The Lowell Observatory is not only a destination within Flagstaff, but it is part of history. Which is why I was so excited to bring my family there.
We are all trying to get our children excited about learning. It can be really hard to grab their attention, but once we walked onto the campus of the Lowell Observatory my children were captivated. Even my two-year-old was in awe. It’s just a really cool place!
Fun Facts about the Lowell Observatory
- This is where Pluto was discovered!
- It is home to the World’s First International Dark Sky City! Learn more about that here
- They have a Junior Astronomer’s Program which is perfect for your kids!
- You can schedule a guided tour
- The Space Guard Academy Exhibit has just launched!
- Take a trip back in time while visiting the Putnam Collection Center.
The very first thing we did when we went to the Lowell Observatory was walk through the Space Guard Academy Exhibit. The exhibit is fun for all ages (even 35-year-olds!) You can walk around the room and answer questions about the things you have learned from each station. We loved this part of the Observatory.
My son’s favorite thing was the Science demonstrations which are held almost every night except Sundays. Both of my little ones sat for 45 minutes and watched as the instructor described the sun using fire and Pluto using liquid nitrogen. We even got to name both of the balloons that the instructor used during his experiments.
We had so much fun!
We then explored more of the Observatory making sure to take a peek at the telescope that discovered Pluto. The story of how Pluto was discovered came to life before our eyes and it was something I hope my kids always remember.
Who says you can’t learn while on vacation?!
They even have an evening telescope viewing. With the guidance of the educators at the Lowell Observatory, you can view the planets, moon, stars and more!
If your children are excited about space you won’t want to skip the Lowell Observatory. I always loved space as a child and being there brought me back to when I was younger.
The best part about visiting the Lowell Observatory was when it became dark and we were able to truly see the stars. Because they are a dark city the light pollution is very minimal. Unlike here in Orange County, the sky in Flagstaff is so clear! We were truly able to enjoy the night sky and pick out constellations that we had just learned about.
If you’re making a trip to Flagstaff make sure a visit to the Lowell Observatory is on your list of things to do!
To learn more about our visit to Flagstaff click here!
