Morehead Planetarium and Science Center announces $5.2 million renovation

Campus Updates – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Get ready to reimagine the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.
Morehead officials on Thursday announced plans for a $5.2 million renovation to turn the nearly 70-year-old building at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill into a modern-day, technology-advanced science hub.
“Our planetarium has a wonderful, long and storied history,” Chancellor Carol L. Folt told about 200 people who gathered to celebrate the announcement. “This is so important, so valuable and this is cherished by thousands and thousands of children and families every single year.”
Gov. Roy Cooper joined Folt, Morehead officials and others at the planetarium and science center for a reception to launch the renovation project. The event celebrated science, technology, engineering and math. At the event, Cooper signed a proclamation declaring April as STEM Education Month.
Cooper said education, particularly STEM education, opens the doors for people’s futures.
“That provides careers for people to support their families and it also helps to provide the services to make lives better for everyone,” Cooper said.
The renovation celebration also featured live science demonstrations and space-themed snacks, such as moon cheese and Tang cupcakes. At the end of the event, thousands of colorful ping pong balls were blasted off onto the West lawn outside of Morehead’s soon-to-be main entrance.
The original construction of Morehead Planetarium was completed in 1949. The building, which hosts about 160,000 visitors a year, has not had significant upgrades to its teaching and exhibit spaces since then.
Renovation plans call for moving the main entrance to the building’s west end facing McCorkle Place; a reconfigured lobby space; an exhibit hall that will pay tribute to UNC-Chapel Hill’s history as a pioneer of science exploration; an interactive “maker space” that’s part exhibit, part program; an updated science demonstration stage and expanded exhibit galleries showcasing the advances researchers are making in science, health and technology.
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