About this place
What to expect
The CSIRO Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre is the place to learn more about Australia's role in radio astronomy. Discover what makes this part of the world a great place to explore the Universe! See the iconic Murriyang, the Parkes radio telescope, plus interactive exhibits, out-of-this-world souvenirs, accessible playground and picnic area, and a ticketed 3D theatre. Murriyang operates every day, all day, capturing radio light from distant galaxies, pulsars and fast radio bursts. It even occasionally supports space missions, most famously the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Regular upgrades means it is still one of the best telescopes in the world and the largest single-dish radio telescope in the southern hemisphere dedicated to astronomy research.