See The Majesty Of The Stars In Our Backyard

Look Up - Way Up

Unlock the secrets of the universe with a visit to Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay. The David Thompson Astronomical Observatory is another great attraction adding to the entertainment mix at Fort William Historical Park. It gives you one more reason to visit the world's largest fur trade post and one of Canada's top outdoor attractions.

State of Art Facility


The Observatory is located adjacent to the Visitor Centre and features one of the largest telescopes for public viewing in Canada. The discovery centre is equipped with computers, historic navigation tools, astronomy software programs, state of the art video feed and projection systems for observing images and even a meteorite collection.

Historical Tie


The Observatory has a historical tie as the state of art structure to view the stars pays homage to David Thompson. Thompson used astronomy and mathematics to become "the greatest land geographer who ever lived."


Educational Programming


The project will serve as a space-age extension of Fort William Historical Park's current science-based programming. Fort William Historical Park is pleased to team up with the local chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society (RASC) to offer exciting programs for students, community groups and the public.

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