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Sherwood Observatory:
Group Trips

 

Sherwood Observatory: The ultimate destination for stargazers

Do you have a passion for astronomy? Do you want to see the wonders of the universe up close?
Book a group trip to Sherwood Observatory, the best place to experience the night sky in all its glory, whether through our 24″ reflector telescope during the darker evenings, or all year round in our Planetarium.
Whether you are a group of Brownies, Scouts, Cadets, WI, U3A, a group of friends, or celebrating a special occasion, we have something for everyone.
Our activities can be tailored to your specific needs, such as the requirements of your astronomy activity badge, brownies space interest badge for guide and scout trips.
We also cater for groups of adults and can theme your visit according to your interests and experience level.
Groups can visit all year round and optical telescope viewing season is from late September to March due to the time that it gets dark. Whatever the season and weather our enthusiastic and expert team will make sure you have a blast.
Due to overwhelming demand, we are currently unable to take any further enquiries from groups. Please sign up to our newsletter to be notified when bookings reopen.

What to expect

We have a lot to offer (more than you can fit into a single visit), so we offer you the flexibility to tailor your visit from the following list. Please let us know your preferences when you book.

  • 20+ minute planetarium show and presentation by our expert team or a captivating talk in the lecture room that will spark your imagination
  • A thrilling opportunity to gaze at the stars and planets or our closest star, the Sun, depending on the season, time of day and if the weather is on our side!
  • Tour of our radio astronomy facilities (due to open Summer 2025)
  • View our exhibition in the Science Centre to learn more about human space flight and the history of the Reservoir

You’ll get a 90-minute adventure that you’ll never forget including a chance to ask anything you want to know about space and beyond. Please wrap up warm in Winter as the dome can be cold!

Pricing

  • Uniformed and youth visits are £60 which covers up to 10 children and 3 leaders. Extra children can join for £6 each, with up to 5 additional adults/leaders at £7.50 each.
  • Special occasions and adult group visits are priced at £150 which covers up to 20 people. Additional visitors are £6 for children up to 15 years, and £7.50 for 16 and over. Infants aged 3 and under are free.
  • Note: Maximum capacity for group visits is 50.
  • A £50 deposit is payable at the time of booking.
  • We offer a reduced rate visit September-March which excludes the Planetarium show, replacing it with a lecture in our observatory instead followed by telescope viewing. Prices start at £50 for uniformed/youth visits, or £80 for adult/mixed groups. Maximum capacity is 25
  • Due to the limited room in our Observatory Dome during dark-season tours/viewings, groups may have to be split depending on overall group size.

Accessibility

We want everyone to enjoy our facility, but please be aware that using the main telescope involves climbing some steps.
If that’s not an option for some of your group members, don’t worry – we have smaller scopes made available outside that can also show you amazing sights.
If you have any special needs or worries, please tell us and we will do our best to help you.

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Contact Us

Due to overwhelming demand, we are currently unable to take any further enquiries from groups. Please sign up to our newsletter to be notified when bookings reopen.