E.E. Barnard discovered IC 4564 on 20 Aug 1890 in a sextet (5 in IC) with the 12-inch refractor at Lick Observatory. He noted "slightly faint, round, gbM." and placed it accurately in his notebook sketch (published in 1906).

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/27/98): faint, fairly small, elongated 5:3 ~E-W, 1.0'x0.6', broad concentration. A couple of mag 15 stars are 1' preceding. This galaxy is the third of four on a line including IC 4562 5.6' WSW and IC 4566 3.0' ENE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb