Undergraduate laboratories rarely involve lanthanide coordination chemistry. This is unfortunate in light of the ease with which many of these complexes are made and the interesting and instructive photophysical properties they entail. The forbidden nature of the 4f transitions associated with the lanthanides is overcome by incorporation of ligands capable of energy transfer. In this experiment, students are exposed to the role of UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy in probing the energy levels of the electronic states associated with the ligands and the metals. This experiment works well for students working in teams of two and can be accomplished in two 3-h laboratory periods. (Contains 3 figures and 1 scheme.)