Banner image credit: Jim Lovell
About the museum
Located at the Mt. Pleasant Radio Telescope Observatory near Cambridge, overlooking the Coal River Valley. The radio observatory has been operating since May 1986, with its distinctive 26m diameter radio "dish".
Grote Reber was the father of radio astronomy, the first person to build a "big dish" antenna for mapping the sky at radio frequencies. He discovered many discrete radio sources and mapped the band of bright radio emission from our Galaxy, the Milky Way.
Reber came to Tasmania in the late 1950s because of its unique location at high magnetic latitude in the southern hemisphere. He spent 40 years studying low-frequency emissions with telescopes he built himself. First in partnership with the University of Tasmania School of Physics, and later on his own at Bothwell.
His accomplishments are remarkable, not only in radio astronomy but also in electrical powered transport, in carbon dating of aboriginal settlements, and in the patterns made by growing bean plants. His creative vision had no limits.
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Museum highlights
- Exhibits: Reber's telescopes, original radio shack, and various interests.
- Radio Frequency Spectrum: Illustrations and demonstrations.
- Virtual Reality Theatre: 3D educational movies and demos.
Tour overview
Standard visit:
- Guided tour of the observatory, including the "big dish" and control room.
- Explore the Museum with a guide, focusing on Grote Reber's work.
- Watch 2-3 mini 3D movies about space (10-15 minutes each).
Additional activities (age and interest-dependent):
- Whispering dishes.
- Safe solar viewing with the Hydrogen Alpha telescope (weather permitting).
Tour duration: Approximately 1.5 hours. Activities can be adjusted based on group interest.
Important Note: Mobile phones must be turned off during the tour to avoid interference.
Accessibility and parking
- Dedicated parking next to the Museum, with space for bus turning.
- Follow the road up the hill and turn right at the Observatory gates.
- Fully accessible museum with bus parking at the main door.
- Smooth 15m path to the radio telescope; control room access has 4 steps and an 80m walk over uneven ground.
- 3D movies require stereo vision glasses (supplied); 2D viewing available on a computer screen.
Visitor and tour information
- Open to school groups and the public
- Reservations required
- Available Monday to Friday, 9am-3pm, by appointment only
- Costs:
- School children $5.50 per child (GST included).
- Community groups $11.00 per adult & $5.50 per child (GST included).
- Members of the public $27.50 per adult, $5.50 per child with a minimum of 4 adults (GST included).
Don't hesitate to contact us if we can assist further.
Contact us
Postal address
Mathematics and Physics (School of Natural Sciences)
University of Tasmania
Private Bag 37
Hobart TAS 7001