You're invited to the reopening of the Washburn Observatory!
Please join us on Friday, September 11th, 2009 between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. The building and grounds will be open to the observatory and telescope.
The building is now home to the Letters & Science Honors Program.
The Observatory has been undergoing renovations since spring 2008. The project focused on restoring the observatory to its former glory. Some of the work included: repainting the exterior to reflect original colors, partially replacing windows, repairing exterior stone and chimneys, replacing wood cornices and adding new period light fixtures.
In addition, a new accessible entrance was added at the south side of the building. This includes an elevator to the new multipurpose room and office space in the basement. All original materials were preserved where possible.
A special thanks to Nancy Woodson Spire Foundation and the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation for the generous gifts that made this project possible. We also want to thank our partners at the State Historical Society, the Wisconsin Department of Administration and Facilities Planning and Management for their work.