The Observatory grounds and Skyline Park are open to the public seven days a week from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm during the months of April through November, although special conditions may sometimes cause closures or restrict access. See our Home page for special announcements. See the
Directions page for how to get to Mt. Wilson Observatory.
During this period from April through November, MWOA
docents
conduct walking tours of the grounds every Saturday and Sunday beginning at 1:00 pm. Meet
at the the pavilion area just above and to the east of the big parking lot. These guided tours take visitors to the Observatory's
astronomical museum, past the
UCLA 150-foot solar tower telescope and the dome of the
60-inch telescope, and into the visitors' gallery of the
100-inch Hooker telescope (where the telescope can be seen through a big window). In the picture, an MWOA docent is speaking to a group on a regular walking tour, outside the door leading to the 100-inch visitors' gallery.
The weekend walking tours are free and open to the public; just show up. Remember, Mt. Wilson is at 5800 feet elevation and it can get chilly. So even if it is warm down below, you might bring a jacket or coat just in case.
In addition to the regular walking tours of the grounds, MWOA docents also conduct special
tours of the grounds and may take visitors inside the Observatory facilities. These tours must be arranged in advance. Contact Mr. Gale Gant by e-mail for more information or to schedule a tour. Tours are held in the daytime only and do not include looking through a telescope.
For times when there are no guided tours by docents, MWOA has created a Self-Guided Tour Brochure. Copies are available free at the
museum at the Observatory. Or go to the Tour Brochure page to download a version in PDF format.
Until you can come in person, you can take a
virtual tour of the Observatory, on your computer.