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Tours

1. Campus Vehicle Tour

   Welcome to Carolina! We hope you enjoy touring our campus from the comfort of your vehicle, and please refrain from stopping to avoid traffic backups.

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   1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

      Welcome to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Chartered in 1789, Carolina is the nation’s first public university and is the only public university to award degrees in the 18th century. From the comfort of your vehicle, you will see locations that exemplify the University’s history as well as the exciting innovation that takes place on our beautiful campus. Carolina is a very special place, and we are excited to share it with you.

   2. Forest Theatre, Koch Memorial

      300 S. Boundary St.
      Chapel Hill, NC 27514

      In 1916, the university celebrated the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death by holding outdoor dramas in Battle Park, an old growth forest on the edge of Carolina’s campus on Country Club Road. Several years later, when Frederick Koch joined the faculty to teach playwriting, the University built a permanent stone amphitheatre, Forest Theatre, in the southwest corner of Battle Park. With funding from the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration, the theatre was rebuilt in 1940. In 1953, the university dedicated the theatre to Koch, who founded PlayMakers Repertory Company, calling it “an open air palace of light and sound, haunt of birds and breezes and human voices, home of natural beauty, poetry and drama, set upon the warm earth, in enduring stone, to commemorate an ardent genius. The Forest Theatre is surrounded by Battle Park’s 93 acres of mostly primordial forest. The outdoor theater has hosted folk dramas written by famed Carolina alumni Thomas Wolfe and Paul Green, and groups continue to perform at the theatre to this day.

   3. Jackson Hall

      UNC-Chapel Hill Undergraduate Admissions
      108 Country Club Road
      Chapel Hill, NC 27514

      Bldg Number: 153

      Year Built: 1942

      Departments: Undergraduate Admissions

      Staff in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, housed in Jackson Hall, provide information and campus tours to prospective undergraduate students and their families and receive almost 20,000 visitors each year. Originally known as Navy Hall, Jackson Hall was completed in 1942 by the United States Navy to support the Navy Pre-Flight School, the Naval ROTC program and the V-12 programs. The building was renamed in 1992 to honor Dr. Blyden Jackson, who became the university's first African-American tenured professor in 1969, and his wife Roberta Jackson, who was hired in 1970 as an associate professor of education and later became the Division of Academic Affairs’ first tenured African-American female faculty member.

   4. Old East Residence Hall

      Old East Residence Hall
      203 E. Cameron Ave.
      Chapel Hill, NC 27514

      Building Number: 114

      Old East is the first public university building in the nation. The cornerstone was laid on Oct. 12, 1793, which is marked as the University's birthday. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966. It was originally a multipurpose building with dormitory rooms and classrooms. The University’s first student to enroll, Hinton James, moved into Old East in January 1795. Today, a renovated Old East houses students as a residence hall.

      Hall Details

      • Year Built: 1795
      • Hall Population: 67
      • Elevator: Yes
      • Fire Safety: Smoke detectors, alarms and sprinkler system
      • Resident Advisors: 2
      • Amenities: study rooms, kitchen and ice machine, laundry, TV room, lounges, vending machines

      Room Details

      • Average Room Measurements: 12' x 14'
      • Window Measurements: First Floor: 84" x 44", Second Floor: 64" X 44", Third Floor: 56" X 44"
      • Window Coverings: Horizontal blinds
      • Air-Conditioning: Central A/C in all rooms
      • Furniture: Movable dressers, desks and study chairs. Movable beds may be bunked or lofted; no self-built lofts permitted.
      • Closet: Closet with door
      • Mattress Size: 80" long, 36" wide, 6" deep

   5. Old Well

      The Old Well, at the heart of campus, is the iconic visual symbol for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The scene of wedding proposals, graduation photos and treasured Carolina traditions, the Old Well sits on the site of the primary water source for the University’s first 100 years.

      In 1897, the well was given its present decorative form at the direction of President Erwin A. Alderman, who described his beautification project as largely derived from the Temple of Love in the Garden of Versailles.

      In 1954 the well was given added beauty with brick walks, plantings, and benches. Students have a Carolina tradition to drink from the Old Well on the first day of classes to bring good luck — and good grades.

