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Visitor Center NCAR’s Mesa Lab, located at the west end of Table Mesa Drive, is a working research laboratory that welcomes the public to its Visitor Center seven days a week. Admission is free. The building and adjacent weather trail are wheelchair accessible. For recorded information, call 303-497-1174 or click "VISIT US" on the Web site. Museums and Tours Guided noontime tours are offered daily to individuals and families throughout the year, including weekends and holidays. Organized groups of adults or children need to reserve specific tour times in advance by calling 303-497-1173. Self-guided tours are available on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on weekends and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No reservations are necessary for self- guided tours. The exhibits area features two major new attractions. In one, visitors will be able to gain a comprehensive view of Earth’s past and present climate. Highlights include an explanation of climate change and information about climate conditions in prehistoric times, as well as a new two-story mural that shows the layers and features of the atmosphere in colorful detail. The second attraction is a self-guided audio tour for visitors to learn about atmospheric science, the architecture of the building, and the ecology of the NCAR mesa. Other exhibits include a telescopic camera, three aircraft models, and a gravity well, plus demonstrations of lightning, tornado, and fluid dynamics. The NCAR mesa has an outdoor weather trail with interpretative information and views of Boulder’s Flatirons and the city below. Our visitor center, located in the Mesa Laboratory, includes exhibits, art galleries, and a gift shop. The Mesa Lab is open to the public during the following hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Inside the visitor center, you'll find:
The Mesa Lab was designed by architect I.M.Pei and is set high above Boulder against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The laboratory is a striking, futuristic structure, but its design was influenced by the ancient Indian cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. It was Pei's intention to create a building that would harmonize with its dramatic backdrop, the soaring rock formations called the Flatirons. Since the completion of the Mesa Laboratory in 1966, Pei has emerged as one of the world's foremost architect whose most famous designs include additions to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Glass pyramid of the Louvre museum in Paris. The Mesa lab remains one of Pei's favorite creations and an often-studied architectural icon. The inspiring setting is worth a visit in itself. We maintain the site as a nature perserve. Mule deer, and other wildlife range over the area and the city-owned mountain parks adjoining it. The Walter Orr Roberts Nature and Weather Trail, a wheelchair-accessible loop, crosses the Mesa site. Hikers are always welcome. Tours: |
