The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, located on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill, aims to educate the public about health, science and technology. Founded by UNC-CH alumnus John Motley Morehead III, the planetarium opened its doors in 1949.

John Motley Morehead III, a successful businessman and innovative chemist, felt indebted to university for his commercial and political accomplishments. In building the planetarium, Morehead hoped to express his gratitude to the university and expose the public to science.

Throughout the 1960s, the planetarium served as an astronaut training center. Astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, were trained in celestial navigation at the planetarium in preparation for space missions.

In the late '70s and early '80s, the planetarium expanded its access to the general public. In 2002, the planetarium further broadened its offerings to include topics such as genetics, virtual reality and nanotechnology, in addition to astronomy.

The planetarium has welcomed over 7 million visitors since 2009, and today offers a variety of exhibits and programs.

Planetarium admission is $7.68 for adults and $6.51 for children, students and senior citizens.

For more information about current program schedules, visit the planetarium's webpage linked below.

http://www.moreheadplanetarium.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&filename=show_schedule.html