Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory

Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO) is the National Research Council of Canada’s national radio-astronomy facility near Penticton and part of its Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre. The active research site operates four radio telescopes and supports radio astronomy, solar monitoring, instrumentation and technology development on an extensive radio-quiet site. Visitor tours are currently temporarily suspended because of poor air quality; when operating, NRC’s 2026 guided tours are free, run Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 15:00 between April 4 and November 1, last about one hour, and require no reservation on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors must turn off electronic devices, and tours can be cancelled for extreme heat or poor air quality. Check NRC’s visitor-tours page and local conditions before travel.