   6. Memorial Hall

      Carolina Performing Arts - Memorial Hall
      140 E. Cameron Avenue
      Chapel Hill, NC 27514

      Building Number: 027

      Year Built: 1931

      At Carolina, the arts are for everyone. The University supports the arts’ fundamental role in Carolina’s culture and campus life through the Arts Everywhere initiative. As one of the University’s premier artistic venues, Memorial Hall is home to Carolina Performing Arts, which offers world-class performances of music, dance and theater, innovative forms of cultural and artistic expression, and lectures by some of today’s most influential speakers. The original gothic structure was erected in 1885 and was replaced in 1931 with this Colonial Revival building. Outside is the Carolina Alumni Memorial in Memory of Those Lost in Military Service and, on a stone stand, the bronze Book of Names, listing all known alumni who perished in military service from the Civil War to present day. For information about performances, visit carolinaperformingarts.org .

      Memorial Hall served the campus and community well for 70 years before a 2005 partnership between the State of North Carolina and hundreds of generous donors culminated in its transformation. In that time, the stage saw the likes of Louis Armstrong and his Dixieland All-Stars, poets Robert Frost and Maya Angelou, and the national tours of Broadway musicals such as Grease. Today, the Carolina Performing Arts Series expounds on that great history by offering world-class performances of music, dance and theater, innovative cultural and artistic expression, and lectures. In 2009, Memorial Hall welcomed the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet in the Ballet’s first ever performance in the Southeast.

      Learn more about this building

   7. Hanes Art Center and Ackland Art Museum

      Hanes Art Center was completed in 1985 and is the hub for Carolina’s art and art history programs. Students learn and create in the 45,000 square-foot facility’s classrooms and photography, printmaking, painting and electronic media studios. The Center also features the Joseph Curtis Sloane Art Library and the Visual Resources Library. Visitors may view exhibited artworks in the John and June Allcott Gallery. For hours of operation, visit art.unc.edu .

      Ackland Art Museum features a year-round calendar of special exhibitions and engaging public programs and encourages visitors to engage with the rich legacy of the artistic past as well as with living artists from around the world. With an encyclopedic collection of over 19,000 works of art spanning time and culture, the Ackland is uniquely able to advance the University’s teaching and research missions. Visit Ackland Art Museum for hours of operation.

   8. UNC Visitors Center

      As Carolina’s front door, the UNC Visitors Center is the gateway to discovering the many stories and hallmarks of the nation’s first public university. For more than 30 years, the Visitors Center has welcomed guests from all over the state, country and globe. In 2020, the Visitors Center opened its new location on Franklin Street to greet guests in a dynamic and interactive environment that engages and educates them, further connecting the University with North Carolina and beyond.

      The UNC Visitors Center
      134 E. Franklin St
      Chapel Hill, NC 27514

   9. McCorkle Place

      McCorkle Place is one of the most historic areas of campus and is known for its beauty and lush trees. It is also home to many monuments, such as the Speaker Ban Monument, which honors student leaders who spoke out against the 1963 Speaker Ban Law and highlights the University’s tradition of free speech. Also located in McCorkle Place is the Unsung Founders Memorial. It honors the countless enslaved and free people of color who helped construct the University’s oldest buildings—many of which are in this part of campus–and served its students and faculty during the University’s early years.

      McCorkle Place is named for Samuel McCorkle, a Presbyterian minister and educator who grew up in Salisbury, North Carolina. He studied at David Caldwell’s academy in Greensboro and graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1772. He campaigned in the late eighteenth century for a state-supported university in North Carolina.

   10. Morehead Planetarium

       Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
       222 E. Franklin St.
       Chapel Hill, NC 27514

       Building Number: 152

       Year Built: 1949

       As the largest fulldome planetarium in the southeastern United States, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center welcomes nearly 160,000 visitors each year and provides outreach programs across the state. It opened in 1949 as a gift of John Motley Morehead III, Class of 1891, who wanted to provide the people of his home state with the best possible resources for science education. The planetarium influenced our national legacy of space exploration by acting as a training site for 62 U.S. astronauts from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions, including 11 of the 12 men who walked on the moon. The building also houses the Morehead-Cain Foundation, which Morehead established in 1945 as the first merit-based scholarship in the nation. Each year, UNC-Chapel Hill welcomes approximately 70 new Morehead-Cain Scholars from across North Carolina, the United States and the world.

