Update March 8, 2022: Lick Observatory’s visitor center and gift shop reopen to the public on March 12th! Visitor center hours will be Saturdays and Sundays Noon – 5pm.
Lick Observatory’s main Visitor Center and Gift Shop will be open to the public Saturdays and Sundays Noon to 5pm. The main parking lot and Shane Visitor’s Gallery will be open to the public, 10am to 5pm, daily starting Wednesday March 9th.
When visiting Lick Observatory, please:
- Per the Cal/OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards please complete the UC Santa Cruz Visitor Symptom Check Questionnaire located at this link prior to entering the UC Santa Cruz campus or UC Santa Cruz owned or leased property (including Lick Observatory).
- Starting August 3rd, 2021, you are required to wear a face covering when indoors while on campus or UC Santa Cruz owned or leased property, regardless of vaccination status.

Visitor Center Hours:
The visitor center and gift shop are typically open year-round. Admission is free.
Closed – Monday through Friday
Open 12 – 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Free talks inside the dome of the 36-inch Great Refractor are given at the following times:
12:30 p.m 1:30 p.m 2:30 p.m 3:30 p.m 4:30 p.m
The visitor center and gift shop and visitor center are also open on the following holidays:
Open – New Years Eve and New Years Day
Open – Martin Luther King Day
Open – President’s Day
Open – Memorial Day
Open – Independence Day
Open – Labor Day
Closed – Thanksgiving Thursday
Open – Thanksgiving Friday/Saturday/Sunday
Closed – Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Open – December 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, and January 1