Visiting the Observatory with young children

Evening programs are appropriate for all ages. Please keep children with you at all times. This is especially important when it is dark and might be difficult to find people.

We ask visitors to use their walking feet and stay on paths at all times. The ground is rough and rocky. Please do not climb on the stone walls for your safety and that of our facility.

We are in the Chihuahuan Desert and are surrounded by desert inhabitants. There are desert plants here on the grounds of the observatory that may have stickers (cactus and agave). There are desert animals in this area, too. Once the weather gets warm, keep an eye out for snakes on paved areas once the sun has set. If you encounter animals, please remember that they are wild and should not be approached.

Shoes that light up are fun! But when the lights are too bright, they interfere with other people’s enjoyment of the evening programs. We will offer to cover up the shoe lights with removable tape.

For the safety of all of our guests, minors must be accompanied by an adult (18 or over) on all of our public programs.