Things to know before you visit
PARI’s priority is to keep our visitors and staff safe, and to protect our facilities and equipment so they can serve our mission for years to come.
These policies, rules, and guidelines are designed to ensure we maintain this safety and to governmental laws and regulations and industry best practices.
Please familiarize yourself with these policies before your visit.
Failure to comply with policies can result in revocation of access to PARI. Refunds are not given if a guest is asked to leave due to breaking a policy. Law enforcement or other appropriate authorities will be involved in situations that require it.
Click or tap on a policy area to read details.
PARI strives to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all visitors. By entering the site, guests agree to take reasonable care for their own safety and to follow all posted signs and staff instructions. Guests are responsible for their own actions and the actions of any minors or pets in their care.
PARI is not responsible for injuries, accidents, or damage that result from failure to follow policies, unsafe behavior, or misuse of facilities, equipment, or natural areas.
Guests are generally allowed to visit PARI during designated hours. However, ticketed special events, private events, school field trips and similar education programs, and certain research and maintenance activities may at times limit public access.
PARI is a gated site. Our gate at Macedonia Church Road is always closed except for during special scheduled events. During these events staff will be stationed at a location within the campus to check in guests.
There is a call box on a post on the left side of the gate that can be used during regular hours to buzz in when the gate is closed.
For some kinds of visits, guests may receive a gate code after check in that will allow them to re-enter the site during their stay without buzzing in. These codes are only for the use of the party to which they are given and may not be shared. Codes will expire at the end of the visit. Unauthorized sharing of codes may result in loss of access to the site. All code use is logged.
Service animals are always welcome at PARI.
Pets are generally allowed on site. Their welfare and behavior remain the sole responsibility of the pet owner. Pets may not enter most buildings and must be kept on a leash or similarly secured at all times. Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets.
No tobacco products or similar items (including vapes) may be used anywhere on the PARI site.
At certain times, alcohol may be consumed responsibly at PARI. Guests must follow all staff instructions regarding alcohol service and consumption.
During some types of events and programs, alcohol may be served at PARI by PARI authorized representatives.
Guests staying in lodging at PARI during some types of events may bring alcohol so long as it remains in private lodgings assigned to them and is not consumed in public spaces.
No drugs or illegal substances are allowed to enter the PARI site. Controlled substances for which a person has a prescription may need to be checked in and stored in a secured location during some types of residential programs that serve minors, such as summer camps.
Marijuana is not permitted on site, even if legally possessed elsewhere.
PARI's site is under 24 hour video surveillance. Visitors should be aware that they are on camera and recorded throughout the site.
PARI staff or contracted photographers may take photographs or record short videos during events that take place at PARI. This media may be used for promotional purposes. By entering the PARI site you are giving permission to be photographed by PARI staff or authorized representatives and for media containing your likeness to be used in this way.
Visitors may take still photographs of PARI grounds and equipment, including in the museum galleries, during their visit. Visitors may not record any media that includes people not in their own party without permission from those people. Visitors may not take video or audio recordings of PARI staff or representatives without specific permission being granted for the circumstances, content, and use of such recordings. Any media recorded at PARI may not be used for commercial purposes without specific permission beforehand.
No weapons of any kind are allowed on the PARI site. This includes firearms, knives, explosives, and any item classified as a weapon under North Carolina law.
No swimming, wading, or fishing is allowed in any of the ponds, streams, or any other water features.
Climbing on any buildings or equipment is strictly prohibited.
Some types of tickets and transactions will include a small registration fee to offset the cost of payment processing. This fee is non-refundable.
Guests planning private or custom events may be required to pay a deposit. Dates and/or resources cannot be held or reserved until a deposit is paid. Deposit amounts will reflect time and resources that will be spent to prepare, and the level of demand for the dates of the reservation. Deposits are not refundable if the reservation is cancelled by the guest, but will be refunded if cancelled by PARI.
For public events where tickets are purchased ahead of time, no refunds will be given if the guest cannot attend. In some circumstances PARI may be able to transfer the ticket to another guest chosen by the original purchaser, or may be able to transfer it to a future, similar event.
Events may proceed rain or shine unless otherwise noted.
Outside guests are not allowed at PARI during school field trips or similar visits that are intended to serve groups of minors from specific schools or similar formal or informal educational organizations.
The organization organizing the field trip may choose to allow authorized parents or other chaperones to accompany their visit. For the safety of the attendees, no guests who are not specifically authorized by the school or organization organizing the visit will be allowed on site even if they are a relative of a minor in attendance. In situations where an unplanned visitor needs to enter the site during these times, they must reach out to the school or organization for permission, who will then relay authorization to PARI staff to allow entrance.
This policy helps ensure the safety and focus of the educational program.
A guest WiFi network is provided for the convenience of visitors. Network traffic on PARI networks is logged. Inappropriate or illegal use of internet or other network assets may result in loss of access, removal from the PARI campus, or the involvement of appropriate authorities.
Guests are responsible for the security of their own devices.
PARI’s campus includes forests, hills, uneven ground, and natural features typical of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Guests should be aware of and prepared for:
Guests are responsible for choosing appropriate footwear, staying on marked paths, and exercising caution in all outdoor areas.
Visitors must park only in designated parking areas unless directed otherwise by PARI staff. For the safety of all guests:
PARI is an active research and education campus. Some buildings, labs, equipment yards, and technical areas are restricted. Guests must:
Tampering with or accessing restricted areas or equipment may result in removal from the site.
PARI’s museum galleries include historic instruments, scientific artifacts, and hands-on learning stations. To help preserve these items and ensure a safe, enjoyable experience for all guests:
Guests who disregard museum etiquette may be asked to step back from exhibits or, in serious cases, leave the gallery area.
Some programs and demonstrations at PARI involve sensitive scientific equipment. To protect these activities:
Compliance ensures a better experience for all visitors and protects ongoing research.
All minors must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult at all times unless participating in a PARI-run program that explicitly provides supervision. Adults are responsible for:
Unsupervised minors may be asked to return to their parent or guardian immediately.
Guests staying overnight at PARI are expected to respect the facilities and other guests. Please observe the following:
Damage to lodging facilities may result in additional charges.
For the safety of guests and the protection of the surrounding forest:
Tampering with fire safety equipment is strictly prohibited.
Help us maintain a clean and safe environment:
PARI strives to provide a welcoming and respectful environment for all visitors. Guests are expected to:
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