Haus der Astronomie

In the location's words:

The House of Astronomy (HdA) has been a center for astronomical education and public relations since 2008. It is a kind of "development office with public operation" - we develop teaching and educational materials for schools and kindergartens as well as the general public, offer our own events, promote scientific exchange and support those involved in astronomical education and public relations work.

We organize and participate in events

General visitor groups come to the House of Astronomy for guided tours, school classes or kindergarten groups for workshops, astronomy enthusiasts for lectures, scientists for meetings and conferences: in our galaxy-shaped building, astronomy can be experienced directly. We also take part in external events, such as the annual Explore Science organized by the Klaus Tschira Foundation in Mannheim.

We build networks

Astronomical education and public relations work is a joint task. We support cooperation and networking, both regionally and internationally. The IAU Office of Astronomy for Education, which we organize, coordinates astronomy education work worldwide for the International Astronomical Union. In astronomical public relations, we are the interface between the IAU Office of Astronomy Outreach and German activities. We work together with numerous institutional partners on national and international projects.

The aim of the House of Astronomy is to bring the fascination of astronomy to the general public and to schools and to promote the exchange of astronomers among themselves and with colleagues in related fields of knowledge. To this end, we organize events for the general public, workshops for students and training courses for teachers, support student research projects, are involved in exhibitions and the visualization of astronomical phenomena and support representatives of the media in reporting on astronomical content. A full description of our activities can be found in the What we do section. Many of our activities take place in cooperation with other institutions and projects. Our galaxy-shaped building on the Königstuhl in Heidelberg offers first-class working conditions with a lecture hall with dome projection, an exhibition area, work rooms, laboratories and seminar rooms.

Questions about the House of Astronomy

1. how can I visit the House of Astronomy in Heidelberg?

The House of Astronomy offers a variety of activities for different target groups: From visiting opportunities or guided tours for the general public to teaching material or further training for teachers, internships and research projects for pupils, bachelor's and master's theses for student teachers, advisory services or the opportunity for scientists (and, in exceptional cases, external companies) to use the House of Astronomy as a conference venue.

The HdA can be visited as part of a guided tour or at events that take place. School classes of all ages and kindergarten groups have the opportunity to book workshops .

2. which workshops are offered at the House of Astronomy in Heidelberg?

The House of Astronomy offers a wide range of astronomy workshops for school classes and kindergarten groups. The spectrum ranges from a trip to the moon for younger children to stellar spectroscopy for students at course level. In each of these workshops, participants take part in several different astronomical activities or carry out experiments on their own, thereby expanding their knowledge of astronomical content and connections. No special prior knowledge is required. The workshops for kindergarten groups and schools take place from Monday to Friday at the Haus der Astronomie and last three hours for primary and secondary school classes and 1.5 hours for kindergarten children. Dates and main topics are agreed individually in advance with the workshop leaders. Information on prices etc. can be found here. If there are difficulties with funding for individual pupils or entire classes, please contact us. We want to ensure that all interested parties can visit the House of Astronomy and there are special family workshops for families. As the demand for workshops is always high, please book your preferred date as early as possible.

3. how do you get to the Haus der Astronomie in Heidelberg?

You can get there by private car or bus as well as by public transport www.rnv.de.

4. is the House of Astronomy in Heidelberg barrier-free?

The House of Astronomy is barrier-free, so all workshops are suitable for all people on request. We are also happy to put together an individual program for you.

5. is it possible to rent the House of Astronomy in Heidelberg?

Yes - depending on availability and the type of event, rooms in the House of Astronomy can also be hired externally. A number of larger and smaller companies from Heidelberg and the surrounding area have already made use of the unique atmosphere of the House in this way - from board retreats using the entire building to meetings or smaller conferences in the workshop rooms. A presentation in the digital planetarium of the Haus der Astronomie can be booked separately

Der Schwerpunkt unserer astronomischen Bildungs- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit liegt auf der Entwicklung von Materialien und auf gezielten Veranstaltungen wie Workshops oder Vortragsreihen.

Deswegen hat das Haus der Astronomie, anders als ein Museum, keine festen Öffnungszeiten, an denen es allgemein zugänglich wäre.