       The Morehead Planetarium building and grounds — complete with a 68-foot, domed Star Theater, scientific exhibits and classrooms, 24-inch reflecting telescope and observation decks, Visitors' Center, art galleries, rose gardens and the massive sundial — were built for students of all ages with all interests.

       For Morehead Planetarium hours, visit moreheadplanetarium.org .

   11. Kenan Residence Community

       Carolina houses more than 8,500 undergraduate and graduate students in 46 residence halls across north campus, mid-campus and south campus. All first-year students are required to live on campus, and there are many housing options and room styles available. Visit housing.unc.edu to learn more.

   12. Davis, Walter Royal Library

       Davis Library
       208 Raleigh Street
       Campus Box 3916
       Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3916

       Building Number: 080

       Davis Library, named for Walter R. Davis, is the largest educational facility in the state and most comprehensive library on campus. Davis Library has eight floors that house maps, microforms and government information. On the second floor are the Research Hub and “Liquid Labs” where visitors can call up any Google Earth destination in a surround-screen environment. The floors at Davis get progressively quieter as you move up. For library hours, visit library.unc.edu .

   13. Graham, Frank Porter Student Union

       Carolina Union
       209 South Road
       Chapel Hill, NC 27514

       Building Number: 065

       Year Built: 1968

       The Frank Porter Graham Student Union, also called the Carolina Union, is home to more than 950 student organizations and provides programs, services and facilities for all members of the Carolina campus community. The Union’s meeting rooms and lounge areas are popular spots for students to study, meet with friends, eat and relax.

   14. Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower

       Rising 172 feet, the Bell Tower was built in 1931, a gift of John Motley Morehead, Class of 1891, and Rufus Lenoir Patterson II. The university dedicated the bell tower on Thanksgiving Day, 1931.

       The Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower is surrounded by a hedge and lawn designed by William C. Coker, botany professor and creator of the campus Arboretum. The tower's belfry once contained a carillon of twelve manually operated bells; now there are fourteen mechanized ones. The largest bell is inscribed "Governor John Motley Morehead," the tower creator's grandfather, and the second largest bears the name of William Lenoir. Both men played prominent roles in university and state history.

       The Bell Tower's 14-bell carillon rings manually and electronically, chimes every 15 minutes and also serenades the campus after football games and special events. A Carolina tradition is the Senior Bell Tower Climb, an event for the senior class to climb the 128 steps to the top. The Bell Tower is lit Carolina blue at the beginning of the fall semester, after football game wins and national championship victories.

   15. Kenan Stadium

       Kenan Stadium
       104 Stadium Drive
       Chapel Hill, NC 27514

       Year Built: 1927

       Carolina football has been a source of Tar Heel pride since the University’s first season in 1888. The largest ram sculpture in the world and a statue of Carolina football’s legendary Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice are located outside the Kenan Football Center, which features a multimedia history of Carolina football with photographs, awards, trophies and artifacts. Considered one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country, Kenan Stadium, built in a natural amphitheatre south of Polk Place, seats 50,500 fans. For details about visiting Kenan Football Center, see go.unc.edu/kenanstadium .

   16. Boshamer, Cary C. Stadium

       Boshamer Stadium
       235 Ridge Road
       Chapel Hill, NC 27514

       Year Built: 2007

       Located on Ridge Road in the heart of Carolina’s south campus, Cary C. Boshamer Stadium has been the home of the Diamond Heels since the late 1960s. Boshamer was a dedicated supporter of university athletics who also donated funds for professorships and scholarships.Regarded as one of the finest facilities in college baseball, “The Bosh” as it’s often referred to by students and fans, hosts ACC conference tournaments, NCAA regional tournaments and super regional tournaments. Extensive stadium renovations were made in 2007, which included renaming the field to Bryson Field in honor of former Tar Heel first baseman Vaughn Bryson and his wife Nancy. An entrance courtyard was named for former New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and his family.

