Arecibo Observatory, Arecibo, Puerto Rico

5Molly 5:00 PM Feb 23, 2020

Educational and budget-friendly experience
My 9yo science-enthusiast daughter and I visited the museum in early Feb. The drive to the observatory was more challenging than I expected with steep hills and switchback roads. Parking for the observatory is significantly downhill from the museum and telescope. The walk up is a steep hill at points and stairs at others. There may be a shuttle that helps those with limited mobility, but stairs are required to get to where the shuttle would pick up/drop off (I only overheard talk of this and may have missed the whole conversation). There are employees in the parking lot to assist in telling you where and how to park (back in perpendicular to the hill slope)— they may allow a drive up the road for a doorstep drop off for some in your party. The museum is small but very well curated. Lots of employees (student assistants?) were available to answer questions and demonstrate the lessons to be learned and show how they connect to our everyday life. I recommend sitting through the movie and getting the employee-led introduction to the telescope. Cost was $22 for us both to enter and we spent about two hours visiting.

5Anna Lisa D 5:00 PM Apr 23, 2022

Open to the public!
The visitor's center opened 2 days before we arrived (March 2022). We had to get a reservation online to visit. It was totally worth it. Be sure you arrive a good hour before closing so you have time to walk the steep hill from the parking lot to the visitor's center. The staff was newly trained and eager to help. We showed up just 1 hour before closing and were the only visitors there. The exhibits inside are varied and fascinating. There is a short movie to watch about the history of the telescope, including its collapse and continued study using the old data. You get to go outside and see the remains of the towers and saucer in the sink hole. Very cool! Beware, the walk up the hill is very steep and longer than you expect. There are stairs. Kids can do it, but it would be tough on people with joint issues or breathing problems. There is an area halfway up to rest if needed. We weren't paying attention to handicapped access so I'm not sure if there's parking uphill closer to the visitor's center.