Barnard Observatory, Astronomical observatory at University of Mississippi, Oxford, United States.
Barnard Observatory is an astronomical building at the University of Mississippi constructed between 1857 and 1859 in Greek Revival architectural style. The structure features two stories with a distinctive central dome that was designed to accommodate telescopes and observation equipment.
The observatory was founded by Chancellor Frederick Barnard with the goal of advancing scientific research at the institution. During the Civil War, it served as a hospital for soldiers from both Union and Confederate forces who occupied the town.
The building holds meaning in the university community as a symbol of early scientific aspirations in the South. Visitors can sense how this place once represented the institution's effort to position itself among leading research centers of its time.
The building is located on the University of Mississippi campus and is now home to the Center for the Study of Southern Culture. Visitors should know that access may depend on the current academic activities and uses happening within the space.
The building was designed to house a telescope that would have been larger than those at Harvard, but the Civil War disrupted those plans. The intended instrument was eventually sold to Northwestern University instead of remaining at Mississippi.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
