Frequently Asked Visiting Questions

Have a question?

If you have a question about visiting Mars Hill, check out the list below to see if it’s been answered. If not, feel free to reach out!

Visiting FAQ's

Winter Hours

(Labor Day – Memorial Day)

Monday: Noon – 10pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Noon – 10pm
Thursday: Noon – 10pm
Friday: Noon – 10pm
Saturday: Noon – 10pm
Sunday: Noon – 10pm

Summer Hours

(Memorial Day – Labor Day)

Monday: Noon – 10pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Noon – 10pm
Thursday: Noon – 10pm
Friday: Noon – 11pm
Saturday: Noon – 11pm
Sunday: Noon – 11pm

We have a spacious visitor parking lot that can accommodate large vehicles like buses and RVs, but parking is first-come, first-served. Please note that overnight parking and camping are not permitted anywhere on Lowell’s campus. 

Lowell Observatory welcomes service animals and recognizes the important role they play in many of our visitors’ lives. We do not allow pets on our campus.

General Admission grants access to indoor and outdoor exhibits on campus, as well as all of our daytime tours and evening stargazing. Once checked in, you will be free to wander our historic campus, look through our state-of-the-art telescopes, explore the exhibit halls of the Astronomy Discovery Center, and learn about the stories of the stars and our place in the universe. Get your tickets now at lowell.edu/visit/experiences/!

Yes! General admission is good for the whole day, even if you leave the observatory and come back at a later time. Just be sure to hold on to either your admission sticker or proof of your ticket purchase, such as a receipt or your order confirmation email. 

That depends on the group! Some can stay from open to close to experience everything the observatory has to offer, others will stop by for an hour or so to take a tour or see the grounds. According to our Google profile, the average stay time is about 2 hours.

Reservations are not required for the purchase of general admission tickets, but reservations are required for our Premium Access experience. 

We typically open the telescopes around sunset, which varies depending on the time of year. It can be as early as 4:30pm in the winter, or as late as 8pm in the summer.

Yes! You can enjoy a delicious variety of sandwiches, salads, rotating soups, and beverages at the Planet X Cafe in the Astronomy Discovery Center. 

We are located in Flagstaff, Arizona, just one mile west of the historic downtown area. The observatory sits atop Mars Hill, a mesa that rises several hundred feet above the historic town.

Plan Your Visit

Weather, what to wear, what to bring, and more.