Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is a national leader in informal science education, utilizing the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's resources to educate the public and promote a better understanding of science.
Since its founding in 1949 as the first planetarium on a college campus and the first in the South, millions of North Carolina students, teachers, and families β as well as visitors from around the world β have benefitted from Morehead's science programs.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Morehead played a significant role in expanding humankind's exploration of the cosmos by training 62 NASA astronauts in celestial navigation, including 11 of the 12 who walked on the Moon. Today, Morehead is inspiring the next generation of scientific explorers through top-notch educational and public programming, including fulldome planetarium shows, interactive exhibits, hands-on classes, summer camps, and statewide outreach like the annual North Carolina Science Festival.
With a commitment to advancing equitable and inclusive science learning and education through community engagement, an exceptional visitor experience, and efforts to increase workplace belonging, Morehead aspires to achieve its mission of Science for All.
