The Drake Municipal Observatory is operated jointly by the City of Des Moines and Drake University. It is located in Des Moines on the grounds of the Waveland Golf Course.

The Drake Municipal Observatory is located at 4849 Observatory Road, on the grounds of the Waveland Park golf course. The entrance is located behind the McCollum Waveland Tennis Complex off Polk Blvd. The gate will be open 15 minutes before public events. There is a small parking lot immediately next to the observatory, or you may park along the edge of the road leading up to the observatory.

If you have trouble finding the observatory on the evening of a public event, please call 515-720-9734.