MUSEUM HOURS:
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Step into the renovated Kellogg Observatory
We are not offering Kellogg Observatory Viewings at this time.
The Kellogg Observatory has been a part of the Museum’s history for almost 90 years. Named for Jane and Spencer Kellogg, the Kellogg Observatory opened to the public in 1930 and was equipped with an 8-inch f/15 refractor designed by Roland W. Sellew with a Lundin objective. The observatory was closed to the public in 1999 due to needed repairs, and outdated equipment and accessibility.
Today, the Buffalo Museum of Science is proud to open the skies once again to a new generation of explorers. The fully restored Lundin telescope, dedicated as the E. E. Both Memorial Telescope in September 2018, sits under a new durable, aluminized steel dome and is powered by state-of-the-art mapping technology. The roof deck and dome pier are both fully accessible for all Museum guests.
Observatory Operating Hours
The Buffalo Museum of Science will offer regular Kellogg Observatory viewing hours on Wednesday nights until 11 p.m., weather permitting, during and directly following regular extended hours from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Sessions starting at 6:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. will include Museum admission, and guests are welcome to visit the Museum before or after their observatory session (Museum closes at 9 p.m.). Non-member guests attending the 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. sessions will have the option to add Museum admission for a discounted price of $10.00 per person, and may arrive as early as they please to visit the Museum before their observatory visit.
Access to the observatory will be offered in timed, 30-minute sessions, and led by a trained Museum astronomy specialist. With a viewing ticket, guests will enjoy 30 minutes under the Kellogg Observatory dome, hear from the astronomy specialist about the night sky, and look into the restored Lundin telescope. After the 30-minute session, guests will also have access to the Buffalo in Space science studio. After 9:00 p.m., the rest of the Museum will be closed, and guests will be escorted to and from the fourth floor by Museum staff.
Please Note: Although the roof and observatory spaces are fully accessible to Museum guests, stairs are used inside the Kellogg Observatory to reach the Lundin telescope.
Observatory Reservations
We are not offering Kellogg Observatory Viewings at this time.
Observatory Reservations
Reservations can only be made day-of (Wednesdays), beginning at 10 a.m. Observatory viewing tickets are $15.00 – $25.00 per person (BMS members save 10%), and can be purchased:
- Online by clicking your desired time slot below
- Via phone by calling 716-896-5200, or
- At the Museum admissions desk
No refunds will be issued. Kellogg Observatory capacity is limited, so please make a reservation as early as possible.
Guests are asked to arrive 15 minutes before their timed session to check in at the Museum admissions desk. The viewing session will begin promptly at the designated time. We will not accommodation for late arrivals, and reserve the right to fill spots with walk-in guests. You will be outdoors, so please dress accordingly.
In the event of poor visibility, the Museum will offer an alternate astronomy experience for visitors, including a tour of the Kellogg Observatory and a planetarium show. Guests will not be allowed on the roof in the event of thunder and lightning.
Planetary Viewing Event, August 15
On Wednesday, August 15, Venus, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars will all be visible in the night’s sky! To celebrate this celestial occasion, the Buffalo Museum of Science is hosting planetary activities throughout the day, offering special planetarium shows (30-minute presentations from 4:30 to 8:45 p.m.) and, weather permitting, rooftop viewing.
In addition to a limited number of hosted, 20-minute sessions in the Kellogg Observatory (reservations open at 10 a.m.), guests can purchase a rooftop-only viewing ticket, where they can view the five planets through the Museum’s rooftop telescopes.
Reservations can only be made day-of (Wednesdays), beginning at 10 a.m. Observatory viewing tickets are $10.00 each (BMS members save 10%), and can be purchased:
- Online by clicking your desired time slot below
- Via phone by calling 716-896-5200, or
- At the Museum admissions desk
No refunds will be issued. Kellogg Observatory capacity is limited, so please make a reservation as early as possible.
Guests are asked to arrive 15 minutes before their timed session to check in at the Museum admissions desk. The viewing session will begin promptly at the designated time. We reserve the right to fill spots with walk-in guests, and cannot guarantee accommodation for late arrivals.
In the event of poor visibility, the Museum will offer an alternate astronomy experience for visitors, including a tour of the Kellogg Observatory and a planetarium show. Guests will not be allowed on the roof in the event of thunder and lightning. No refunds will be issued.
Observatory Reservations
Due to weather and poor viewing conditions, we are not offering Kellogg Observatory viewing sessions this evening, March 11, 2020. Please check back next week for availability!
Observatory Reservations
Kellogg Observatory sessions have concluded for 2019. Please check back on Wednesday, January 8 at 10:00 a.m. for availability!
