Montserrat Volcano Observatory

The Soufrière Hills volcano on the Caribbean island of Montserrat has been erupting since 1995. The Montserrat Volcano Observatory advises civilian authorities on the volcanic activity and allows visitors.

At the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, you can see a clear view of the Soufrière Hills volcano and associated exclusion zone, which the public is not allowed to access. Visitors can watch a film on the volcano's history and engage with various exhibits. You can see the helicopter that monitors volcanic activity land and take off from its pad.

When the volcano began to erupt in 1995, it sent lava flows and ash falls over the small island. The affected areas were evacuated and no one was killed. However, after people had resettled, the volcano went off again in 1997, this time killing 19. The volcano continued to erupt and eventually destroyed the island’s only port, its only airport, and cover the south side of the 10-mile-long island in a thick layer of ash. Many parts of the island are still off-limits because of safety issues.