A fantastic museum in the heart of downtown Raleigh. I first visited this museum as a 4th grade student and believe it to be partially responsible for my present love of history. This museum has done a fantastic job telling the story of the Old North State from a number of different perspectives. There is something for everyone here. Whether youre a sports fan, a pirate lover, a military history buff, or a pop-culture junkie, this museum will cater to your interests. When you have finished your visit, make sure to check out the Museum of Natural Sciences right across the street!

Educational and insightful for the family and free to enter.

Their current exhibits are second to none! There is a large scale walk through on The Story Of NC which is just fantastic, I also enjoy the David Marshall Williams Machine Shop exhibit. This is a great way to spend an afternoon.

The Museum has very good health and safety protocols in place. Currently showing images and video about NC Besch Music.

A great day spent learning NC history.

Lovely place to visit. There is so much in this museum! Come with plenty of time!

My family and I visited this museum. The facility was very clean. The exhibits were very informative and interesting! We couldve stayed in there all day! The staff were very friendly as well.

Very clean the had sanitze wipes spots in alot of little places as well as hand sanitizer feel safe as far as the cleanliness...Furthermore the learning and stories is why we went.Very informative . The artifacts was so cool I felt as I went in time. I leaned alot about North Carolina...Im a new resident so that carried my interest originally...The gift shop was beautiful, Hand maide soaps hand scrubs even socks for men.., and jewelry to cards ect very nice shop very nice people..Im Glad I went......

The museum is free so thats nice. The history of native people and African Americans in north carolina was very white washed. The museum still labels natives as Indians. Harsh truths werent there. Used cushioning words when talking about the cruel treatment of natives and Africans.

Exhibits are wonderful and truly excellent customer service. When my 11 year old daughter recently visited, she left her new earrings in the gift shop. The museum gift shop mailed them straight to our house with a hand-written note. Above and beyond, and speaks well of the culture of the museum.

Nice displays and a ton of learning to-do. Got a kid section good for the kids (not pictured). Lots of interesting things I would of never known about NC without stepping inside. Id high recommend to anyone looking to know more about the development of our country as a whole or just someone who wants to get more knowledge. Something for everyone.

Loved this place, will totally be back. So much to learn and they do it in a great environment, many different things to learn about from old toys, to literal parts of homes that were used in parts of some of the hardest times in peoples lives. Mind blowing. Had a great time and reccomend this place to anyone that wants to get out for cheap with the family, and learn something too!!

Excellent option to spend time with the whole family learning about North Carolina history. My favorite four sections were Sports, Natives, Toys and the 1920 drug store was amazing. Interactive attractions were closed because obvious reasons. There were plenty of sanitizer stations around all the place and very clear social distancing signs and you have to wear mask during all tour. Second floor also is temporary closed. Very close of this place there others food options to know like moore square, natural ans science museum, the capitol etc. And the best parts is that they are very close each other so you can enjoy walking around this beautiful downtown.

Great day trip! Museum lay out very easy to follow and exhibits very informative. Great place to learn history of N. Carolina!

We stopped in here after our trip to the capitol since they are right across the street from each other.We loved this museum. They had NC sports hall of fame for me and NC history for him. Make sure you spend some time reading the signs if you love to read about history. I loved the sports of NC athletes - basketball, racing, baseball, golf, wrestling, etc. They had every sport I could think of. They even had Dale Earnhardt and Richard Pettys cars. They had racing uniforms. They had football jerseys.I also loved the way the museum is laid out. They have several floors. They have info on the civil war, wright brothers, native Americans, roots of artists, ernie barnes, drug and soda shop (you go into it like it is a real shop - the museum did great with setting this all up), cars, guns, black history, uniforms, a room that feels like you are in the trenches of battle with sound effects, sandbags, etc.They have a gift shop as well which we stopped into.This place has a bit of everything for NC history.Admission was free. Dont miss it on your next trip to Raleigh. It is worth a visit.

First time visit so we didnt have any unrealistic expectations on the exhibits. However, we were amazingly surprised to realize how extensive the Story of North Carolina exhibit was! There was an illusion that its all in one small room but then it just kept going. We didnt even get to see the rest of the other featured exhibits because the museum was closing for the day. We easily spent about 2 hrs in it. So much to see and was worth seeing for sure. Definitely coming back to see the rest of the museum when were in town and early too! Its free and the museum of Natural Science is across the street and the Veterans Memorial. Visitor Parking on the back is free.

