ALMA opens near San Pedro de Atacama on 17 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 03:14 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- ALMA will offer public visits near San Pedro de Atacama on 17 and 24 October 2026.
- The visits will cover ALMA's Operations Support Facility, including its control room, laboratories and technical areas.
- Buses will depart from San Pedro de Atacama for morning and afternoon sessions on 17 and 24 October 2026.
- The visits will not include ALMA's antenna site on the Chajnantor Plateau for safety reasons.
ALMA opens its doors near San Pedro de Atacama on 17 and 24 October 2026, giving visitors access to the observatory's Operations Support Facility during Chile's Science Month.
The two public visit days will connect the desert town with the technology and staff behind one of the world's major astronomical observatories.
ALMA open days bring public visits near San Pedro de Atacama
The ALMA visit programme is scheduled for Saturday 17 October and Saturday 24 October 2026. The observatory says the dates form part of Chile's Science Month and mark 15 years since ALMA's first scientific observations.
The public will enter the Operations Support Facility, known as the OSF. The route is planned to include the control room, laboratories and technical areas, with a possibility of seeing antennas undergoing maintenance and vehicles used to move them.
ALMA says the visits are free of charge and require advance reservation through the Welcu platform. The organiser has announced two sessions on each day, with buses connecting the facility to central San Pedro de Atacama.
The OSF visit shows how the desert observatory works
San Pedro de Atacama is a tourism base in Chile's Atacama Desert, with access to desert valleys, geysers, lagoons and salt flats. The national tourism board lists ALMA Observatory among the area's main attractions.
The event adds a specific scientific dimension to the town's astronomy offer. Rather than viewing the observatory only from outside, visitors on 17 or 24 October 2026 can see the operational spaces that support its work.
The visit does not extend to the Array Operations Site on the Chajnantor Plateau. ALMA states that safety reasons exclude that antenna site from the public route, so the advertised experience is centred on the OSF near the town.
That distinction matters for planning: the event offers access to working infrastructure, not a general pass to every part of the observatory. The official destination guide identifies the town as a gateway to the surrounding desert and names ALMA among its nearby attractions.
Science Month links the town with ALMA's working facility
ALMA's announcement also describes a science fair in the town's main square on 8 October 2026. That earlier activity places the observatory's public programme within the community, while the October 17 and 24 visits take participants to the OSF itself.
For visitors from Western Europe, the practical difference is clear. San Pedro de Atacama is the meeting point and transport hub, while the accessible part of the event is the support facility outside town.
Visiting San Pedro de Atacama: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The ALMA public visits take place on 17 and 24 October 2026 at the Operations Support Facility near San Pedro de Atacama.
- The OSF is accessible through the organised visit, while the Array Operations Site on the Chajnantor Plateau is excluded for safety reasons.
- Transport is provided by ALMA buses from central San Pedro de Atacama. The town is reached by road from Calama and serves as a base for the Atacama Desert.
- The area is desert terrain, and nearby high-altitude landscapes require preparation for strong sun, dry conditions and changes in temperature.
- Spanish is the official language and the national currency is the Chilean peso.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about San Pedro de Atacama
When do the ALMA open days take place near San Pedro de Atacama?
The public visits are scheduled for 17 and 24 October 2026. Both dates are part of ALMA's Science Month programme.
What can visitors see during the ALMA visits?
The route covers the Operations Support Facility, including the control room, laboratories and technical areas. The Array Operations Site on the Chajnantor Plateau is not included.
Where is San Pedro de Atacama and how do you get there?
The town is in Chile's Atacama Desert and is the departure point for the ALMA buses. Travellers can reach it by road from Calama and then join the organised transport for the visit.
