Drake Municipal Observatory

08/26/2026

08/05/2026

Our full schedule for the Fall including topics is now up on our website. Looking forward to seeing you all come September.

07/22/2026

A full house for our last observing night of the Summer. See you for the Fall series beginning in September.

07/16/2026

This WON'T be happening but come anyway to our last Summer observing/open house night at the Drake Municipal Observatory! News about the Fall series and tours. As always, free and open to the public. See you after 9:00 PM.

07/02/2026

Sky never cleared, but a full house for our event on Friday! Discussion on a variety of topics, tours of the historic observatory, and many thanks to our friends from the Science Center for their fun indoor activities.

06/26/2026

Our first summer public night is still on for this evening. The gate will be open by 9:00 PM. If clear, we and the SCI will be setting up telescopes to view the sky. There will also be an open house with indoor activities for everyone. As always, it is free and open to all. See you there!

06/22/2026

Happy Solstice!

06/19/2026

I just noticed that our Summer and Fall public events schedule have disappeared from the Observatory website. Our next events are still scheduled for next Friday at 9:30 and on July17th at the same time. Hopefully this can be rectified by Monday.
Herb

06/14/2026

LOOKING BACK IN OUR DRAKE NEIGHBORHOOD
Decades ago, you could take the streetcar along University avenue through the Drake area for just a nickel. This is a portion of a flyer promoting streetcar routes around the city. .

+ 'University Car' is the predecessor to today's DART bus route 3.

+ Route 3 bus service is scheduled to increase when a new bus plan goes into effect on Sunday, June 14.. However, service will be reduced (or eliminated) on some other routes through Des Moines.

06/12/2026

Idea proposes every school have a repair lab where students learn to fix clothes, bikes, and electronics 🌍🔧

A growing idea in education is gaining attention after a post suggested that schools should include “fix-it labs” in their programs. The concept focuses on teaching students practical skills like repairing clothes, bicycles, and electronics. Supporters say this approach could prepare students for real-life challenges while encouraging independence and creativity.



References:
BBC News: Schools explore hands-on learning methods to improve student engagement and skills
Reuters: Education systems consider practical skill programs to support real-world readiness