Where science, nature, history, and the arts meet and every visit opens a new way of seeing.
Yerkes transforms into a winter galaxy of light and sound inside the architectural masterpiece dome housing the world’s largest lens telescope.
Stand beneath the world’s largest refracting telescope. Explore sweeping architecture and the human stories that shaped modern astronomy.
Wind through staircases, corridors, and tucked-away rooms rarely open to the public. A behind-the-scenes look at the observatory few get to see.
When skies are clear, view the cosmos through the Great Refractor and experience astronomy as it was meant to be.
Explore the cosmos through the Great Refractor, guided stargazing, and research that continues to expand what we know about the universe.
Science & Research
Wander Olmsted-designed landscapes and restored prairie where discovery happens under open skies as much as beneath the dome.
Nature & Grounds
Step into more than a century of scientific breakthrough, architectural beauty, and human curiosity, where history is preserved and still in motion.
History & Heritage
Experience where creativity and science intersect through performances, exhibitions, and programs that reimagine what an observatory can be.
Arts & Performance
