The National Weather Center is a glass-and-stone academic building on OU's south campus that houses the federal Storm Prediction Center, the National Severe Storms Laboratory, the National Weather Service Norman office, and OU's own meteorology school. There is no single more important building in the country for the science of severe weather — modern tornado warnings, supercell research, and Doppler radar all trace back here.
Free public tours run on weekday afternoons (reservation required) and take in the forecasting room, the radar operations centre, and an observation deck with one of the best views in central Oklahoma. The on-site Storm Chase exhibit covers the history of tornado research in the southern Plains. Particularly worthwhile in spring tornado season when the building is at its busiest.