diff --git a/mesa/visualization/components/altair_components.py b/mesa/visualization/components/altair_components.py
index b610e46f0d0..f09167dff76 100644
--- a/mesa/visualization/components/altair_components.py
+++ b/mesa/visualization/components/altair_components.py
@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 """Altair based solara components for visualization mesa spaces."""
 
-import contextlib
 import warnings
 
+import altair as alt
 import solara
 
-with contextlib.suppress(ImportError):
-    import altair as alt
-
 from mesa.experimental.cell_space import DiscreteSpace, Grid
 from mesa.space import ContinuousSpace, _Grid
 from mesa.visualization.utils import update_counter
@@ -30,7 +27,7 @@ def make_altair_space(
     Args:
         agent_portrayal: Function to portray agents.
         propertylayer_portrayal: not yet implemented
-        post_process :not yet implemented
+        post_process :A user specified callable that will be called with the Chart instance from Altair. Allows for fine tuning plots (e.g., control ticks)
         space_drawing_kwargs : not yet implemented
 
     ``agent_portrayal`` is called with an agent and should return a dict. Valid fields in this dict are "color",
@@ -46,13 +43,15 @@ def agent_portrayal(a):
             return {"id": a.unique_id}
 
     def MakeSpaceAltair(model):
-        return SpaceAltair(model, agent_portrayal)
+        return SpaceAltair(model, agent_portrayal, post_process=post_process)
 
     return MakeSpaceAltair
 
 
 @solara.component
-def SpaceAltair(model, agent_portrayal, dependencies: list[any] | None = None):
+def SpaceAltair(
+    model, agent_portrayal, dependencies: list[any] | None = None, post_process=None
+):
     """Create an Altair-based space visualization component.
 
     Returns:
@@ -65,6 +64,9 @@ def SpaceAltair(model, agent_portrayal, dependencies: list[any] | None = None):
         space = model.space
 
     chart = _draw_grid(space, agent_portrayal)
+    # Apply post-processing if provided
+    if post_process is not None:
+        chart = post_process(chart)
     solara.FigureAltair(chart)
 
 
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ def _draw_grid(space, agent_portrayal):
         # no y-axis label
         "y": alt.Y("y", axis=None, type=x_y_type),
         "tooltip": [
-            alt.Tooltip(key, type=alt.utils.infer_vegalite_type([value]))
+            alt.Tooltip(key, type=alt.utils.infer_vegalite_type_for_pandas([value]))
             for key, value in all_agent_data[0].items()
             if key not in invalid_tooltips
         ],
diff --git a/mesa/visualization/solara_viz.py b/mesa/visualization/solara_viz.py
index f5fde84b1a3..23d603aa820 100644
--- a/mesa/visualization/solara_viz.py
+++ b/mesa/visualization/solara_viz.py
@@ -97,7 +97,11 @@ def SolaraViz(
           reduce update frequency,resulting in faster execution.
     """
     if components == "default":
-        components = [components_altair.make_altair_space()]
+        components = [
+            components_altair.make_altair_space(
+                agent_portrayal=None, propertylayer_portrayal=None, post_process=None
+            )
+        ]
     if model_params is None:
         model_params = {}
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index be0dc4a3139..b9739c917da 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ network = [
 viz = [
   "matplotlib",
   "solara",
+  "altair",
 ]
 # Dev and CI stuff
 dev = [
diff --git a/tests/test_solara_viz.py b/tests/test_solara_viz.py
index 3b8d82fb7bc..6e25502e0b7 100644
--- a/tests/test_solara_viz.py
+++ b/tests/test_solara_viz.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 import mesa
 import mesa.visualization.components.altair_components
 import mesa.visualization.components.matplotlib_components
+from mesa.space import MultiGrid
+from mesa.visualization.components.altair_components import make_altair_space
 from mesa.visualization.components.matplotlib_components import make_mpl_space_component
 from mesa.visualization.solara_viz import (
     Slider,
@@ -101,17 +103,22 @@ def test_call_space_drawer(mocker):  # noqa: D103
         mesa.visualization.components.altair_components, "SpaceAltair"
     )
 
+    class MockAgent(mesa.Agent):
+        def __init__(self, model):
+            super().__init__(model)
+
     class MockModel(mesa.Model):
         def __init__(self, seed=None):
             super().__init__(seed=seed)
+            self.grid = MultiGrid(width=10, height=10, torus=True)
+            a = MockAgent(self)
+            self.grid.place_agent(a, (5, 5))
 
     model = MockModel()
-    mocker.patch.object(mesa.Model, "__init__", return_value=None)
 
-    agent_portrayal = {
-        "marker": "circle",
-        "color": "gray",
-    }
+    def agent_portrayal(agent):
+        return {"marker": "o", "color": "gray"}
+
     propertylayer_portrayal = None
     # initialize with space drawer unspecified (use default)
     # component must be rendered for code to run
@@ -131,7 +138,33 @@ def __init__(self, seed=None):
     solara.render(SolaraViz(model))
     # should call default method with class instance and agent portrayal
     assert mock_space_matplotlib.call_count == 0
-    assert mock_space_altair.call_count == 0
+    assert mock_space_altair.call_count == 1  # altair is the default method
+
+    # checking if SpaceAltair is working as intended with post_process
+
+    mock_post_process = mocker.MagicMock()
+    solara.render(
+        SolaraViz(
+            model,
+            components=[
+                make_altair_space(
+                    agent_portrayal,
+                    propertylayer_portrayal,
+                    mock_post_process,
+                )
+            ],
+        )
+    )
+
+    args, kwargs = mock_space_altair.call_args
+    assert args == (model, agent_portrayal)
+    assert kwargs == {"post_process": mock_post_process}
+    mock_post_process.assert_called_once()
+    assert mock_space_matplotlib.call_count == 0
+
+    mock_space_altair.reset_mock()
+    mock_space_matplotlib.reset_mock()
+    mock_post_process.reset_mock()
 
     # specify a custom space method
     class AltSpace: