North Carolina Museum of History — East Edenton Street
Raleigh, NC Hours and Location

5 East Edenton Street
Raleigh, NC   27601Driving Directions
Phone: (919)807-7900(919)807-7900 Maps & Directions

http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/abo...

Museum Hours and Address

Monday–Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: Noon to 5:00 p.m.

Closed New Year's Day, January 2, Easter, Thanksgiving Day,
Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Admission

• free - Admission

Admission to the museum’s permanent exhibitions is free though donations are appreciated. Some special exhibits and some programs do have charges. Call for information.

About Us

A message from our Director

Greetings, from the North Carolina Museum of History! The state of North Carolina is widely known as the place where the Wright brothers made history in 1903 by achieving the first powered, controlled flight in a craft heavier than air. But did you know that North Carolina has seen a number of other important firsts?

• First attempted English settlement in the New World: England established a colony on Roanoke Island in 1587.

• First child born of English parents in the New World: Virginia Dare was born on Roanoke Island in 1587.

• First state university in the United States: The University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill, was chartered in 1789 and opened to students in 1795.

• First gold rush in the United States: Gold was found in Cabarrus County in 1799.

• First African American to serve in the U.S. Senate: Hiram Rhodes Revels, who represented Mississippi, was born in Fayetteville in 1827.

• First African American woman in the United States to receive a B.A. degree: Mary Jane Patterson, who was born in Raleigh, graduated from Oberlin College in 1862.

People have lived in North Carolina for more than 14,000 years! From the influences made by ancestors of today's eight state-recognized American Indian tribes to the first attempted English settlement in the New World to our own lives in the 21st century, the Old North State has a history filled with heroes, visionaries, entrepreneurs, inventors, artists, and everyday people.

Even legendary figures, such as the notorious pirate Blackbeard, First Lady Dolley Madison, adventurer Daniel Boone, Scottish heroine Flora MacDonald, Lumbee folk hero Henry Berry Lowry, educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown, evangelist Billy Graham, and basketball great Michael Jordan, have called North Carolina home over the years.

At the North Carolina Museum of History, we are committed to creating a place where you can explore, learn, and enjoy programs, events, and exhibitions that celebrate North Carolina’s past, present, and future. I am delighted you have chosen to visit our website and look forward to welcoming you to our museum.

Join us at the North Carolina Museum of History, because “History Happens Here.”

Ken Howard

Director

Location and Directions

The museum is located in downtown Raleigh, between the State Capitol and the Legislative Building, at 5 East Edenton Street (between Salisbury and Wilmington Streets). The main entrance faces Bicentennial Plaza and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

From the North or East:

Take the Capital Boulevard (U.S. 401, South) exit off I-440 north of Raleigh. Follow the Capital Boulevard (Downtown) signs. Continue south approximately 2 miles and turn left onto Jones Street. Go 3 blocks. The museum is on the right, after the crosswalk. Lot parking is available in the next block.

From the West or South:

From I-40 / I-440 E, take Exit 298-B, South Saunders Street (and U.S. 401, North). Keep right and proceed northbound; the street name will change to McDowell Street. Proceed north for approximately 1 mile and turn right onto Jones Street. Go 2 blocks. The museum is on the right, after the crosswalk. Lot parking is available in the next block.

Know Before You Go!

If you or your guests will be traveling around Raleigh, be aware that the Fortify NC project is well under way. Fortify NC is a North Carolina Department of Transportation project that is rebuilding I-40 and I-440 south of town. This construction could result in traffic congestion. Real-time updates to the project can be found at ncdot.gov/fortifync

Parking

Automobiles

Four public parking decks are located within two blocks of the museum, and a surface lot is located in the block east of the museum (enter off Jones Street or Edenton Street); note that hourly charges may apply during business hours on Mondays through Fridays, but these spaces are generally free on weekends, after 5 p.m., and on state government holidays (note that the museum is open on most state government holidays). In addition, metered parking is available in the area and is free after hours and on weekends.

Charter Buses, Passenger Vans, and RVs

Buses and passenger vans may park in the following locations:

• A parking lot on the southeast corner of Blount and Jones Streets (two blocks east of the Museum of History) is designated as bus parking while space permits (enter off Jones Street after crossing Blount Street).
• Bus lane on Wilmington Street—one block only: between Edenton and Jones Streets
• North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road (approximately 5 miles from the downtown area).
• North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road (approximately 5 miles from the downtown area).