Oct. 23, 2026
Friday / 4:00 PM
Oct. 23, 2026
Friday / 6:00 PM
The Observatory offers programs exploring the history of astronomy and the history of the University of Michigan. We’re open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Admission is always free!
Check our calendar for programs and events!
Learn more about this newly reimagined, one-of-a-kind place, where the spirit of science and discovery link the past and present.
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Visiting Ann Arbor for Parents & Family Weekend? Make the Frankel Detroit Observatory part of your itinerary! 🔭✨
We have a full weekend of discovery planned! In addition to our regular open hours and observing night, you can join a campus walking tour and explore U-M’s rich history. We’ll also be staying open late on Saturday for even more opportunities to observe the night sky! 🔭
Join us Friday for a campus walking tour! Choose from two tours:
4-5:30 PM: Creating Michigan: Key Moments in U-M’s Early History
6-7:30 PM: Paths of Protest: Stories of Campus Activism at the University of Michigan
Tours are free, but registration is required! Sign up on our website: detroitobservatory.umich.edu/visit/#tribe-calendar
Bring your family, explore campus, and discover something new at the Frankel Detroit Observatory. We can’t wait to see you! 🌠
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When the Detroit Observatory was built in 1854, it was considered far from U-M’s main campus, which was centered largely around what we now know as the Diag. As the Michigan Daily later described it, “... the Observatory stands in solitary dignity on a high stretch of land overlooking Ann Arbor and the Huron river valley.”
This 1911 photo offers a glimpse of the area before the main hospital and nearby residence halls were built—and before this quiet corner became part of today’s bustling campus.
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After Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter, President Lincoln called for volunteers to fight for the Union. Michigan answered the call—its soldiers were the first from the “west” to arrive in Washington, D.C., and Michigan regiments would engage in nearly every major battle of the Civil War, from Vicksburg to Gettysburg.
Join us for a free talk at the Observatory to learn more about this fascinating history on Thursday, October 15, at 6 pm! This talk is presented in conjunction with our new exhibit, “‘Fill the Ranks’: The Civil War and the University of Michigan.” Anyone is welcome to sign up to attend!
The Observatory will be open 12-7:30 pm on Thursday, so come early to explore the exhibit before the program!
Register here (in-person or virtual): lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/czmvvn9/lp/c01c7429-8cb3-49e6-b17d-7c6b38e3eb48
The Making Michigan series is co-sponsored by the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan. Additional support from the U-M U.S. at 250 initiative.
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