Located atop the rolling hills of Mt. Lookout, the Cincinnati Observatory is home to the world's oldest telescope still in use nightly by the general public. Two handsome National Historic Landmark buildings and the beautiful grounds provide a serene, park-like setting while still being centrally located in the city of Cincinnati.

The mission of the Cincinnati Observatory Center will be to maintain the integrity and heritage of a historic 19th century observatory while promoting the study and practice of 21st century astronomy and science.

The Cincinnati Observatory Center is known as "The Birthplace of American Astronomy." It houses one of the oldest working telescopes and was the first public observatory in the western hemisphere.

On the 9th of November, 1843, a crowd of thousands witnessed former president John Quincy Adams preside over the dedication of the observatory, "The Lighthouse of the Sky," and the laying of the cornerstone. It was at the dedication that Adams gave his last public speech.

In 1979 the Observatory formally became part of the Physics Department of the University of Cincinnati. The Observatory continued to be used for public education as well as for research by graduate students and others at the University of Cincinnati.