What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

Blackrock Castle Observatory

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We are Cork’s Space for Science Then delve into space science and open your eyes to the wonders of the Universe with Cosmos at the Castle.
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Blackrock Castle is the oldest surviving structure still in use in the city of Cork; a 16th century fort turned robotic observatory and science centre with panoramic views of Cork Harbour. Explore over 400 years of Cork Harbour stories in this stunning riverside location during their guided castle tours to the Dome Tower Top and Gunnery. Discover the wonders of the night sky in their live Planetarium Shows and explore magnetism, forces, light and sound at the SFI Discover Zone. No booking is required but the castle tours and planetarium shows take place at set times so make to check these out on their website or call ahead. Open Daily: 10:00 – 17:00
Adults: €6.50; Concessions: €4.50; Family (2 Adults, 2 Children): €18; Groups (10+) €5.50
(021) 4326120 | [email protected] | www.bco.ie

22/10/2026

The wonderful Betti came to visit us on her travels all the way from Austria to Cork. Betti attended the STEMMOS summer school in Greece this year and is one of the teachers implementing this programme in their classrooms. See the STEMMOS website to learn how you can bring earth moon and Mars observations to YOUR classroom.

16/10/2026

We had a wonderful time with Divermates at the observatory for maths week !! Maths Week Ireland with Gaelscoil Mhichil Uí Choilleain. Happy maths week everyone ➗️

12/10/2026

Source & Reflection by Lori Fox on display at Blackrock Castle from October 10th.
In this body of work Fox merges highly structured compositions with instinctive free form gestures, to examine the dualities of light and shadow, source and reflection, sun and moon. Her work investigates the limits of human perception and the eyes ability to interpret form within constraint fields of light, revealing how vision itself can become just an illusion.
LORI-FOX

06/10/2026

🚀🌙 SPACE WEEK OPEN DAY AT BLACKROCK CASTLE OBSERVATORY! 🌙🚀

Join us at Blackrock Castle Observatory on Saturday 10th October, from 10am–12pm, for a morning packed with space-themed fun! 🌌✨

🪐 Paint your own planets
🚀 Make your own rocket
🎨 Try your hand at space-themed lino printing
🔭 Meet our researchers and discover what they’re working on

Bring the whole family and get creative, explore, ask questions and discover the wonders of space!

⭐ Everyone welcome!
🎟️ FREE ENTRY

📍 Blackrock Castle Observatory
🗓️ Saturday 10th October
⏰ 10am–12pm

Message us or email at info@bco.ie for more information on any of this!

02/10/2026

Message us or email at [email protected] for more information on any of this!

Reach out for more information on any of this through direct message or email us at Info@bco.ie

02/10/2026

Reach out for more information on any of this through direct message or email us at [email protected]

28/09/2026

Our staff packaging up the last of our space week packs for schools and libraries. View our website and the space week website to register your events and take part in ours. More coming soon. Watch this space 🔭🔭

11/09/2026

This Culture Night September 18th, we are delighted to officially open Blackrock Castle: A Shared History, a special exhibition celebrating the many connections people have with this much-loved Cork landmark.

From historic photographs and family memories to more recent moments, the exhibition brings together stories from the community and explores how Blackrock Castle has changed, while remaining a familiar and treasured part of life in Cork.

📅 Opening Night: Friday, 18th September
🕕 From 6pm
📍 Blackrock Castle Observatory

Come along, explore the exhibition, share your own memories and celebrate the history of this remarkable place with us.

Everyone is very welcome! 💫

CorkCommunity LocalHistory CorkHistory Memories Nostalgia

08/09/2026

We are delighted to host the 2nd in person meeting for partner organisations and stakeholders of the Erasmus funded Canstar project.

Colleagues from France, Portugal, Spain & Ireland will spend three days discussing how best to build sustainable Astro tourism activities and communities.
The project will explore how Astro tourism can support rural communities in particular.

During the meeting, the experiences and expertise of stakeholders from all partner countries will be key to informing the impact of the work.

Its an exciting time for Astro tourism!

12/08/2026

Today is the day.

Cork is set to experience a 96% deep partial solar eclipse this evening.

Free public activities will take place from 5.30pm to 8.30pm at:

📍 MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory
📍 Tramore Valley Park
📍 Bell’s Field

Meet science ambassadors, learn how to make and use pinhole projectors and take part in creative and family activities.

Remember:

• Wear certified eclipse glasses for all direct viewing.
• Ordinary sunglasses are not safe.
• Never point an unfiltered camera, telescope or binoculars towards the Sun.
• Visibility will depend on local weather and the western horizon.

You can also enter the Inspired by the Solar Eclipse photography competition and share how you experienced this once-in-a-generation event.

Details and safety guidance: bco.ie/solar-eclipse

Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

Address

Castle Road
Cork

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+353214326120

Website

http://www.bco.ie/

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