I love this museum. I come every chance I can and I was thoroughly impressed with their WW1 exhibit a year ago. The new toys exhibit is pretty interesting as well. Admission is free and the things you can see and learn are priceless. I highly recommend anyone who is curious of our states history to visit.

Great museum! Free! Win-win! Enjoyed my visit and wish I had more time. My favorite was the soda shop/drug store, but the 1950/60 toy exhibit and quilt exhibits were a close second.

Aside from the Art Museum, one of my favorite museums in Raleigh. The curators work hard to create a wide range of interesting exhibits on a variety of topics. Highly recommended.

Nice exhibits. Good overview of North Carolina history.

Took my 6 and 8 yr old. They loved it. Lots of things to see and videos to watch. They were kept busy and interested until the time ran out on our parking meter 2 hours later. We will definitely be back to see more.

Great collection of historical objects from earliest settlement period to the 20th century

Very neat and well laid out museum.. I gave it 4 stars because I feel like some of the information displayed was not as accurate as I would expect it to be at a museum (a place if knowledge transfer- a place of truth) not a place of comfort, If the truth is not pleasant. When I go to museums I expect to learn hard truths. A few displays in the museum were a bit gentle therefore distorting the entire point of learning about the United States (north Carolina) history -and how all of these events led up to what we now know as NC. Also how to understand the point of view of those that now reside within this country; and the problems many ppl may still face today.(Some of these pics have the gentle untrue info on it that I refer to in my review- find it )

Awesome! Beach Music Exhibit and Toy Exhibit brought back a lot of wonderful memories!

Very interesting I learn A lot for my age very clean I love the gift shop. So much information. Love it my favorite part was the drugstore

Great adventure for all ages. The kids enjoyed their section and even some of the adult parts. Nice layout and variety of exhibits!

Huge two story building museum! Absolutely wonderful!

A nice museum of N. Carolina history. An impressive display of revolutionary war and civil war weapons, clothing and items. Items recovered from Blackbeards ship wrecked off the coast. We enjoyed the 50s and 60s toy section. Many other things to see as well.

My wife and I learned a lot at this place. We were really not expecting it to be anything special but it really is a neat place to visit. We are not from North Carolina and had no idea how much history estate really had. They have rotating exhibits Setter pretty neat and this time around it was about quilting and old toys. The Sports Hall of Fame was also very cool. We gave ourselves an hour to go here and ended up being there for nearly three.

Very educational. Fun to learn new things.

I was a visitor at the North Carolina museum of history and I like to experience this is mostly for all the people who would like to know the history of North Carolina and also a great place for students to learn of the places really clean and I have plenty of places to explore I recommend it

The North Carolina Museum of History is a remarkable establishment. My first visit here was educational and no less than breathtaking. The viewing of The Smithsonian Channel’s The Green Book to commemorate Black History Month was an experience like no other. From the delicious food during the reception hour to the remarkable and passionate panel discussion, I am forever impressed.

NC Museum of History hosted the 2019 Native American Heritage Celebration. The museum was packed with probably hundreds of visitors for the amazing annual celebration.

Was in town from the West Coast and wanted to get some of the history of the South and this museum did an excellent job. The main exhibits are completely free, we didnt have to spend a cent. I loved the general history and my husband really enjoyed the sports exhibit.

Enjoyed this so much, very educational

Incredible time line of NC history covering hundreds of years! Amazing quality for it being free. Took us a couple days to go through it all, it was that detailed and captivating. You can skim through it quicker, too, if youd rather. Highly recommend.

Every exhibit is really detailed and feels like you are stepping back in time. The kids loved it as much as we did.

The African American Cultural Festival was going on and it was awesome. Very well organized. Very informative. Great to see all cultures there. This museum has always been a favorite of mine. Great place

Really nice and free museum. It is quite large and has several exhibitions.

We visited the toy exhibition and it is really cool. It’s amazing to think how the toys were before and some that still exist that where created in that era. Like barbie, play-doh, twister, etc... a good addition to you weekend plans in downtown

Absolutely amazing exhibits of history in north carolina. How it was during war, immigrants and native american lifestyle, rare photographs, wright brothers exhibit, durham tobacco production and drugstore. You can spend a whole day here,its also right across from museum of natural science.

