General admission (10am - 3pm weekdays) Kitt Peak Visitor Center

Enjoy access to all public areas of Kitt Peak

Hours

Open daily from 10am - 3pm

Prices displayed do not include fees
(does not include guided tours - does not include access to internal McMath telescope viewing gallery)

About

Explore access to Kitt Peak Visitor Center and exhibits/gift shop, our Visitor Center Patio, SOLARIO solar telescope viewing, and exhibits at our NEW Taṣogida Ki: Center for Astronomy Outreach inside the iconic McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope (does not include admission for guided tours or access to the inside viewing area of McMath-Pierce. Guests wanting this can purchase a guided tour for a nominal additional fee. Guided tours include all elements of general admission.)

The program involves some walking. Guests should wear comfortable walking shoes. Please let us know 24 hours in advance at [email protected] or phone (520) 318-8726 if you require mobility assistance.

Kitt Peak Visitor Center general admission is available daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and in rare cases of extreme weather.

• Check in at the Visitor Center
• Advance reservations are recommended but not required.

NOTE for international guests: Arizona State Route 86 has a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint. If you are visiting from outside the U.S. please bring your passports with you to avoid any potential difficulties.

More Info

For many years the largest solar telescope in the world, the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope, was a triple instrument. In addition to the primary 1.61-meter mirror fed by the 2.03-meter heliostat, there are a pair of telescopes fed by 0.81-meter heliostats mounted beside the main heliostat.

The telescope is a 110-foot-tall, 26-foot-diameter platform that supports a mirror that reflects light down a 200-foot-long concrete optical tunnel. Both the tower and the light tunnel stand freely inside water-cooled protective concrete casings. These shelter the telescope from mountaintop winds, utilizing a square form tilted at a 45-degree angle.

The facility is named to honor Dr. Keith Pierce as well as Dr. Robert McMath.

The McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope was decommissioned for science operations in 2017 and has been converted to the NOIRLab Taṣogida Ki: Center for Astronomy Outreach, which is now the most exciting new part of the Kitt Peak Visitor Center public campus.

Accessibility

Kitt Peak is just shy of 7,000 feet (2096 meters) above sea level at the summit. Please consider any personal health issues that could arise from the altitude or walking at this elevation, such as: decreased lung capacity, cardiac issues, or other issues with altitude. If you have health concerns, please consult your doctor before visiting us.

Visiting Kitt Peak typically involve walking, standing, and climbing stairs. Working service animals are welcome.

The walk to the Visitor Center from the parking lot is about 45 meters (50 feet) and from the Visitor Center to the new Taṣogida Ki: Center for Astronomy Outreach is about 275 meters (900 feet).

General admission and the walk to Taṣogida Ki: Center for Astronomy Outreachr / McMath-Pierce Solar telescope is the only tour that does not have stairs.

Please let us know 24 hours in advance at [email protected] or phone +1 520 318 8726 if you require mobility assistance. The Visitor Center’s ability to provide special accommodations is severely limited.

We look forward to exploring the Universe with you!