Tours & Events

Fascinating and entertaining times are on the horizon.

View our tours and events below

Messier Marathon Open House

Yerkes Observatory at night during an open house event

Join us for our yearly Messier Marathon open house on Saturday, March 22, from 7:30pm – 9:30pm! We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Milwaukee Astronomical Society, who will provide an educational presentation about Messier objects and marathons, and observing outside if clear. We’ll also have exciting family activities, a virtual reality exploration of gravity, Girl Scout cookies from a local troop for purchase, and more for your family to enjoy.

The open house will take place rain or shine. This does not include use of telescopes within the building. Reservations are required. Tickets for this event cost $5 per child and $10 for adults and are available online only. There will not be parking onsite at the Observatory. Ticket holders must park at Williams Bay School and board an accessible trolley that will run a continuous shuttle between the school and observatory during the Open House.

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Astronomy on Tap

We're back at Duesterbeck's Brewing in Elkhorn for our next Astronomy on Tap! Mark your calendars for Friday, April 25 from 6pm - 7:30pm, and join us for a night filled with astronomy and great brews courtesy of Dusterbeck's. This free event is great for all ages and backgrounds, and we can't wait to see you all there!

Space & Spaces Tour

A group of visitors stand in the Hagenah Rotunda.

$The Great Refractor telescope pointing at the sky through the dome's shutter with the telescope's staircase near the telescope.$

A bust of Charles Yerkes on a bookshelf at Yerkes Observatory.

An aerial view of Yerkes Observatory on a sunny day with Geneva Lake in the background.

Looking through hanging green plants inside through the open doors of Yerkes Observatory.

Experience this reimagined and reawakened international landmark! This 1.5 hour tour involves astronomy, architecture, restoration, and human stories of the cosmic castle in the arboretum.

It requires climbing staircases and visiting small spaces thus is not wheelchair accessible. $43 for adults. Ages 10-18 are $21. Kids 9 and under are $5. This is our classic tour of the new and old Yerkes.

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Hidden Spaces Tour

The entrance to Yerkes Observatory as viewed through an interior window.

Looking down from a dark spiral staircase.

$A group of visitors listen to a tour guide talk about the Great Refractor Telescope while standing in the dome.$

A dark hallway with red light in the distance.

Tall cabinets filled with folders used to store glass plates.

For the adventurous who don't mind climbing winding staircases, ducking pipes, and exploring small spaces where astronomers work, this behind-the-scenes tour is your ticket!

This is not for kids under 15 or for anyone concerned with physical demands. Not wheelchair accessible. 1hr 45mins. $79 for adults. Kids ages 14-18 are $49. Friday mornings only.

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Exploring the Night Sky with the Great Refractor Telescope

$The Great Refractor telescope pointing at the night sky through the dome's shutter.$

$The Great Refractor telescope pointing at the night sky through the dome's shutter in red light.$

$The Great Refractor telescope pointing at the night sky through the dome's shutter.$

$The Great Refractor telescope pointing at the night sky through the dome's shutter in red light.$

$The reflection of the Great Refractor Telescope on the dome's interior.$

With only 12 tickets available, this exclusive 2-hour experience illuminates the inner-workings of Yerkes after dark. Curated by our Telescope Team, each night features cosmos viewing with the largest refracting telescope in the world if skies are clear. The tickets for these specialized evenings are $140. We cannot guarantee clear skies on the night you schedule, but in the event that the weather does not permit observing with our telescopes (or there are technical issues with the historic equipment), we guarantee a special, exclusive experience where you will explore the night sky from a historical perspective on our indoor evening tour.

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