Morehead Planetarium, UNC Chapel Hill

It's fun to visit Morehead Planetarium! While you wait for your show to begin, you can browse the lower floor science exhibits. The main exhibit is one dedicated to water where you learn some really interesting facts about how much water different items take to be made. This room has a lot of atmosphere, with water sounds and images. Dozens of astronauts trained at Morehead Planetarium, and you can read about them at the exhibits. The exhibits only take about twenty minutes to look at, but there are also demonstrations every hour on the half hour so check them out! There is also a great gift shop to browse while you're waiting. This would be a good spot to get Christmas presents as there are a lot of nice, educational things for sale. 

Lastly, the show! The first show of the day is for little kids, and the rest vary by topic. After the show, a student leads you through constellations that you can see that night in the Chapel Hill sky. It's very engaging and amazing!
After, walk around the beautiful UNC campus and Coker Arboretum (adjacent, to the east). If it's too hot to walk outside, check out the awesome bookstore at the student center.

Directions

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is located on the north end of the UNC Chapel Hill campus, at 250 E. Franklin Street.
Open Tues-Sat 10-3:30, Sun 1-4:30, closed Mondays.
First show, for little kids, is at 10:30 (1:30 Sun).  And then several hour-long shows follow, each starting at half past the hour. Tues-Thurs there is no 2:30 show.
Entry to the science exhibits is free. Shows cost around $7 per person.
There is metered credit card parking along the street on Franklin Street and on Raleigh Street.

Click on map for interactive view