# Event Details - **Event Name**: Very Large Array Spring Open House - **Event Start and End Date**: Sat, 18 Apr, 2026 at 09:00 am – Sat, 18 Apr, 2026 at 04:00 pm (-06:00) - **Event Description**: In the deserts of New Mexico, 27 giant telescope dishes point toward the stars, studying the Universe ... and YOU can get up-close and personal with them! Please join us at the Very Large Array (📍Magdalena, New Mexico) for our FREE Spring Open House. 🗓️ Saturday, April 18 ⏰ 10 AM - 4 PM 📍 NRAO Very Large Array - Magdalena, NM While the VLA is open daily for visitors, Open Houses include special extras: talks, guided tours, crafts, and food trucks. Come meet the scientists/engineers behind groundbreaking discoveries! Admission is free, but advance tickets are required: https://nraoepo.ticketapp.org/portal/product/36 PS. This year, the VLA Spring Open House also happens to fall on "Raptor Awareness Day." 🔭🦖 Dino fans welcome! ------ 📡 Guided Tours 📡 Guided tours will be given by NRAO scientists and engineers every half hour between 10 AM – 3 PM (final tour at 3:00). 💬 Talks by Experts 💬 10 AM - Pieter Kotze, Systems Engineer Sr. – "The Next Generation Very Large Array" 11 AM - Joe McMullin, Assistant Director, New Mexico Operations – “Radio Astronomy in New Mexico” 12 PM - Jill Malusky, News & Public Information Manager – "The Very Large Co‑Star: NRAO Telescopes on Screen" 1 PM - Dana Dunbar, ngVLA Antenna Lead – "The Next Generation Very Large Array" (Repeated!) 2 PM - Joe McMullin, Assistant Director, New Mexico Operations – “Radio Astronomy in New Mexico” (Repeated!) 3 PM - Jill Malusky, News & Public Information Manager – "The Very Large Co‑Star: NRAO Telescopes on Screen" (Repeated!) 🎨 Family-Friendly Activities 🎨 DIY Kaleidoscopes Straw Rockets Make Your Own Button Ultraviolet Bead Bracelets 🍽️ Food Trucks On-Site 🍽️ Red Wagon Coffee Co. Mart's Mexican and More Sancho's Hot Rod Kitchen ------ Want to keep the party going? We have more events happening the same day, after the Open House! 🎦 Movie Screening of "Contact" 🎦 ⏰ 5:00 PM Join us in the cafeteria for a screening of the 1997 film that brought the Very Large Array to the big screen! No tickets necessary; seating is first-come, first-served. 🌌 VLA Star Party 🌌 ⏰ 8 - 10 PM In the evening, we'll be hosting the VLA's second-ever Star Party. Our dark skies are perfect for stargazing! NRAO staff will have several optical telescopes set up and you may also bring your own. Free, but tickets required. Star Party event link here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1670976170760939 - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/magdalena/very-large-array-spring-open-house/200029771148909 - **Event Categories**: entertainment, parties, food-drinks - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 1325 ## Ticket Details ## Event venue details - **city**: Magdalena - **state**: NM - **country**: United States - **location**: NRAO Very Large Array - Old Hwy 60, Magdalena, NM 87825 - **lat**: 34.073415 - **long**: -107.622468 - **full address**: NRAO Very Large Array - Old Hwy 60, Magdalena, NM 87825, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Very Large Array Spring Open House - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/b02e1473c845423c6763ac04849fd6834cf6d89a7ec10f5141b01a673b9cfcc0-rimg-w1200-h800-dca8acbb-gmir?v=1775740345 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Very Large Array Spring Open House being held? - **A:** Very Large Array Spring Open House takes place on Sat, 18 Apr, 2026 at 09:00 am to Sat, 18 Apr, 2026 at 04:00 pm at NRAO Very Large Array - Old Hwy 60, Magdalena, NM 87825, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Very Large Array Spring Open House? - **A:** Very Large Array Spring Open House is organized by National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Very Large Array Spring Open House is ideal for art lovers, trade professionals, collectors, and exhibition enthusiasts exploring the latest in their field. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Magdalena, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. With 1,300+ people already showing interest, this is clearly an event worth adding to your calendar - don't miss out. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Very Large Array Spring Open House", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/b02e1473c845423c6763ac04849fd6834cf6d89a7ec10f5141b01a673b9cfcc0-rimg-w1200-h800-dca8acbb-gmir?v=1775740345", "startDate": "2026-04-18T09:00:00-06:00", "endDate": "2026-04-18T16:00:00-06:00", "url": "https://allevents.in/magdalena/very-large-array-spring-open-house/200029771148909", "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "NRAO Very Large Array - Old Hwy 60, Magdalena, NM 87825", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "Vla Gift Shop, Vla Rd, Magdalena, NM 87825, United States", "addressLocality": "Magdalena", "addressRegion": "NM", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "34.073415", "longitude": "-107.622468" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "In the deserts of New Mexico, 27 giant telescope dishes point toward the stars, studying the Universe ... and YOU can get up-close and personal with them! \n\nPlease join us at the Very Large Array (📍Magdalena, New Mexico) for our FREE Spring Open House.\n\n\n🗓️ Saturday, April 18\n⏰ 10 AM - 4 PM\n📍 NRAO V", "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/national-radio-astronomy-observatory-nrao/5452235", "description": "The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc." } ] } ] ```