Escape into outer space at the Morehead Planetarium & Science Center in Chapel Hill! For stargazers, space enthusiasts and the like, the planetarium opens up the skies and now other science fields such as genetics, virtual reality and nanotechnology.
In the late 1930s John Motley Morehead III decided he owed his alma mater, the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, a debt of gratitude. The 1891 graduate proposed the gift of a planetarium and brought a Harvard Astronomer to the area for a consult. That astronomer, Harlow Shapley, agreed North Carolinians were in need of astronomical education. So they built a planetarium!
It offers special events and programs around the year ranging from the annual black-tie Jupiter Ball to monthly sky-watching sessions and classes.
The planetarium is open for business Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Friday from 10-5 p.m. and 6:30-9 p.m., Saturday 10-5 and 6:30-9:30 and Sunday 12:30-5 p.m. Admission is free to members, adult non-members pay $6 and children and seniors pay $5. Tickets go on sale a half hour before show times.
The planetarium recently expanded is mission (2002) to encompass other sciences and was renamed from the Morehead Planetarium to the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. The planetarium started a different program in 2000 called Destiny. Destiny is a Traveling Science Learning Program, a formal science education initiative, for pre-college teachers and student all over North Carolina. The year-round program brings effective science learning to students and provides support for teachers. It started in 2000 and has served thousands over the years. In 2005-06, the program served 8,363 students in 158 schools across the state and trained 455 teachers.
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is located in downtown Raleigh on Bicentennial Plaza between the Capitol building and the Legislature Building. The museum focuses on the naturally occurring activities and phenomena in North Carolina and teaches visitors about the southern world.
It features exhibits such as “The Ocean World” and reports on things such as the courtship rituals of the American woodcock. Like many museums, it is designed to educate visitors in a variety of ways – increasing the public’s understanding and appreciation of their natural environment. It emphasizes the biodiversity of N.C. and other southeastern areas of the United States and relates those areas to the world as a whole.
General admission is free, but there is a cover charge for special exhibits and children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult. It’s a handicap accessible facility, and wheelchairs may be checked out at the front desk free of charge, and there are Assistive Listening Devices for the hard of hearing visitors.
11 W. Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Ph: 919.733.7450
It’s open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. On the first Friday of every month the museum stays open until 9 p.m. On Mondays, the Discovery Room, Living Conservatory and the Naturalist Center are closed.
There is a museum store, offering a wide assortment of books, videos, gems, jewelry, cassette tapes, science kits, toy and more!!
The Acro Café, located on the fourth floor, serves breakfast from 8-10 a.m. Monday-Saturday, they also serve lunch and can provide lunch boxes for groups visiting the facility. It’s open from 8-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and Noon-4:30 p.m. Sundays.
The museum is closed on major holidays and a few other days throughout the year. But it’s available for rental – a room, a floor or even the entire museum!
North Carolina Museum of History
The North Carolina Museum of History encourages visitors to discover the past, diving into the storied history of North Carolina. It boasts a collection of 150,000 artifacts representing six centuries and encompassing objects relevant to the state’s history. It is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of North Carolina artifacts.
Most programs are free of charge and will be noted if there is cost associated. The museum, located in downtown Raleigh between the Capitol and Legislative buildings, hours are Tuesday through Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
North Carolina American Indian History, N.C. Women’s History, Pre-Sixteenth-Century N.C., Sixteenth-Century N.C., Seventeenth-, Eighteenth-, Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century North Carolina are the featured events and timelines in North Carolina history at the museum.
The gift shop is the place to purchase educational souvenirs and gifts, reflecting the heritage of North Carolina, including books, videos, music, specialty foods, jewelry, toys, pottery and even sports memorabilia. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
The Museum of History hosts several events throughout the calendar year, including but not limited to wedding receptions, concerts, theatre productions, and even business meetings. It is committed to providing an enjoyable experience for all visitors, so there are large-print brochures and sign language interpreters, wheelchair access and more. Wheelchairs are available free of charge at the information desk.
North Carolina Museum of Art
The North Carolina Museum of Art has a collection dated back to 1947 when is used $1 million in state fund for the purchase of art, including 139 European and American paintings and sculpture. In 1960, the Samuel H. Kress Foundation appropriated funds to purchase 75 more works. The museum opened in 1956 in a renovated state office building in downtown Raleigh. In 1983, it got a new home at its present location on Blue Ridge Road.
The Museum of Art is known for its European collection, displaying works from the Renaissance through impressionism, including works by Giotto, Sandro Botticelli, Raphael, Anthony van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens, Claude Monet and more! Other features include a Modern Gallery, an African Gallery, an Ancient collection, American Art, Ancient American Gallery (displaying works from ancient civilizations of Mexico, South and Central America, and more), Jewish ceremonial art and an Oceanic Gallery. There are more than 5,000 piece of art, continuously rotated due to the loaning of art to other institutions as well as conservation and preservation of the works.
Museum hours are Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday from 9-5 p.m. Friday the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays. It is closed on the 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
2110 Blue Ridge Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
Admission to the Museum of Art is free, but there is a special charge for exhibitions and some programs (e.g.: concerts, films, classes, performances and more). The museum is accessible to all, for guided tours and for visitors with disabilities.
Free guided walk-in tours are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Special exhibits are not included in these tours. Other guided tours are offered Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the hour with reservations. Reservations for groups of 10 or more must be made three weeks in advance.
There is a museum store on the premises, featuring books, posters, jewelry and other art-related merchandise. There is also a restaurant, Blue Ridge, offering diners visuals arts to accompany their food. Blue Ridge may be reserved for special events and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday from 5:30-10 p.m. (last seating at 8:30 p.m.) and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.