Planning Your School's Visit to Carter

This page will help you plan your school's visit to Carter Observatory. If you have any questions that aren't answered here, or to check availability for a particular date, please contact our Education Team at (04) 910 3140, or email education@carterobservatory.org.

Please note: We are fully booked for Term 2 of this year. Please contact us for availability for Terms 3 and 4.

What school programmes do you offer?

We offer LEOTC (Learning Outside of the Classroom) educational programmes for years 1-12+. (For information about our pre-school programmes, click here)

All education sessions comprise a 45-minute planetarium show, a 30-minute workshop appropriate to the age and level of your students, and an additional 30 minutes to explore our exhibition galleries. 

Click here for a printer-friendly version of our educational programmes brochure (Adobe PDF file, 91 KB )

If you are unsure which workshop offering best meets the learning objectives of your students, our education team will be happy to discuss this with you after booking.

What days/times are educational programmes offered?

Our morning session runs from 9:45am to 11:45am, and is offered Monday- Friday during the school term.

Our afternoon session runs from 12:15pm to 2:15pm and is offered Monday- Thursday during the term. Each session time can accommodate 2 groups of up to 35 (including adults).

The Carter education team will put together a timetable for your visit, which will be confirmed in writing before your arrival.

How much does it cost?

All state, integrated or registered private schools qualify for the LEOTC discount rate:

Students: $6.50 each

Teachers / supervising adults: 1 free per ten students

Additional teachers / supervising adults: $6.50 each

Please note that pre-school and tertiary groups have different prices. Click here for pre-school booking information. Information for group visits without the LEOTC workshop can be found here.

Do you offer curriculum materials or pre-visit activities?

Absolutely! You can download our pre-visit activity booklets, and find links to additional astronomy teaching resources here. Our educators are more than happy to discuss ways to make the most out of your visit!

Can I visit Carter beforehand?

Yes! If you are making  a booking for your school, you are welcome to visit Carter Observatory free of charge prior to your visit, and to speak with a member of our education team in person. To schedule a visit, please email education@carterobservatory.org or call (04) 910 3140.

How do I get to Carter?

Carter Observatory is located in Wellington's beautiful Botanic Garden at the top of the Cable Car.

There is no car parking at the Observatory.  Buses can drop off and pick up students on Upland Road, Kelburn, at the top of the Cable Car / Cable Car Museum. There is also a small pay and park lot at the Skyline Centre with $3 per hour parking for up to four hours.  The Observatory is a two minute walk from the Cable Car terminus.

Do you have a Risk Assessment Management (RAM) Form? 

Yes! You can download it here. To request a copy of our full health and safety policy, email us at education@carterobservatory.org.

Is it possible to bring my school in the evening?

Carter Observatory is open late on Tuesday and Saturday evenings, with the last planetarium show at 8pm on both days. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer LEOTC educational sessions in the evening. If you would like to attend an evening planetarium show and have (weather-permitting) telescope viewing with your students, please see our group booking information.

Can I pay for my school’s visit on the day?

In order to create a seamless and stress-free visit to Carter, we kindly request for schools to be invoiced for the cost of their visit, rather than paying on the day.

At the time of booking, Carter Observatory will invoice you to pay a 50% deposit in order to confirm the booking. Once the deposit has been received, we will send out a confirmation letter for your booking.

The outstanding amount will be invoiced to your school after your visit. If paying by invoice is not possible, please contact Carter staff at (04) 910 3140 in order to make other arrangements.

Please note that cheques should be made out to Wellington Museums Trust.

What happens if I need to cancel my visit?

We require at least 20 days’ notice if you wish to cancel your confirmed booking. If you cancel your booking before this time, we will refund your 50% deposit. Unfortunately if you cancel with less than 20 days’ notice, we are unable to refund your deposit.

Still have questions?

Give us a call at (04) 910 3140, or email education@carterobservatory.org