Gannett Hill Reservations

The observatory is open to all individuals, regardless of association with the 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳. Groups associated with regular ASTR classes may visit with instructor approval. Other groups should seek department approval. 

Mees Observatory & Gannett House Reservation Request:

Please email:  gannetthillreservations@mail.pas.rochester.edu

Include the following information in your reservation request email:
  • Name/Organization/Course
  • Requested Date & Time, Provide rain/snow Date & Time
  • Confirm use of observatory and/or gannett house
  • # of people in group
  • Phone number of contact person

An email response will be provided within 2 business days to confirm/revise your reservation.

Please reference the following documents on Gannett House Utilization Rules & Mees Observatory Telescope Checklist:

Gannett House Utilization Rules

Mees Observatory Telescope Checklist

Gannett House Images

The Gannett House is available between May 1 and October 31 for retreats and conferences hosted by University personnel. Located in Bristol Springs, New York, the Gannett House is adjacent to the C.E.K. Mees Observatory, a state of the art astronomical observatory.

The Gannett House fee is $200.00 per use. The most popular dates are September and October.

The Gannett House is heated on cooler days and has a working kitchen without utensils. Furnishings include a large conference table with 6 conference chairs, a screened porch with picnic table, approximately 25 folding chairs, lounge furniture and a slide screen (no projector). The House holds a maximum of 50 attendees. King’s Catering in Canandaigua has provided services to the Gannett House. They can be contacted at 394-6407 or 396-9773.

The Department of Physics & Astronomy offers public tours of the  on Friday and Saturday evenings during June, July and August. Use of the Gannett House on the same day as a public tour must be concluded by no later than 6:30 p.m. If members of your group wish to remain on the site and participate in a tour, they must use the reservations website at  to make that request. Reservations fill up early in the season and it may not be possible to accommodate such a request. The maximum capacity for tours is 20 attendees.

See our map and driving directions to the Gannett House and Mees Observatory from the 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ area.

For more information, contact:

Department of Physics & Astronomy
Bausch & Lomb 206
91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳
91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳, NY 14627-0171
(585) 275-4351

Mark Minarich
Observatory Tours Director
mminaric@ur.rochester.edu