Hello friends, visitors, partners, supporters, and fellow space explorers,

The staff here at PARI would like to address the news that has recently been released that the grounds and buildings at PARI are listed for sale.

PARI is currently, and will remain, fully staffed and open for visitors, STEM education, and outreach programming.

While the listing describes what a full sale of the facility would entail, the option to purchase or lease only a portion of the site is also available.  Any change in ownership of part or all of the site and the conditions of that change must be approved by PARI’s board of directors and the North Carolina State Attorney General.  We are confident that they have the preservation of PARI’s mission as their top priority.

The site has served many purposes in the past, from a NASA ground station, to Department of Defense facility, to its current role as a center for learning and research.  Of the three, the site has been owned by the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute since 1998, making our STEM mission the longest the site has ever served.  The decision to offer some or all of the property for sale was made to help give PARI the flexibility and resources to continue this mission for decades to come.

This potential sale will not affect the existence of the 501(c)(3) organization of the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI).  PARI will continue to offer STEM education, outreach, and research opportunities to learners of all ages.  PARI’s museum collections, artifacts, archives, learning resources, and exhibits will continue to be available to the public.  Though our physical footprint may change, we will still be providing the engaging and exciting experiences you’ve grown to expect from us.

We hope to see you at our upcoming open house event on Saturday, November 1^st and at other upcoming events.  View our calendar at www.pari.edu/calendar to see what we have coming up, or www.pari.edu/visit to learn about our other offerings.