North Carolina Museum of History

Activity Overview

The North Carolina Museum of History is a free history museum located in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It features a diverse range of fascinating historic exhibits that focus on everything from the state's role in the Civil War to bluegrass music and films that have been made in North Carolina. Take the whole family to the museum for a fun-filled day where everyone will learn something new about local history!

Things to Do

• Explore The Story of North Carolina, a permanent exhibit which tells the history of the state from prehistory through the modern day. It includes artifacts such as stone tools that date back to 1000 BC, items from a pirate shipwreck, a restored slave cabin, and Civil War uniforms.
• Take a photo of your child next to the museum's beautiful bronze statues, which depict museum founder Frederick Augustus Olds, a 17th-century Native American woman known as Sauratown Woman, and Thomas Day, a famous local cabinetmaker in the early 1800s.
• Visit the outdoor History of the Harvest exhibit, where you can learn about North Carolina agriculture, including recently developed corn hybrids and medicinal plants used by Native Americans long ago.

North Carolina Museum of History Insider Tips

• Check out their Calendar to learn about upcoming events such as lectures, story time, special tours, children's activities, and folk music performances.
• Pick up a gallery-themed backpack from the kiosk in the museum lobby if you have a child between the ages of 3 and 5. They're filled with all kinds of fun age-appropriate activities that will help your child enjoy the museum.
• Look at the museum's Kids page before your visit to print out fun scavenger hunts and other activities that your child can do during your museum visit.