Visits to ESO Sites
This page is available in Spanish on our Chilean web site.
Visits to the Facilities in Chile
ESO is happy to welcome tourists, students, journalists and TV crews at its La Silla, Paranal and ALMA sites in Chile. The capacity of the facilities is limited, therefore visits are organized in such a way that they do not disturb the work at the observatories.
Please note that all media visits require authorization in advance by the ESO Department of Communication. You can find guidelines for media visits here.
Public Visits to Paranal Observatory
Tourist and student visits to Paranal Observatory are scheduled every Saturday at 10:00 or 14:00. Prior registration is always necessary. Please check the Weekend Visits to Paranal page for further information and the registration form.
Public Visits to La Silla Observatory
La Silla Observatory is open to the public:
- Between September and March, every Saturday at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
- Between April and August: Saturdays at 10:00 AM and Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Prior registration is required for all visits. You can find all the information regarding public visits to the La Silla Observatory and the registration form here.
Public Visits to the ALMA OSF
The ALMA Observatory's website provides all the information regarding visits. For safety reasons, the Array Operations Site (AOS) on Chajnantor plateau (where antennas are located) is not open to visitors. Please note that public visits to ALMA are currently not offered; only media or educational visits are possible.
Public Visits to ESO Vitacura Offices in Santiago
Unfortunately, no public visits to ESO Vitacura Offices are currently possible. Media representatives should contact the ESO Department of Communication in advance to obtain an appointment.
Public Visits to ELT/Cerro Armazones
Unfortunately, no public visits to ELT/Cerro Armazones are currently possible. Media representatives should contact the ESO Department of Communication in advance to obtain an appointment.
Visits to ESO Headquarters in Garching, Germany
Public visits to ESO Headquarters in Garching are possible. Our ESO Supernova is open Wed-Sun. Media representatives should contact the ESO Department of Communication in advance to obtain an appointment.