Arecibo Observatory VSQ, Carretera al Observatorio de Arecibo, Las Marías I, Comunidad Riley Crespo, Esperanza, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 00612, United States of America
Scene: (large radio telescope)
Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, Old Highway 60, Socorro County, New Mexico, United States of America
Scene: (telescopes)
Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Scene: (Ocean off Japan)
Utility Road, San Bernardino County, California, United States of America
Navajo Route 8077, Chinle Agency, Apache County, Arizona, United States of America
Carreras II, Carreras, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 00616, United States of America
Yamata, Ba, Western, Viti
Scene: (beach, 2nd unit)
Socorro Historic Plaza, Socorro, Socorro County, New Mexico, 87802, United States of America
Toro Negro, Ciales, Puerto Rico, United States of America
Scene: (restaruant/bar)
Boulder Glacier Route, Whatcom County, Washington, United States of America
Ellipse Road Northwest, Downtown, Ward 2, Washington, District of Columbia, 20230, United States of America
Fairfield Inn & Suites Titusville Kennedy Space Center, 4735, Helen Hauser Boulevard, Titusville, Brevard County, Florida, 32780, United States of America
Hotel Washington, 515, 15th Street Northwest, Downtown, Ward 2, Washington, District of Columbia, 20004, United States of America
Socorro Historic Plaza, Socorro, Socorro County, New Mexico, 87802, United States of America
CBS Studio Center, Radford Avenue, Studio City Neighborhood Council District, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, 91604, United States of America
Blue Jordan Road, Frostproof, Polk County, Florida, 33843, United States of America
Florida
Arizona
New Mexico
Robert Zemeckis’s story of first contact wanted its science to feel real – so it filmed at real observatories. The vast dishes of New Mexico’s Very Large Array and the great bowl of Arecibo in Puerto Rico give the film its awe, alongside the red-rock desert of the American Southwest.
Where was Contact filmed?
Contact was filmed at real observatories – the Very Large Array in New Mexico and the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico – plus the deserts of Arizona and locations across the US.
Every Contact location, explained
1
The Very Large Array – New Mexico
Ellie Arroway’s radio-telescope work uses the real Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array near Socorro, New Mexico, its 27 dishes an unforgettable sight.
2
Arecibo – Puerto Rico
The film also used the giant dish of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, long one of the world’s largest radio telescopes.
3
The Southwest deserts
The red-rock landscapes used Arizona, including Navajo country, and the California desert.
4
Across America
Additional scenes reached from the coast of Newfoundland to locations nationwide.
Planning a visit
The Very Large Array near Socorro, New Mexico, welcomes visitors and is genuinely awe-inspiring in person – the closest you can come to standing in Ellie Arroway’s shoes.
Contact Fun Facts
1
Real telescopes, real awe The film shot at the genuine Very Large Array in New Mexico and Arecibo in Puerto Rico.
2
Arecibo is now gone The historic Arecibo dish collapsed in 2020, making the film a record of a lost landmark.
3
Based on Carl Sagan The film adapts the novel by astronomer Carl Sagan, who championed its scientific grounding.
4
A famous opening shot The film opens with a celebrated pull-back from Earth out through the cosmos.
5
A real president, digitally Archival footage placed President Clinton into the story, a then-novel effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Very Large Array real?
Yes – it’s a working radio-telescope array near Socorro, New Mexico, open to visitors.
Can you visit the locations?
Yes – the Very Large Array welcomes visitors; the Arecibo dish, sadly, collapsed in 2020.
