About
Chabot Space & Science Center Youth Programs include hands-on STEM activities, planetarium shows, and Free Telescope Viewings. Participants can take part in the Cosmic Camp-in Space Rocks! program, where they learn about the composition, classification, and observation of space rocks, create sublimating dry ice comets, design imaginary asteroid-mining machines, collect and graph comet data, and explore mining careers. The Hike & Sip Immersive Trek & Nature Journaling Stroll focuses on exploring the Redwood forest, learning about the ecosystem, the cultural heritage of the Ohlone peoples, and Oakland’s history.
• Schedule: Open to the public Wednesday–Sunday, 10AM–5PM during summer public hours from June 3 through August 16; Friday–Sunday, 10AM–5PM through May 31, with Wednesday–Friday, 9:30AM–1:45PM reserved for field trips and group bookings by reservation only; Free Telescope Viewings on Friday and Saturday, 7:30–10:30PM, weather permitting
Founded in 1883 as an astronomical observatory, Chabot Space & Science Center includes an observatory complex with three large scale telescopes named Leah, Rachel, and Nellie, and a 70-foot full-dome planetarium. The research-level observatory complex is described as the largest observatory complex free for public viewing in the Western United States, and its 20-inch telescope was used to relay information to NASA during the Apollo 13 descent, while the 36-inch telescope is actively used for Near Earth Object research. The mission of Chabot Space & Science Center is to inspire and educate learners of all ages about the Universe and Planet Earth, and the heart of its education programs focuses on elementary through high school students, especially in Oakland and areas of Contra Costa County. In 2021, Chabot opened the NASA Ames Visitor Center as part of a broader partnership between the Center and NASA Ames.
Last updated May 13, 2026.
• Schedule: Open to the public Wednesday–Sunday, 10AM–5PM during summer public hours from June 3 through August 16; Friday–Sunday, 10AM–5PM through May 31, with Wednesday–Friday, 9:30AM–1:45PM reserved for field trips and group bookings by reservation only; Free Telescope Viewings on Friday and Saturday, 7:30–10:30PM, weather permitting
Founded in 1883 as an astronomical observatory, Chabot Space & Science Center includes an observatory complex with three large scale telescopes named Leah, Rachel, and Nellie, and a 70-foot full-dome planetarium. The research-level observatory complex is described as the largest observatory complex free for public viewing in the Western United States, and its 20-inch telescope was used to relay information to NASA during the Apollo 13 descent, while the 36-inch telescope is actively used for Near Earth Object research. The mission of Chabot Space & Science Center is to inspire and educate learners of all ages about the Universe and Planet Earth, and the heart of its education programs focuses on elementary through high school students, especially in Oakland and areas of Contra Costa County. In 2021, Chabot opened the NASA Ames Visitor Center as part of a broader partnership between the Center and NASA Ames.
Last updated May 13, 2026.
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