national radio astronomy observatory

Excellent side trip. Very educational and I learned a lot. Great place for kids of all. I enjoyed the self - guided tout, but only drawback was that there were no people to get questions answered.

The railroad that they use to move the dishes is amazing, and the dishes are awesome. A must see. The outdoor exhibits are great

The drive from Socorro to the VLA takes about 50 minutes and the vistas are amazing. Then, the VLA itself is mind boggling. We managed to stuff our brains with as much information as they could hold and were blown away by the scope of the research done there. It is not for young children but teens would get a lot out of it.

The VLA (very large array) has been in quite a few films the most famous was with Jodie Foster in "Contact" . Do not expect a Smithsonian type visitors center but it is well down with a small gift shop and an auditorium with seating for about 30. The documentary is about 20 minutes and very informative.It is located 60 from Socorro NM which is close to Bosque del Apache the bird wildlife sanctuary. It was a good hour spent there enroutee to AZ from Socorro.

This remarkable place sits out in the middle of the valley floor. Coming west from Magdalena you will come over a hill and the whole valley is laid out before you with the telescopes sitting out before you. The visitor center is interesting and self guided so you can spend as much time as you wish looking around. The movie "Contact" was filmed here and there are a number of pictures of the filming in the visitor center. The scientific information is presented in an understandable fashion and the explanations are easy to understand for non-scientific minds, but there's enough to please scientific minds as well. We thoroughly enjoyed this our second visit and would recommend a visit here. Well worth the time and drive.

We intentionally planned the route of our cross country trip to allow for a stop here. With all the major historical sites we took our three teenage sons to, this one really excited them. There really isn't a lot to do there, but it is awesome to see from a distance and close up. Be sure to watch the film in the visitor center before embarking on the self-guided tour.

The drive to the middle of nowhere to see this amazing place was well worth it. I learned so much and had no idea this was part of a worldwide network. I new of it from the movie contact. The lady in the gift shop was very helpful and I enjoyed the walking tour

Tour the VLA and see how they move the "telescope" around on railroad tracks. This isolated spot is perfect for star gazing too if you happen to be there after dark.

I've been a science teacher for 13+ years and having taught astronomy to my students, it was a dream come true to actually see VLA. I've showed pictures and taught my kids about this observatory, but to be there, see it, experience it and take pictures of my own it was simply magical! A must if you're in the area!!!

Everyone must visit this site. Even bring the kiddos! There are plenty of things for the kids with interactive displays

There are 27 dish antennas each about 25 meters in diameter that scan the cosmic skies for unusual discoveries as well as scientific data of the atmosphere and galaxies. This is truly a scientific marvel that has found a home in the vast plains of New Mexico. The movie that gives the most information about the VLA project is about 23 minutes long. This particular set of VLAs has been in at least 7 different Hollywood movies. There is a display regarding the making of some of these movies. Patrons can walk along a self guided tour to get an idea of how large these telescopes are and how they are maintained. You can even go to their website for more information about the capabilities and nature of maintaining and information from these astrological wonders.

It is just like in the movie Contact. The discs are huge & rather a ballet act as they change position.

Amazing setting for exploring the universe. Huge radio telescopes on rail road lines. Fantastic photo opportunities.

This was our second visit here in 10 years. I was just as amazed as I was 10 years ago of the technology. It is good to see our government upgrade existing technology rather than scrap it. The exhibits can take you as deep into the technology as you want to go. They are designed for the novice and expert as well. Our visits always generate great conversations between us!

The VLA is out of the way, 1 h drive from Socorro NM, but it is totally worth visiting it. The visitor center has souvenirs, exhibitions and some movies. The place is visited via self-guided paths which go pretty close to the radio telescopes. My family and I really enjoyed it, including my 3 year old son.