   17. Karen Shelton Field Hockey Stadium

       Karen Shelton Field Hockey Stadium
       327 Ridge Road
       Chapel Hill, NC 27514

       Year Built: 2018

       Virtual Tour of the stadium

       Karen Shelton Stadium, the home of Carolina Field Hockey, is the first Carolina athletic playing facility named in honor of a woman and the only UNC facility named for a female coach. Among a host of incredible athletic teams at Carolina, the Field Hockey program ranks as one of the most impressive. Shelton led the team to six NCAA championships, 20 ACC championships and 35 winning seasons. Shelton also prepared her players for success in many ways—every U.S. National Team since 1989 has included one current or former UNC player, and her players have gone onto success in a variety of careers off the field. Carolina Field Hockey has also won 10 NCAA championships, more than any other Division I field hockey program.

   18. Smith Center, Dean E.

       Dean E. Smith Center
       300 Skipper Bowles Drive
       Chapel Hill, NC 27514

       Building Number: 082

       Year Built: 1986

       The home of Carolina Men’s Basketball since 1986, the Dean Smith Center has become one of the most recognizable athletic venues in America and is a cherished symbol of Carolina Basketball. The 21,750-seat stadium is named after legendary Carolina basketball head coach Dean Smith, who coached the Tar Heels from 1961 to 1997. Smith, a Kansas native and the son of public school teachers, attended the University of Kansas, where he played varsity basketball and baseball and freshman football. After graduation, he served as an assistant coach at Kansas and then joined the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant. After he left the Air Force, Frank McGuire asked him to join his coaching staff at Carolina as an assistant. After three years as an assistant, Smith replaced McGuire as head coach. He coached Carolina from 1961 to 1997 and retired as the record holder for most wins (879) by a men's Division I coach. Smith led his teams to two national championships, 13 ACC tournament titles, 11 final fours and an NIT championship. He was regarded as an innovator on the court, implemented the highly successful four corners offense, encouraged players who scored to point a finger to the teammate who passed them the ball as an acknowledgement of selflessness, and instituted the practice of starting the team’s seniors at the last home game of the season, often referred to as Senior Day. Smith was also known for his impact beyond basketball: he recruited Charles Scott, the first Black scholarship athlete at Carolina, was a staunch Civil Rights advocate, and graduated 96.6 percent of his players. Smith was honored with the presidential medal of freedom in 2013 and passed away in 2015.

   19. Manning Drive Water Tower

       Painted in signature Carolina blue and proudly displaying interlocking NC logos, the Manning Drive Water Tower holds one million gallons of drinking water. Built in 1957, the water tower represents one of the many partnerships between Carolina, the town of Chapel Hill and Orange County. The Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) keeps about 12.5 percent of their treated water storage in this tanker.

   20. UNC Medical Center

       South Campus is home to UNC Medical Center, a 905 bed nationally ranked public, research and academic medical center. It is also home to the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Adams School of Dentistry and the Gillings School of Global Public Health. Carolina has many programs within each department that serve our community and state, including the Student Heath Action Coalition, which includes volunteers from all the health profession schools at UNC-Chapel Hill, the Give Kids a Smile program through the Adams School of Dentistry, the Rural Pharmacy Health Certificate Program through the Eshelman School of Pharmacy and the UNC School of Nursing Mobile Health Clinic. These programs provide health care and services to underserved populations while engaging UNC Health Science students in interdisciplinary service-learning activities. By training the next generation of medical and healthcare professionals, our schools and hospitals help and heal North Carolinians.

   21. The Carolina Inn

       The Carolina Inn
       201 Pittsboro St
       Chapel Hill, NC 27516

       Year Built: 1924

       Known as the University’s living room, the Carolina Inn sits on the original New Hope Chapel site, for which the town is named. UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus and philanthropist John Sprunt Hill, who graduated in 1889, opened the Carolina Inn in 1924 and gave it to the University in 1935, stipulating that profits support the library. Today, the Inn continues to support Wilson Library’s North Carolina Collection.

       Recognized as one of America's "cultural resources worthy of preservation," the Carolina Inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since it opened, the Inn has been important to the life of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the community.