Private Tour Information
Private group tours are available on May 15, May 17, May
22, May 24, May 29, May 31, June 5, June 7, June 12, June 14, June
19, and June 21 between 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Private Tours and Fees
Private group tours can be scheduled at selected weekday times
during the summer. A student to adult ratio of 10:1 is required for
all private group visits to maintain quietness during the tour. The
cost is $2.00 per person with a minimum of cost $50. Only
cash or check is accepted at the Observatory.
The summer private tours are limited to 35 guests
in the planetarium. For patron information there are 3 sets of
steps to the telescope and no elevator. Reservations are
required for all private group visits. If you are interested in
scheduling a private tour please call the
observatory information line at (317) 940-8333 or by e-mail at
holcombobservatory@butler.edu
.
What to Expect
Visitors will enjoy an hour-long tour consisting of a multimedia
presentation covering the current night sky, a seasonal star show,
with visits to the clock room, space gallery, and telescope dome.
In the telescope dome the guide will explain and demonstrate the
operation of the Holcomb Robotic Telescope.
Preparing for the Tour
To prepare for the tour we suggest you look at other information
on our web site. To learn about the telescopes look at the telescopes
and instruments links. Planets are usually
included in the planetarium presentation. To learn more about the
planets visit the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
website. To prepare yourself for a the planetarium star show it
is suggested that you look and the star
chart and current night sky links.
More Information
Tour reservations will be held up to 20 minutes after your
prescheduled tour time (your tour will be shortened if another tour
is schedule after you). Following that your reservation is subject
to cancellation and you will be charged a service fee of $25. per
tour. If the need arises and you must cancel your tour reservation,
please call (317) 940-8333 or e-mail holcombobservatory@butler.edu
at least two business days in advance to avoid the
service fee. Returned checks will be charged a service fee of $20.
Group leaders should collect the appropriate admission fee from the
group members in advance. Payment can be made either by cash or a
check made out to J. I. Holcomb Observatory. The cash or check
should be given to the planetarium personnel upon entry. It is
recommended that you arrive 10 minutes before your tour so that you
may be seated.
Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium is located on the north end
of the Butler University campus and can be reached by heading west
on 46th Street from N. Meridian Street and then turning north once
at the center of campus. Download the campus map
(PDF). Visitor parking is available on
campus. See parking map (PDF)
Wheelchair accessibility is available in the Planetarium and
Lobby area only. No elevator is available to the telescope viewing
area.