Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is a unit of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The Morehead Building houses the GSK Fulldome Theater, as well as the Science Stage, exhibits, and Morehead classrooms. The UNC Visitors Center, Morehead-Cain Foundation and UNC Morehead Observatory are also in the Morehead Building. In front of Morehead, along Franklin Street, you will find our large iconic sundial.
The Morehead Building and planetarium was built as a gift from John Motley Morehead III, UNC class of 1891. Since the planetarium opened in 1949, millions of North Carolina students, teachers and families, as well as visitors from around the world, have benefited from Morehead science programs. Our most famous visitors were the U.S. astronauts in training for Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions, including the astronauts who walked on the Moon.
Many of the planetarium's shows are original productions, written and designed by Morehead's production team.
Morehead's programs include classes for adults and children, special courses for teachers, summer camps for children, afterschool programs, memberships, public viewings of astronomical events and public lectures. Since 2010, Morehead has produced the North Carolina Science Festival. Between traditional onsite offerings and its state outreach, Morehead serves more than a half million people every year.
