Take a sneak peek of Lowell Observatory’s new discovery center in Flagstaff

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily) — Lowell Observatory has done a lot for astro-tourism in Arizona. With the opening of the new astronomy discovery center, it hopes to connect more people to the stars.

The Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center officially opens on November 16. Lowell Historian Kevin Schindler said talks about the expansion have been happening for over a decade.

“It (the observatory) was becoming more and more popular,” Schindler said. “The (current) visitors center was designed to hold 60,000 or 70,000 visitors. We’re getting more than 100,000.”

The new building is three stories tall and 400,000 square feet. It cost over $53 million, but Schindler said every penny was worth it.

“We wanted to inspire people around the world,” he said. “You don’t have to have a PhD in astronomy or physics to enjoy the universe and get connected with the universe.”

New attractions

• Lowell Universe Theater: A 180-seat theater with a two-story 160° curved 16K LED screen, a ceiling LED screen, and a stage for interactive presentations, combining elements of a planetarium with live shows for an immersive experience.
• Rooftop Dark Sky Planetarium: A circular rooftop deck with heated seats and A/V components, where Lowell educators guide guests through visible stars, constellations, and planets, enhanced by built-in audio-visual elements for an unforgettable Arizona dark sky experience.
• Orbits Curiosity Zone: An interactive two-story exhibit hall for children ages 0-8.
• Astronomy Gallery - Stardust Lab: Thought-provoking exhibits for visitors ages 9 and up, where guests will learn about astronomy in an interactive way, such as sending messages to the universe and tracing atoms all the way back to the Big Bang.
• Origins Gallery: Featuring a suspended artistic centerpiece depicting the universe’s evolution - from the Big Bang to life.

Outreach manager Samantha Christensen is especially excited about the curiosity center as she knows what it means for children to have access to the stars.

“I started coming to Lowell when I was probably 5 years old,” Christensen said. “I can remember the first time looking through the Clark telescope and that’s proved to be an inflection point in my life.”

According to the Night Sky Tourist, astro-tourism over the next decade is expected to bring in $5.8 billion for the Colorado Plateau and create tens of thousands of jobs over the next 10 years.

Schindler said they hope the expansion won’t just help the observatory but all of Northern Arizona.

“Lowell was founded in 1894, which is 18 years before Arizona was even a state,” Schindler said. “So Lowell and Flagstaff and Arizona we grew up together. It’s all of us working in the community working together to provide a great experience for those who live here and for those who are visiting from around the world.”

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.