Tours

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A National Weather Center tour guide standing in front of radar trucks.

National Weather Center Tours

General Tour Information

Tour durations: 1 - 1.5 hours
Tours are only available Monday - Friday and are scheduled around the availability of our student tour guides.
Tours are not available on weekends, federal holidays, school holidays, and during some scheduled events.
Tours typically include visits to the McCasland Family Observation Deck, School of Meteorology, the NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center, the NWS Norman Weather Forecast Office, and the National Severe Storm Laboratory.
National Weather Center tours are free to the public and group tours.
You do not need to download or print your ticket after registering through Eventbrite.

Required and Important Information

Tours fill up quickly, so please allow 2-4 weeks' advance notice for reservations.
All tours require a reservation due to scheduling and security guidelines (walk-in tours are not permitted).
Only registered tour guests are allowed to tour the NWC. On-site and last-minute additions to the tour guest list are prohibited for security purposes.
Foreign Visitors are required to fill out a Foreign National Visitors Form. After registering for your tour, please email tours@nwc.ou.edu to request the form.
Federal offices are part of the National Weather Center. All persons entering those spaces are subject to federal policies, guidelines, and regulations. All persons and packages are subject to inspection.
Visitors are allowed only a small clutch purse (6.5" x 4.5") or a small clear tote for tours of the National Weather Center.
The National Weather Center tour is a walking tour through multiple spaces in the facility. The building is fully accessible, but guests who require mobility devices (walker, wheelchair, powerchair, cane, etc.) must bring their own.
Guests are welcome to take personal photos during the tour using cell phones or small personal cameras. Professional photography equipment (such as large cameras with detachable lenses, tripods, external lighting, or other commercial gear) is not permitted. Please refrain from using flash.

Public Tours

9 Guests or Less

Public tours are available most of the following times:

Mondays at 10:00 am & 3:00 pm
Fridays at 10:00 am & 3:00 pm

Please note that tours are not offered every Monday and Friday, and on some days, there may only be one time slot available.

Book Public Tour

Group Tours

Parties of 10 or More

Group tours are available most Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:00 am or 3:00 pm.
On certain dates, there may be flexibility for afternoon tour times; please inquire for availability.
Please request tours at least 2-4 weeks in advance.
Group size is a maximum of 25 people.
You can request a group larger than 25, which needs additional tour guides. This option is only available on Thursdays and is not always guaranteed.
All groups and their chaperones must adhere to the National Weather Center Etiquette & Chaperone Responsibilities Policy (pdf).

School Tours

Maximum 30 Guests

School tours are available most Tuesdays and Thursdays with a start time of 10:30 or 11:00 am.
On certain dates, there may be flexibility for afternoon tour times; please inquire for availability.
For every 10 students (K-12), 1 teacher/chaperone is required.
School tour size limit is a maximum of 30 people, chaperones included.
All school groups and their chaperones must adhere to the National Weather Center Etiquette & Chaperone Responsibilities Policy (pdf)

Group/School Tour Request Form

Please complete the form with details about your group and preferred tour dates. Submitting this form does not guarantee a tour reservation, but our team will follow up with you regarding availability and next steps.

National Weather Center Visitation Policies

National Weather Center Clear Bag Policy

Due to heightened security measures, the following baggage and parcel control policy is in effect for the National Weather Center:

Visitors are allowed only a small clutch purse (6.5" x 4.5") or small clear tote for tours of the National Weather Center.
Prohibited bags include: backpacks, diaper bags, fanny packs, camera bags, purses, luggage, shopping bags, large cameras or other items that can offer concealment. Please leave these items in your vehicle prior to the tour.
Wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, canes, umbrellas, jackets, sweaters, small wallets, medication, small cameras and camcorders, cell phones, and small sealable beverage containers are permitted and subject to inspection.
This policy is subject to change without notice.

The National Weather Center visitor bag policy, which shows bags are approved and which are prohibited.

National Weather Center Protocol

The National Weather Center (“NWC”), including its academic and research units, are committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all students, employees, and participants in their day-to-day work as well as in any conference, workshop, field project, or project hosted or managed by the NWC no matter what role they play or their background. The NWC prohibits discrimination and/or harassment of anyone regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran, as well as any other characteristics protected under state or federal law.

We expect all students, employees, and participants (including those not directly affiliated with OU/NWC partners) to abide by the NWC Protocol (pdf) when operating in the NWC or during any NWC-related event. This Protocol is a compilation of relevant University policies assembled for convenience and this Protocol does not supersede or modify any existing OU or NWC partner policies.

Information for Foreign National Guests

NWC Security guidelines require that foreign nationals (non-US citizens) obtain security clearance. Foreign national visitors are required to complete and submit the NWC Foreign National Visitor Form at least two weeks in advance of a tour date. In order to receive the required form, you must first register for a tour.