’s physical exploration of space.

Tickets: $10 per household

Come and paint with us at the Cincinnati Observatory!

Join us for a fun and creative night out where we'll learn how to paint a beautiful space-related masterpiece. You don't need any experience to join - Dr. Sarah Hellmann from Art for All People will guide each step of the painting process. Plus, enjoy delicious mocktails and snacks while creating your beautiful artwork. The evening will end with a tour of the Observatory and viewing through the telescopes (if clear).

The cost is $60 per person and includes supplies to paint, Celestial Mocktails, and light bites. Recommended for ages 18+. All proceeds benefit Art for All People and the Cincinnati Observatory.

Meet our artist for the evening, Dr. Sarah Hellmann!
Sarah Hellmann is an author, artist, and speaker. After earning her PhD from the University of Cincinnati, she founded the nonprofit, Art for All People, a ministry that brings the arts to those affected by incarceration, addiction, mental illness, human trafficking, and veterans who suffer from PTSD. Sarah is a lifelong artist. Her mission is to encourage others to use their inherent creativity toward healing and empowerment. Sarah recently published her book, Broken-Down Jalopies and Other Short Stories: Perspective Changes Everything. Available on Amazon.

At the Cincinnati Observatory

Looking for a romantic night out and under the stars? Come see what the Observatory is like after hours. You'll get to use telescopes to view astronomical objects that are not visible until late at night (weather permitting). Get a sneak preview of the next season's planets and stars a month or two ahead of everyone else.

The program runs rain or shine. If the weather does not permit viewing, we'll have fun showing you around the universe and behind the scenes at the Observatory.

Tickets: $30 per person  

Space is limited to no more than 40 people. Adults Only. Singles welcome.

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: $20/person non-member, $15/person members 

Please note: Sept. 11 is sold out.