Doors Open Days at Royal Observatory Edinburgh: SATURDAY 23rd Sept 2023

The Royal Observatory, Edinburgh is unique among UK scientific establishments in that it houses on a single site a university astronomy research group, an establishment of a UK Research Council and a Visitor Centre.

Royal Observatory, Edinburgh

Meet scientists and engineers who work at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh and hear all about their work!

Royal Observatory Edinburgh

Public events at Royal Observatory Edinburgh

We're delighted to be welcoming visitors back to our working site at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh! Hear about the night sky, visit our Victorian building and learn about the latest developments in astronomy with these events over the coming months.

Welcome to Doors Open Days 2023. An amazing chance to see behind the scenes at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh and find out about the people who work here.This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary! Join us to learn about the out of this world work both past and present being done right here in Edinburgh at the organisations based here:<ul><li><a href="https://ifa.roe.ac.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Edinburgh University's Institute for Astronomy</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ukri.org/about-us/stfc/locations/royal-observatory-edinburgh/uk-astronomy-technology-centre/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The UK Astronomy Technology Centre</a></li><li><a href="https://www.higgscentre.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Higgs Centre for Innovation</a></li></ul>

Activities across the weekend include:<ul><li>Speak with Astronomers</li><li>Talk to Engineers</li><li>Astronomy crafts</li><li>Hear from exciting start-up companies</li><li>Handle meteorites</li><li>Telescope dome tours</li></ul>10am to 5pm with last entry to the site at 4pm. Some areas, including tours, will close earlier than this.

We are a working site where cutting-edge science and engineering takes place every day! This means that all our spaces have limited capacity for visitors and you may need to queue for access to certain areas. We recommend that you reserve an arrival slot for free on Saturday (this page) or <a href="https://ROEDoorsOpen23Sunday.eventbrite.co.uk">Sunday</a>t﻿o<a href="https://ROEDoorsOpen23Sunday.eventbrite.co.uk"></a> help us manage the flow of visitors but this does not guarantee you access to every individual area and it does not guarantee access to a telescope dome tour. Arrival slots are valid for arrival on site up to twenty minutes after the time stated on your booking.Please note that activities are designed for children aged 6 years and upwards. All children aged 16 years and under must be accompanied by an adult.

AccessibilityDue to the age of many of our buildings, not all areas are accessible and several (including the telescope dome) are only reachable by stairs. If you've got any accessibility questions please get in touch with our team before the weekend or ask the Welcome Team when you arrive at the observatory.

Parking restrictionsParking will be very limited on the day and therefore it is advisable to leave your car behind if possible and consider alternative ways to reach us. The Royal Observatory is serviced by Lothian Buses routes numbered 9, 12, 24 and 38. You can find out more information about these bus routes through the Lothian Buses app or website as well as Google Maps. These buses come close to the site but the last part of the walk is quite steep and uphill so please bear this in mind in your travel plans.

More useful infoDrinks, snacks and lunches are available for sale in our canteen which will close at 4pm and takes card only (no cash I'm afraid), there are also a few outdoor areas on-site to eat a picnic if you bring your own food and drink.Please note that photography and filming will be taking place at this event for documentary and promotional purposes. The photographs and recordings are likely to appear on our website and social media.If you are not happy with your image being used in this way please contact a member of staff on arrival.

Covid considerationsWe are enjoying welcoming people back to our site but recognise that some visitors are nervous being in public spaces. Where possible our spaces are well ventilated and we will limit numbers in certain areas to prevent overcrowding.You are welcome to wear a face mask if you wish and some of our staff may choose to do so. We will be monitoring CO2 levels during the weekend and there may be moments when we clear spaces to refresh the air, we appreciate your patience with this.

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