Yerkes Observatory's staff and trustees have dedicated the past five years to conscientiously restoring the landmark institution and fifty-acre campus. We are conducting astronomical research and educational outreach in addition to building and hosting a series of programs bridging science with the arts and culture through bold ideas and performances.
In our third year open to the public, we have established a space where astrophysicists are collaborating with musicians, sculptors, landscape designers, writers, and artists across the spectrum to create contemporary, cross-pollinated works and programs. With astronomy at our core, Yerkes Observatory's reawakening as an incubator of diverse minds makes us wildly enthusiastic as we bring together astronomy, architecture, arboretum, and art.
Yerkes Observatory's staff and trustees have dedicated the past five years to conscientiously restoring the landmark institution and fifty-acre campus. We are conducting astronomical research and educational outreach in addition to building and hosting a series of programs bridging science with the arts and culture through bold ideas and performances.
In our third year open to the public, we have established a space where astrophysicists are collaborating with musicians, sculptors, landscape designers, writers, and artists across the spectrum to create contemporary, cross-pollinated works and programs. With astronomy at our core, Yerkes Observatory's reawakening as an incubator of diverse minds makes us wildly enthusiastic as we bring together astronomy, architecture, arboretum, and art.
Yerkes Observatory's staff and trustees have dedicated the past five years to conscientiously restoring the landmark institution and fifty-acre campus. We are conducting astronomical research and educational outreach in addition to building and hosting a series of programs bridging science with the arts and culture through bold ideas and performances.
In our third year open to the public, we have established a space where astrophysicists are collaborating with musicians, sculptors, landscape designers, writers, and artists across the spectrum to create contemporary, cross-pollinated works and programs. With astronomy at our core, Yerkes Observatory's reawakening as an incubator of diverse minds makes us wildly enthusiastic as we bring together astronomy, architecture, arboretum, and art.
Yerkes Observatory's staff and trustees have dedicated the past five years to conscientiously restoring the landmark institution and fifty-acre campus. We are conducting astronomical research and educational outreach in addition to building and hosting a series of programs bridging science with the arts and culture through bold ideas and performances.
In our third year open to the public, we have established a space where astrophysicists are collaborating with musicians, sculptors, landscape designers, writers, and artists across the spectrum to create contemporary, cross-pollinated works and programs. With astronomy at our core, Yerkes Observatory's reawakening as an incubator of diverse minds makes us wildly enthusiastic as we bring together astronomy, architecture, arboretum, and art.
Mapping the unfolding universe since 1897.
What will the stars reveal to you?
Ancient navigators charted their course by them. Romantics pledge their love underneath them. Scientists unravel new secrets about them. Northwoods campers marvel at the sheer number of them. The stars have forever mystified, fascinated, and inspired us. For 127 years and counting, Yerkes Observatory has helped shape our understanding of the universe. And it is once again open for you to explore.
The story of Yerkes Observatory began on a household rooftop in the Kenwood neighborhood of Chicago in 1882. George Ellery Hale, a 14-year-old boy with an insatiable curiosity about science, installed his first telescope there. A decade later Hale and his father constructed a proper observatory with a 12-inch telescope next to their home. Hale’s ideas about astronomy, observatories, and architecture would culminate in the creation of Yerkes Observatory housing the world's largest refracting telescope and the 12-inch refractor from Hale’s youth.
Yerkes Observatory Staff, 1898
Yerkes’ latest chapter is as a beacon illuminating a path for current and future generations of scientists and artists to discover and interpret the universe. Plan a visit and prepare to be amazed like the astronomers and visitors since 1897.
Stroll the lush grounds designed by the Olmsted family who created Central Park, the U.S. Capitol grounds, and so much more. Take a tour through the Beaux Arts and Romanesque architectural masterpiece. Follow in the footsteps of astronomical greats like Edwin Hubble, Nancy Grace Roman, Gerard Kuiper, Mary Calvert, E.E. Barnard, Richard Kron, and Carl Sagan. Size up the Great Refractor telescope, all 63 feet and 12,000 pounds of it. It's so delicately balanced that we move it by hand.
Yerkes Observatory Staff, 1898
Take a
Tour
Einstein, Hubble, Sagan, Kuiper, and Nancy Grace Roman were here.
Now it’s your turn.
Space & Spaces
Yerkes tours are not what you expect. A typical observatory tour would involve mostly astronomy, but Yerkes tours aren't typical. Our upbeat and engaging guides discuss astrophysics, Romanesque architecture, Geneva Lake District history, restoration, preservation, electricity, landscape design, photography, engineering, art, and the stories of the humans from around the world who made their mark on science in Yerkes' spaces.
Hidden Spaces
Our behind-the-scenes Director's Hidden Spaces tour takes you where the public has never been allowed to visit. The peculiar corners and rooms in the attic and basement of the 65,000 sq. ft. facility are just waiting to be explored! See the back-of-house infrastructure of Henry Ives Cobb's masterpiece of Beaux Arts and Romanesque design. This tour highlights the elaborate confection of ornament and order mixed with the ugly, dusty, and unchanged workspaces of 125+ years of astronomers. From the tops of the three domes to the elevator floor to the subterranean dungeon, every detail tells a story.
Tours for All
We work hard every day to have each visitor leave our spaces filled with joy, humor, knowledge, and a sense of wonder. Yerkes was saved from almost certain demise, and we wildly celebrate its survival on each tour. Our mantra of "Nine to Ninety" means that we strive to have nine year olds, ninety year olds, and everyone in between have experiences here that are uplifting and entertaining. We're looking for guests of all ages, backgrounds, and brains to be profoundly inspired by our tours.
Join Us
Groups
A place in a space by itself makes every visit special.
School Visits
Student groups will tour Yerkes and experience the history and wonder of our observatory first-hand. Following the tour, groups will spend time safely observing the Sun (weather permitting) or engaged in a hands-on, NGSS-inspired activity. Each visit will take approximately 1.5 hours during school hours.
Host An Event
Whether you are planning a corporate retreat, organizing a private party, or hosting a wedding, Yerkes Observatory's botanical splendor, historic architectural spaces, and thoughtful staff provide a special atmosphere for any occasion.
Group Tours
Schedule your group tour with us! We welcome conventions, families, community organizations, and groups of all kinds. All tour bookings support the restoration and preservation of this international landmark.
Keep up with what we’re up to.
News
Save the Date: 2025 Open House Schedule
Exploring the Night Sky Tour Dates for Spring 2025
Founding Yerkes Board Chair Dianna Colman Hands Off Leadership
The Milky Way White Oak
2025 Summer Internship at Yerkes Observatory
Join us for a Community Day in the Bay!
Lunar Eclipse Open House
