Estes Park Memorial Observatory - Estes Park, Colorado

Titan

Mike did an awesome job. You can tell the love and passion that has been put into this place. Some kids from this town will go on and do great things because of him and the observatory. Expanded my mind on the universe and made me curious enough to start doing my own research on what's out there. It's free if you can grab a spot and sign up. Highly recommend if you want to see some planets and galaxies

Harrison T.

Mike (director) is fantastic. He ran the evening program for us. I am so glad we went. Reservations required. He is very knowledgable and considerate. He offered coffee and water bottles. The entire facility/organization is a non-profit in memory of his children to share astronomy with the city (and us!). Highly recommend to anyone interested in learning more about astronomy. May be a little difficult for kids younger than 3. Recommend for people who are just getting into stargazing! The program involves a couple of short videos for context and then viewing of 3-5 spots in the sky via the large telescope. The program asks for donations; all donations go back to the Observatory and funding students for STEM scholarships, such a great cause!

Jesslyn B.

Visiting the observatory was hands down one of the best parts of our trip to Estes Park! Mike was an incredible host and taught us lots about what we were seeing! My wife is way more into space and stars than I am and she had the time of her life here! If we ever come back to Estes Park we will definitely plan to visit again.

Jeremy J.

One of the best things to do in Estes Park besides hiking. Mike was amazing and gave us over a two hour tour of both our galaxy and others along with his faithful companion Willey. Make sure to book ahead of time on their website and keep in contact via cellphone the day of because the weather is very unpredictable in the valley. Also make sure the dress warm since the dome will open during the observation but blankets are provided. Finally, bring cash for a donation at the end to make sure this amazing service continues.

VICTOR S.

I have been to several star gazing places and events but this one is definitely the most educative, engaging, and interesting one. It was Mike that made the whole experience very unique and special. We were very moved when we saw those stickers on the wall representing different stars/planets. Mike spent 2+ hours showing us different cool things using the telescope. We saw Jupiter, Saturn, exploding star, other galaxy, and even an ET! Mike is so passionate and knowledgeable to answer our questions. This experience is free, and donation will go to the scholarships. I hope you can see this message Mike. I hope when I retire, I can find something that i am passionate about just like what you are doing to teach us astronomy. I regret not taking a picture with you.

Thanks for sending us a recap of what stars we saw in the following day 🙂

Best wishes and hope to meet you again.

Clear Skies,

Victor & Katherine from Dallas

Doug J.

We've wanted to go for years but we've been here on the wrong days and then COVID. The facility is beautiful and more than we expected. Mike welcomed us into the observatory with the group of other families.

The night started off with some videos on space and astronomy. They are an educational way to kill time while you wait for it to get really dark. After the videos, he gave us a presentation using the star wall they have in the observatory. I enjoy astronomy and learned a lot. We brought our kids and they learned a lot too.

Then it was up to the observatory to get to use the 16" telescope. You can get 14 people up there but it is tight. Be sure to dress like you will be outside for an hour. There are blankets up there if you need them. Mike did a great job explaining and truly has a passion for the stars. He was able to speak on a level that could be understood by kids and astronomy fans alike. The views were phenomenal. We saw several planets, a globular cluster of stars, a nebula, and all sorts of awesome things. The skies were so clear we could see satellites speed by. Just an awesome experience.

The observatory is a memorial to Mike's adult children who died in an accident. He took their insurance and built this observatory. It is obvious that it is a work of love.

Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. They use the donations for scholarships for Estes Park Students to go to college. Definitely book in advance and have a great time.

Keri W.

Highly recommend this place for all ages if you are interested in Astronomy and in the Estes Park area. Mike and Karen were very knowledgeable and the program is free. Donations are appreciated and go to a wonderful cause.

Crafting A.

This is great place to see the local wildlife and get pictures of the mountains with the lake. The elk were bugling and it was really neat to see. It’s a great first stop in town to stretch your legs after a long drive