Old Naval Observatory

The Old Naval Observatory stands at 23rd and E Street in Northwest Washington, D.C., where it served as home to the United States Naval Observatory from 1844 until 1893.

About Old Naval Observatory

The original observatory building was constructed in 1839–40 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965. The Washington meridian of 1850 passes directly through the site.

History

Founded in 1843, the Naval Observatory operated from this location until 1893, when it relocated to its present grounds elsewhere in the city. The surrounding campus later split into two parts: the Potomac Annex, home to the observatory building itself atop a hill, and the E Street Complex, also known as Navy Hill, on lower ground to the west; the E Street Complex was itself designated a National Historical Landmark in December 2016. For many years the campus housed the Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, which moved out in 2012, after which the property passed to the State Department.

Location & getting there

The site sits in Northwest Washington, D.C., at the corner of 23rd and E Street, within easy reach of the city's other historic and government landmarks.

Visiting Old Naval Observatory

As State Department property with landmark status, public access is limited; check current listings or the GSA's Potomac Hill campus page before planning a visit.

See your named star from here

The Washington meridian that runs through this historic site was once the reference line for American star charts, a fitting link to the precise coordinates that come with every star named through Star Register. Name a star or browse the catalogue of named stars.