NCAR Offers Summer Tours

BOULDER -- The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) offers guided noontime tours of its Mesa Laboratory this summer, Monday through Saturday, from June 15 through September 5. No reservations are needed and there is no fee. The Mesa Laboratory, a dramatic work of world- famous architect I.M. Pei, is located at the west end of Table Mesa Drive (exit off U.S. 36) in southwest Boulder.

The hour-long noontime tours include hands-on exhibits, identical to those in the Exploratorium museum in San Francisco, that illustrate lightning, tornadoes, and other atmospheric phenomena. Also in the tour are interactive displays on real-time weather and climate change, exhibits on aviation weather hazards, and various robotic weather instruments. NCAR's scientific computing facility, with several high- performance supercomputers (from Cray Research, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., and Silcon Graphics, Inc.) is also on view.

Besides the science, visitors can enjoy the building itself, inspired by Mesa Verde, and its spectacular setting next to Boulder's Flatirons. Two art galleries offer changing displays, and the library and cafeteria are open to the public on weekdays.

Among the hiking trails on and around the NCAR mesa is the Walter Orr Roberts Weather Trail, the nation's only interpretive weather trail and the only wheelchair- accessible nature trail in Boulder. A trail guidebook is available in the lobby. Visit the weather trail on the web.

For those who cannot take the noontime guided tour, a self-guided tour is available throughout the day, seven days a week. The building's hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

The noontime tours are for individuals and families; organized groups wishing to tour NCAR should make a reservation for another time of day by calling 303-497-1173.

NCAR is managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research under sponsorship by the National Science Foundation.

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The National Center for Atmospheric Research welcomes visitors to its mesatop laboratory, designed by I.M. Pei. Among the attractions are interactive science exhibits and the nation's only interpretive weather trail.