Michael Albrecht’s Tour of the Universe

Llano resident, world traveler Michael Albrecht enriches audiences at sea and Lakeshore Library

Enquiring minds who want to know what enrichment speaker Michael Albrecht has to say about topics from superclusters of galaxies to sub-atomic particles, and everything in between, can take a worldwide cruise—or catch him at Lakeshore Library in Buchanan Dam. Albrecht’s Tour of the Universe presentations also travel to retirement centers, memory care centers, national and state parks, and schools. 

The 70-year-old Llano resident spoke on medieval Andalusian Spanish Astronomy at Lakeshore Library in December—a new topic for him. He plans to introduce it to a cross-Atlantic cruise audience sometime this spring.

“Not a lot of people know about the influence Islam and the Arabic culture have had on astronomy,” he said. “I see it as a big gap in understanding, and I want to fill that gap. That’s partly what I like to do: educate people about things they probably haven’t heard about.” 

His topics include “anything that ties astronomy and history under the rubric of the history of science,” he said. Although he also has presentations on Big Bend National Park, Boston and Massachusetts, the Pacific Coastline of Costa Rica, Easter Island, and more. His audiences range from around 20 to 30 at libraries and retirement centers to several hundred on board cruise ships. He loves them all.

“I like small, low-lit venues that are intimate and cozy where everybody can hear,” he said when at Lakeshore Library on Dec. 12. “It’s also exhilarating to walk on a big stage of a cruise ship, where the night before, a near Broadway-level production was performed.” 

Some of his favorite audiences are those in memory care. 

“Since I was a kid, I liked talking to the elderly,” he said. “I like hearing their stories and their comments. I love seeing the excitement on their faces when they are reintroduced to memories and things they’ve done, especially the memory care patients. It nudges them along. Helps their minds work.” 

His quest for knowledge and passion for sharing it began as a young man growing up in Falls Church, Virginia, where he picked up winter jobs shoveling snow for neighbors. 

“I knocked on a lot of doors and met a lot of elderly people, and I felt the need to talk to them and care for them,” he said. “Now, I’m one of them.” 

His father, G. Fred Albrecht, worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and took his kids on regular excursions to the National Gallery and all the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C. Trips around Europe were added after a move to Frankfurt, Germany, during the Cold War. Michael took his first cruise at the age of 3. 

“I remember the salty air and the motion of the ship,” he said. “Not much else at that time.”

All family adventures were photographed and presented later in family slide shows. 

“Dad was always taking pictures with his various 35mm cameras,” Albrecht continued. “His slide shows are part of my fondest memories of my life growing up. Between all the museums and the slides, that got me interested in the world.” 

Albrecht earned a degree from Sul Ross State University, majoring in history and minoring in geology. 

“But my passion is astronomy,” he said. “That covers the history of the universe, the history of the planet, and the humans on this planet. That’s why I came up with the name Tour of the Universe. It covers just about everything.” 

Before launching his “touring” career, Albrecht worked as a deck hand on an oil supply vessel in the Gulf of Mexico and taught earth science in Texas public schools. 

“I was 21 years old when I moved to Austin in 1976,” he said. “I was still figuring out what to do in life. I hooked up with services for the elderly and worked with folks who lived alone.” 

He also worked a long stint at the Texas Department of Agriculture as a technical writer. He still freelances for consulting firms in the smart infrastructure industry. 

The first stops on the Tour of the Universe were in Austin nursing homes in the 1980s. 

“The conditions in those old nursing homes back then were unpleasant for everyone,” Albrecht said. “I felt a continuation of my concern for the elderly and thought I would give them some entertainment. I put together a show and gave it to them for free.” 

High-end nursing homes began to open up in Central Texas, and “lo and behold,” he said, “they insisted on paying me.” 

Ironically, the pandemic in 2020 boosted his business. All live entertainment in nursing homes was halted, but Albrecht and his audiences got together anyway via live streaming. He expanded into presenting online nationwide. Once retirement communities reopened their doors to the public, his business slowed. He filled the gap with cruise ships. 

Albrecht and his wife, Shirley Powers, travel together on several cruises a year. She’s a certified Master Florist and event planner. On board the luxury liners, he gives a show every sea day. On port days, the couple visits museums and adds to Albrecht’s research. 

Current topics listed on touroftheuniverse.com include space tourism, great galaxies, lunar and Mars explorations, Mayan and Aztec astronomy and calendars, and the theory of relativity, just to name a few in the out-of-this-world genre. The ever-growing list also includes history, geography, cultures, and the theory of relativity, among many more. 

When asked about his extensive knowledge (does he know everything?), Albrecht turned to a research topic.

“I would refer you to Albert Einstein for the answer to that question,” he said. “Einstein said that he’s not so much a genius, he’s just curious.” 

Albrecht’s presentations are sparked by curiosity, informed by extensive research, and delivered with wit and wisdom. He offers a look at the mysteries of the universe through the eyes of the common man. 

“I don’t know anything by any means, nobody does,” Albrecht said. “I investigate things, anything that catches my interest. I spend hours of research on my laptop, and then I do a show on it.”

Go see one.

A Tour of the Universe can be booked for any group size, from one person to several hundred. For more information, visit touroftheuniverse.com.