Highly recommend you going to the museum. It is a great facility with a lot of interesting exhibits. My husband and I went to see the toy exhibit. Fascinating time. We enjoyed reminiscing about toys we enjoyed growing up as well as a few we never saw before. Also viewed the quilt exhibit and N.C. sports exhibit. Attended a free string band concert in the museum’s auditorium.Note: Free weekend on street parking. Free parking on weekends in lot around the corner.Nice way to spent an afternoon.

This is a lovely museum full of information not only about North Carolina but the US and the world to an extend. Go check it out

Really interesting and great staff!...

Im new here from the Pacific Northwest, so I dont know a lot about the history here. Going through the museum was very informative and educational for me. Also since moving here Ive been seeing ads for the toy exhibit and it was fun seeing what my parents played with, and a few other things that my brother and I had.

Exibits, thoughtful and well planned. Great experience every trip!

Exhibits are so well done. Its engaging for adults and kids alike. Highly recommended!

My organization did an after-hours event at the museum and it was absolutely wonderful. The staff was super helpful both planning and during the event. We made a few last minute, as the event was starting, changes and the staff were able to accommodate them all.

LOVED this museum! Spent a good couple of hours in here. Plenty of things to see and do. AND ITS FREE! Parking is free on the weekends and local, about a block away from it. Want to go back after the Military History pieces are put in!

I went with a group of 4 to graders and it was great, there was something for everyone. The quilts were what I enjoyed and so did the girls I was with, sweet girls that they were, I didnt make them stay long. They did have blocks so they could see what it was like to design quilts. It was like that with most of the sections in the museum.

Had a great time today learning about NC history and playing in the you exhibit! Lots of interactive exhibits.

Lots of interactive exhibits, making this a great place for families with kids of all ages. The information about North Carolina is respectful of both native American history and the history of slavery in the state. Lots of fun in the toys of our past exhibit!

Awesome place to go, learn and walk around on a rainy day or any other. Kid and adult friendly and FREE!Very helpful staff/ volunteers and CLEAN restrooms

For such a small space, they had it packed with great exhibits! I really enjoyed walking through a balanced history of North Carolina. Im not from the area, so I had my reservations, but this museum really delivered. If youre in the area, check it out! Plus, the fact that its free is a huge bonus!

Its fantastic! Incredibly informative and thorough. Far better than what i expected. Its exceptional at what it does. Document NC history.

The expansive displays give so much detail and history! I love that many of the displays allow you to get close and almost experience for yourself the events described. The videos are very informative and give important details to North Carolinas history.

My 10 year old Daughters 1st Big Field Trip. Place is amazing, she asked a million questions and really learned a lot! 10 stars

Great little museum.

This place is awesome for kids and me (grandmother)..the staff was pleasant and helpful and I learned a lot, we will be back

So many things to see, probably couldve left out the bricks...we know what they look like. I wish there was a couple more benches to sit for a bit, we were there for about 3 hours and my feet/back was killing me. Kids enjoyed the Indian and pirate sections, after that I think they were hungry and ready to go. The interactive buttons and scenes were really cool and fun for all ages. Ill have to go back again to try and finish the rest.

Some of the facts in the displays are disputed and others are worded with a clear bias. Overall the displays are well done and the museum has a nice flow to it. If you are just there to walk through and look at the displays and get a general idea of the history of our state this is a good place. On the basis of specific facts and detail it is a little lacking. Overall positive feeling though.

Visited here in 2015 with my family. Great display of History even though some of it was sad. It was great to be able to visualize the struggles a lot of people had to, and still do go through today. Hope to visit again someday.

Great museum, and its free!

EXTREMELY informative especially about NC history and the role the state has played in US history as well. The staff was very well versed in the institute. My wife who is not big on history THROUGHLY ENJOYED her experience. Parking was easily accessible and the Museum is very nicely equipped for handicapped like me.

This place is cool, especially the Sports Hall of Fame.

I have been here dozens of times. Its actually a great place for a first date or a family trip on a weekend (just be prepared to search for parking) and you can literally spends hours here, their collection is so expansive.This trip was very memorable for me because of the temp FASHION exhibit they were showcasing. It was kewl. They had examples of fashion throughout the decades going all the way back to the 1700s!

