- Scroll to:
- What is Armagh Observatory and Planetarium?
- What does a visit to AOP include, and how do I book this?
- When should I arrive?
- What are your current Covid-19 guidelines?
- Where is AOP?
- Do you have customer parking at AOP?
- Can I bring young children to the Dome Show?
- I have a query about my ticket. How should I contact you?
- Can I look through a telescope?
- When should I visit AOP?
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What is Armagh Observatory and Planetarium?
We are a scientific institution comprised of a Georgian Observatory and a Planetarium. Come visit us to learn about all things space!
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What does a visit to AOP include, and how do I book this?
The best way to visit Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is to book a Dome Show Ticket. This includes:
- Entrance to the Planetarium Exhibition Area, including our Sensory Room
- Entrance to the Dome Show of your choosing
- Entrance to our grounds
A visit to AOP can be expected to last between 2 – 3 hours. Find out more about which shows you can book here.
Though we are one organisation, our Georgian Observatory is a separate, working Observatory in which our Astronomers and Astronomy students do their work. You can book a tour of the Observatory on selected dates here.
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When should I arrive?
We are open from 10am – 5pm Tuesday to Sunday. We recommend you arrive at AOP at least 15 minutes before your Dome Show start time to allow time to check in and be seated in our Digital Theatre. You can look around the Planetarium both before and after your Dome Show – so there’s no rush!
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What are your current Covid-19 guidelines?
If you develop any Covid-19 symptoms, we kindly ask you not to visit us. We have a flexible cancellation policy and can even reschedule visits for a future date.
Wash your hands and use our hand sanitiser stations as often as possible.
Use contactless payments were possible.
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Where is AOP?
We are located on College Hill, in Armagh. Our Planetarium is beside the Portadown Road, which is the main road from Belfast. Look for the Dome!
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Do you have customer parking at AOP?
Yes, we have a visitor Car Park within our grounds as well as a coach Car Park. Be advised, during peak times it can become busy so we recommend arriving early.
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Can I bring young children to the Dome Show?
We have Dome Shows that are for “Under 5s” and small children specifically – they are shorter in length and the dome doesn’t get quite as dark. “Family Shows” are also suitable for young children. Any “Adult Shows” are not scary, but are more in depth in terms of scientific content and so are therefore unsuitable for very young children. Information on all our shows is available on our ticket booking page, but if you need more information please feel free to contact Reception.
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I have a query about my ticket. How should I contact you?
The best way to get any questions or queries about your ticket solved is to email our reception with as much detail as possible. This will mean we can hopefully resolve your query quickly. To contact reception, email us via reception@armagh.ac.uk.
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Can I look through a telescope?
The telescopes we have on site at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium are antiques; while they were once used to study the stars and create the amazing NGC Catalogue, they are no longer in use for regular modern day observing. You can see what they look like up close by visiting us on a Legendary Telescope Tour. You cannot look through these on a normal visit to the Planetarium – especially since you are visiting us during daylight hours!
We do however run Star Tracker evenings wherein (weather permitting) you can look through a telescope, as well as attend a dome show. Please check here to see when our next Star Tracker is!
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When should I visit AOP?
We are open Tuesday – Sunday, from 10am to 5pm. We are also open Bank Holiday Mondays. During term time, we recommend visiting AOP on weekends; we have dome shows every hour, as well as a walk-in workshop. We are open to the public during weekdays too, but as we are busy with school visits we would recommend visiting us from 12pm onwards. During term time weekdays we have one show on daily at 2pm.
During school holidays and special events, our opening hours can vary. Please check our website or Facebook for updated information.