Published by Christina. Last Updated on May 27, 2024.
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In the Burch Ave neighborhood of Durham, Satellite Park (414 Gattis St) is a wonderful collection of Durham murals everyone in Bull City, North Carolina (and beyond) should know about.
The park sits on the grounds of the Duke Arts Annex and consists of eight decommissioned satellites painted by local artists.
Considering how little press the park gets compared to others, it’s a spectacular place if you’ve never been, which you likely haven’t. But when you do, you’ll agree that these repurposed satellites are some of the most colorful murals in Durham!
To help you visit, we’ve created this guide and organized it into the following sections:
- Where is Satellite Park?
- History
- Tips for Visiting
Read More: 50+ Great Things to Do in Durham NC (The Durham Bucket List)
Where is Satellite Park?
Address: 414 Gattis St, Durham, NC, 27701
Satellite Park sits in the Burch Avenue neighborhood of Durham, near W Chapel Hill St and Duke University’s Main Campus.
You can visually plan a visit to Satellite Park and other Durham attractions with the following maps:
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The History of Satellite Park in Durham
The satellites were originally installed in 1991 by Tel Com to deliver educational programming for Duke Cable TV. They were eventually junked in the late 90s during the Internet’s initial rise.
After 20 years of hanging out on the side of this hill, Mural Durham decided to turn the satellites into works of art instead of hauling them off for scrap. The actual painting of the satellites was done live in April 2018 during a community festival.
Visiting Satellite Park Today (and Tips for Visiting)
It’s important to understand the history of this interesting place in Durham. These important tips are also something you should know before you visit Satellite Park.
- Free Admission
- Know About the Artists
- Leave NO Trace
- Respect Parking Limits
- The Duke Arts Annex
- DukeCreate
- Tell Us About Your Experience!
Free Admission
Admission to the Arts Annex is free to all Duke students, but community members may come during DukeCreate community days.
The Artists of Satellite Park
These artists were chosen to form a group of 30-plus applicants to paint the satellites. Each represents a wide range of artistic styles and backgrounds, but all of the murals at Satellite Park incorporate nature with bright and bold colors.
Here are their names, with links to their respective professional pages:
- Sarahlaine Calva
- Gina Elizabeth Franco
- George Mitchell & HappyMess
- Rachel Goodwin
- Bethany Bash
- Cornelio Campos
- Julienne Alexander
- J. Massullo
Leave NO Trace
When you visit this park, PLEASE leave no trace so the next person can enjoy it as you did. Failure to do so could force the people in charge to restrict admission.
Respect Parking Limits
When you reach Satellite Park, keep in mind that parking is limited. And if there’s no parking available, plan to visit another day and do not park outside of designated areas.
The Duke Arts Annex
The Duke Arts Annex, where Satellite Park sits, is important to Durham’s community. The building centers on studio arts, rehearsal, and programming spaces.
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DukeCreate
Workshops for the DukeCreate are free for Duke students, staff, and faculty and taught by Duke graduate students or local artists. Check out their schedule of events and workshops here.
Read More: 15 Wonderful Things to Do with Kids in Durham
Tell Us About Your Satellite Park Experiences!
Even if you don’t live in Durham, we think Satellite Park should be on your list of fun things to do, especially if you’re in town for the weekend. And for you fellow Durhamites, what’s stopping you from walking around these lovely murals?
When you do make it out to the park, we’d love to know what you thought of this place? Let us know in the comments!
Remember to share your Satellite Park experiences in our North Carolina Travel Facebook Group. Photos are welcome!
More Things to Do in Durham (NC Travel Guides)
We’ve included these Durham murals and more things to do in many of our NC Travel Guides. Here are a few of them.