I have lived in Raleigh for a long time and finally visited for the first time last week while family was in town for the holiday. This place is huge! What a wonderful display of NC history. Be sure to check out their special, rotating exhibits.

Although there are really nice displays, its pretty sparse on history. Relative to many other state history museums, this is small. What they have is high quality and very informative.

Wish it was back to normal. :(

Nicely curated; plan on 2+ hours.

This is an Amazing place for a Day-cation, and school field trips. Its full of interesting facts about NC history in comparison to the rest of the country. Located in Downtown Raleigh, there is convenient parking just 2-blocks away. The museum is adjacent to the NC Museum of Science and Nature, plus across the street from the Old State Capital building. A must see for anyone living and visting the Old North State.

It houses a variety of interesting and informative exhibits and video presentations. Very inventive displays and fun facts about the history of our state. Good videos, a little cheesy. FREE! Its interactive, visually interesting, and really informative, with many cool full size 3D exhibits.

Amazing experience even though we didn’t get to see the whole thing. If I’m ever back in Raleigh, will definitely return!!

Cool, a lot more exhibit space than I thought, but I am sure the content is geared more towards middle-school aged children, and less towards adults.

We went there for a Momsrising event. Wish we had time to tour. But it was definitely kid friendly,clean, eye catching and bug. The parking or location wasnt to bad either. Coming back is absolutely on or to do list.

Ill be completely honest and admit that I expected this museum to be quite dry and only agreed to visit because my historian husband wanted to. To my surprise it ended up being AWESOME. Its interactive, visually interesting, and really informative, with many cool full size 3D exhibits. Even our toddler loves it. Check it out!

Such a fun day date local for a couple of history buffs! So glad we got to see the new exhibits that we hadnt seen before. The quilts made me cry thinking about ny grandmother, they were all so beautiful

A great facility with interesting and interactive exhibits. Were fortunate to have such a world class museum in North Carolina.

Great museum with a variety of exhibits, new and old. We saw the space shuttle launch, the old pharmacy, and the fifties toys (went with baby boomers). Push wheel chairs available for those with limited mobility.

Information was correct they have lots of things to look at and learn from its a nice quiet atmosphere and it was not crowded at all

....a must visit for all north Carolinians

Quite interesting, definitely not a boring museum. It had a lot more interesting artifacts than i thought it would for a free museum.

One of the coolest museums I’ve ever been to. And free!! A must visit if you are in Raleigh!

Great place! I love their shop. I have only been there a few times, though, to visit the museum. I enjoyed the African-American exhibition they had a few years ago.

I had family visiting and my dad loves history so we stopped in. First off this is a great outing that is totally free! We spent about 3 hours in the NC history exhibit alone. Definitely recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about this awesome state.

Great place that really does an excellent job detailing NC history with both static a d multi.edia displays.

Always a great experience for Halloween. Children get enough candy. There has been a green background picture opportunity each year. I would recommend going anytime of year.

Located directly across the street from the Capitol Building. it houses a variety of interesting and informative exhibits and video presentations. We saw a great deal while never making it off the first floor. We will be back for more in the future. No admission charge but donations accepted.

Went for an exhibit of old toys and ended up walking other exhibits. Nice place to spend some time.

Awesome! Very inventive displays and fun facts about the history of our state. Good videos, a little cheesy. FREE! The gallery exhibits upstairs were also very unique time capsules of different eras

Interesting place..nice souvenirs. Had a great time

Not the best pictures, but the exhibit was really amazing!

Went with my child on a school field trip. It was fun, and exciting. The kids had a blast looking at at the cool pieces of history.

The North Carolina Museum of History does a great job showing some of the very interesting history that North Carolina has! The displays and video presentations are extremely intriguing, and the museum shop was a great way to finish the trip.

Very nice. Kid friendly. Great attraction for the family and you cant beat the price. No admission fee.

Great museum, and free. Quilting exhibit was surprisingly good. I wouldnt have thought it would be so interesting. Well done.

The Toy exhibit. It made me remember so much. Great exhibit.

Nice State museum. In beautiful part of Raleigh near the State building.

A friend and I went there to see the program about Emmett Till. The performer did 36 different roles. It was astounding - the talent and the message sent and the people portrayed. The museum itself is beautiful I hope to go back when I can and go into the gift store store that looks like a lot of fun

A lot of history, great place to learn, amazing exhibits!