Tuesday Afternoon Local Excursion
For those who arrive early on Tuesday, we will be taking individuals on a tour of the Coker Arboretum which is managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden. There is no need to register for the tour. Dr. William Coker, the university’s first professor of botany, developed the arboretum for use as an outdoor classroom to study trees, shrubs and vines native to North Carolina. The arboretum is now used for educational purposes and for the public to enjoy its beauty. Come take in this or one of the many beautiful sites on campus!
Thursday Evening Excursion
The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is located on the campus of the University of North Carolina and is one of the oldest and largest planetariums in the United States. The planetarium served to train Gemini and Apollo program astronauts in celestial navigation. It now educates the public about the stars with use of its star projector which can project more than 8,000 different stars on the overhead dome. The planetarium has also developed other programs that study all branches of science. The one hour Carolina Skies Show will start at 5:30pm giving those attending time to get dinner at one of the many restaurants on nearby Franklin Street after the show.
Saturday Excursions
On Saturday, June 23, 2012, we will offer four half-day (back by 2pm) excursions for those interested in seeing areas of interest outside the UNC campus with lunch provided. They include trips to:
- The Duke Lemur Center. This special Walking with Lemurs tour is limited to two groups of about 8 people each. Groups will be able to walk through the forest for one hour with no barriers between participants and the lemurs. Be sure to bring a camera on this excursion! Cool comfortable clothing and walking shoes are a good idea too. The tour begins at 10:30am and ends at 11:30am. We will have lunch and be back to the UNC campus by 1pm.
- The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is located in Raleigh, NC and is the southeast’s newest and largest natural history museum. Participants will be introduced to the museum and then can tour the museum on their own. Come explore the natural world away from the heat!
- The Triassic Basin Fossil trip will leave in the morning and travel to Sanford, NC which is about an hour away from Chapel Hill. The group will be led by UNC Chapel Hill’s Dr. Pat Gensel, who will assist the group in looking for and collecting fossils. Good walking/hiking shoes, a hat, suncreen and water bottle (provided) will make you more comfortable on this trip. Participants should arrive back on campus by 1 or 2pm the latest.
- The Sarah P. Duke Gardens is one of the premier public gardens in the United States and is renowned for landscape design and quality of horticulture. Groups will be led by tour guides through the gardens. You don’t want to miss seeing these beautiful gardens at this time of year.