4/8/22 Detroit Observatory ReOpening event.
Experience History and Astronomy at the Judy & Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory! Observatory Tours - 1 hour guided tour of the Detroit Observatory, including Historic Telescope Observing of the seasonal night sky. Tours begin at 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, and 9:00 PM. Walk-ins - begins at 8:00pm. Includes telescope observing with the historic Fitz refractor. Walk-ins...
Signed on September, 1817, the Treaty of Fort Meigs ceded 4.6 million acres of Indigenous land to the United States, setting aside 1,920 acres for “the corporation of the college at Detroit”–the fledgling University of Michigan. This was just the beginning of U-M’s complex history with Michigan’s Native American communities.The 1817 Project research team will...
Experience History and Astronomy at the Judy & Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory! Observatory Tours - 1 hour guided tour of the Detroit Observatory, including Historic Telescope Observing of the seasonal night sky. Tours begin at 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, and 9:00 PM. Walk-ins - begins at 8:00pm. Includes telescope observing with the historic Fitz refractor. Walk-ins...
Get to the know the red planet through the history of Astronomy and see Mars through a 168 year old telescope! Around 100 years ago, Mars was all the rage, but how did Detroit Observatory students and astronomers contribute to our understanding of our celestial neighbor? Join us for presentations, hands-on activities, and telescope observing...
Experience History and Astronomy at the Judy & Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory! Observatory Tours - 1 hour guided tour of the Detroit Observatory, including Historic Telescope Observing of the seasonal night sky. Tours begin at 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, and 9:00 PM. Walk-ins - begins at 8:00pm. Includes telescope observing with the historic Fitz refractor. Walk-ins...
Explore the constellations and their history with the Detroit Observatory! Join us at 8pm for a special presentation on the history of constellations and how humanity uses them to connect with the cosmos above them. Afterwards, stick around for special tours and activities including: telescope observing of the stars and nebulae in the Orion Constellation,...
Experience History and Astronomy at the Judy & Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory! Observatory Tours - 1 hour guided tour of the Detroit Observatory, including Historic Telescope Observing of the seasonal night sky. Tours begin at 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, and 9:00 PM. Walk-ins - begins at 8:00pm. Includes telescope observing with the historic Fitz refractor. Walk-ins...
Observing the Heavens, Exploring the Past
Come see the sky with us.
Journey back in time with us.
The Observatory offers programs exploring the history of astronomy and the history of the University of Michigan.
Visitors will have opportunities to observe the sky using Observatory telescopes led by trained astronomers. Inside the dome, the 1857 Fitz telescope provides wonderful views of the moon, planets, and stars. Observation sessions are weather dependent.
Every look through the telescope is also a look into the past. And join us also to explore a human past — the past of the University of Michigan and its place in history. Lectures, cultural events, exhibits, and walking tours all have a home at the Observatory.
All events are free but registration is required. Please check the calendar above.
4/15/22 Detroit Observatory open house event and telescope viewing.
Entry to the Observatory on most Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 5:00 pm, is free and on a walk-in basis. Our docents and staff will be happy to guide you through the Observatory’s attractions.
Entry to the Observatory for other scheduled events — astronomical, historical, and cultural — requires advance registration. All events are free. Openings are limited and will depend on the nature of the event, so please book your visit well in advance.
Explore the heavens during one of our Astronomy Nights or Seeing In Depth programs, typically offered on Thursday and Friday evenings. Sessions involve presentations on a range of fascinating astronomical phenomena, instruction on the telescopes, and, when weather permits, observing with our beautiful historic Fitz telescope as well as modern supplemental telescopes. Please note: astronomy events at the Observatory take place even if the weather does not permit observing. We strive to always have interesting things for you to do.
This tour covers both the historic building and the addition. Learn about the telescopes, see why the observatory was constructed the way it was, hear about the astronomers who walked its floors in the 19th century — and the discoveries they made — and learn how the addition will ensure the Observatory remains relevant for the future. Tours are available on a walk-in basis on most Thursdays and Fridays, 12-5 pm, and in conjunction with most of our astronomy programs.
We offer docent-led historical campus walking tours in late spring, summer, and early fall. Please check the calendar above for offerings and further details. We also offer tours by request for groups of 5 or more. Please make a request through the form on the Contact page.
Our current tour roster includes:
Creating Michigan: A Walking Tour of Key Moments in U-M’s Early History (The Original 40 Acres)
Learn about the first 70 years of U-M history on the original 40-acre campus. 1.5 hours; 0.6 miles.
Paths of Protest: Stories of Campus Activism at the University of Michigan
Explore the history of campus protest at U-M, from the university’s early days to the present. 1.5 hours; 1.25 miles.
The Origins of the Law Quadrangle
Learn about the architecture of the Law Quadrangle and the history of the Law School. 1.5 hours; 0.5 miles.
Romantic Life at U-M
Stroll through Nichols Arboretum and the Hill Area and contemplate the nature of romance at U-M. 1.5 hours; 1.3 miles.
Forest Hill Cemetery
Explore this historic cemetery and learn about some of the notable people buried there. 1.5 hours; 1.4 miles.
Join us for this series exploring the history of the University of Michigan from its origins in 1817 to the present. These monthly talks are offered September-May by the Bentley Historical Library and hosted by the Detroit Observatory. Check the calendar above for Making Michigan events and details.
Beginning in May 2025, our exhibition spaces will explore the rich history of the Observatory and the University of Michigan, as well as the outstanding collections of the Bentley Historical Library. Stay tuned!
Getting to the Observatory
The U-M Detroit Observatory is located at 1398 E. Ann Street (at the corner of Ann and Observatory Streets) in Ann Arbor, MI. Please use the entrance to the addition on Observatory Street; the old entrance facing Ann Street is no longer used for entry.
Our Hours:
Thursdays and Fridays noon to 5:00 pm for walk-in visits and tour of the Observatory. Need a special group tour? Use the form on the Contact Us page to get started.
Parking
Daytime Monday-Friday: Parking is extremely limited around the Observatory during the daytime, Monday through Friday. We recommend the University’s Palmer Drive Parking Structure, off Washtenaw Avenue by Palmer Commons, for daytime parking ($2.40/hour). The metered parking along Ann Street and Observatory Street is currently limited because of nearby construction projects.
Evenings and weekends: Some area lots and structures are open evenings and weekends. The University’s Ann Street Parking Structure (M86), Catherine Street Structure (M5), Glen Street Structure (M61), and School of Public Health II Lot (M28) are usually open after 6:00 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends.
Parking InformationAccessibility
The Detroit Observatory addition and the main floor of the Detroit Observatory building are fully handicapped accessible, but the dome is not, meaning that visitors with mobility issues will not have direct access to the Fitz telescope. Many events will, however, give visitors indirect access to the telescope via video stream from the dome to the other levels of the Observatory. Visitors with accessibility concerns are advised to check the schedule for those events that will include video streaming.
By Bus
The Detroit Observatory is served by Ann Arbor Transit Authority routes 4A and 32B and by U-M Commuter North, Commuter South, and Northwood bus routes.
And please check here for things to take into account when visiting: safety protocols, do’s and don’ts, what to wear, and what you can expect. Please be advised that some locations, such as the dome, are tight spaces where social distancing is not possible.
