Museums in NC!

Looking to beat the summer heat? Expand your knowledge? Enjoy a day with the kids? We’ve got a list of the best museums to visit both locally in the triangle and a few that are worthy of a day trip!

CAM Museum | Raleigh - The Contemporary Art museum located in downtown Raleigh is known for their bold, non traditional exhibitions by living artists. They have exhibitions from not only artists by the likes of Ransome but also host works by the NC State design school students. This is the perfect museum for the modern art lover in your family!

The Museum of Life & Science | Durham - The Museum of Life & Science has it all! While tailored to children, it can be enjoyed by all ages. With both indoor spaces featuring a tornado machine, to an outdoor butterfly house, to a dinosaur trail this is a museum that you can spend all day at! 

Marbles Kids Museum | Raleigh  The Marbles Kids museum is tailored for your little one to have the best day! The kids can enjoy the ecosphere which teaches them about sustainability and renewable energy or can make their own music at Treetunes. The Marbles Museum is also home to the IMAX theater where you can not only catch documentaries but movies such as Avatar and Indiana Jones.Don't forget that advance tickets are required for entry.

Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill | A UNC museum with a global outlook located right off Franklin Street. Featuring over 18,000 works of art, this is a must stop tour for all the museum lovers! In addition to featuring artworks, they often host events such as Kid’s Saturday Art Classes. This is a great one to explore while you take a stroll down Franklin Street.

Chatham Historical Museum, Pittsboro | Located in the heart of downtown Pittsboro, this quaint museum traces the history of Chatham County. With exhibits ranging from The Chatham County Timeline to Making a Living, this museum is a great way to learn about the history of Chatham County. While you are in downtown Pittsboro make sure you stop at some of the great local shops and grab a bite to eat!

Eno Gallery, Hillsborough | If you happen to find yourself with an extra hour while in downtown Hillsborough, make sure you stop by the Eno Gallery. The museum features 1,000 sqft of featured studio art spaces of local artists. Each artist gets to display their work for one month at a time, which makes it a great museum to keep visiting over and over again!

Carolina Basketball Museum, Chapel Hill | If you have a true UNC fan in your family, why not take them to the Carolina Basketball Museum? The Museum celebrates the rich history of the University of North Carolina men's basketball program. Throughout the museum you will find interactive displays commemorating significant accomplishments, and a number of display cases filled with memorabilia. 

While this is a short list of the many wonderful museums in our state, we hope this is a starting point for lots of summer adventures with inquisitive minds!