Meteor Crater
A privately operated visitor center and rim viewpoints explain a 50,000-year-old meteorite impact, planetary geology, and the history of proving the crater’s origin.
Artwork inspired by George Elbert Burr
Meteor Crater is about 0.7 miles across and was formed when an iron-nickel meteorite struck northern Arizona roughly 50,000 years ago. Exhibits connect shock features, displaced rock, meteorite fragments, and Eugene Shoemaker’s work to impact science and astronaut training.
Visitors cannot freely descend into the crater. Rim access is through designated overlooks and weather-dependent guided trails, with strong wind a frequent constraint. Admission is relatively expensive, so allow time for the film, exhibits, and ranger interpretation rather than treating it as a photograph stop.
- Age
- About 50,000 years
- Width
- About 0.7 miles
- Ownership
- Privately operated
Quick guide
- Interpretive pair
- Crater rim ↔ Meteorite fragments
- Closing move
- Impact-theory history
Build an evidence-led visit to Meteor Crater
- Start exhibits
- Learn the evidence for impact before the rim.
- Use model
- Connect ejecta, rim, and crater floor.
- Ask about trail
- Guided rim access depends on weather.
- Hold children
- Wind and elevation require close supervision.
Good to know
High winds may close outdoor decks or guided walks without closing the museum. The site is private; national-park passes do not apply.
Notice these
- Crater rim
- Meteorite fragments
- Impact-theory history