Tivoli observatory, NASA’s back-up station, Apollo XI
The Tivoli observatory aims to be a place where visitors and sponsors can actively experience astronomy. This goal is realised in various ways. The building is optimised for practising astronomy. You can observe the universe through the Maksutov Telescope and learn all about our solar system, the stars and planets. The observatory is open every Sunday afternoon. There are guided tours where you’ll learn everything about public observatories and where you can use the giant telescope to read the time on the clocks of churches in surrounding villages! Tickets can be bought on the spot.
Observatory & Brasserie Tivoli
In the same building where the observatory is housed, you’ll also find a cosy and warm brasserie. It’s open for lunch and dinner, but also for a high tea, high wine or high beer tasting. Enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace after visiting the Basilica of Oudenbosch. The historical buildings will really make you feel as if you’re in Rome!
History of the Tivoli observatory
In 1890, a Jesuit monastery was built opposite the Basilica of Oudenbosch. In the monastery, philosophy was taught and it already housed an observatory. When the observatory gained popularity in the 1980’s and 1990’s, it was moved to a new location near Bosbad Hoeven. Shortly after its completion, the public interest for the observatory dwindled and the number of visitors dropped. After having been abandoned for years, the old Simon Stevin public observatory was restored in the location where it all began: The Jesuit convent in Oudenbosch. Since 2015, the observatory is once again operational, with its original dome AND telescope.
