Pretty nice place, looks new. A lot of stuff was limited due to COVID restrictions but it was still enjoyable...

This place is so fun! I love it! Its also FREE! Theres so much to see, I think all ages would enjoy coming here. Also, if you go, make sure to stop by the Living Conservatory to see butterflies, a sloth, turtles, and more! However, just know that it has slightly different hours than the rest of the museum, so look them up before you go so you dont miss it.

Very nice afternoon outing for my little guy. Very organized, informative and clean. Thoughtful many of the exhibits were closed, it was still enjoyable and entertaining.

Took my family..1st trip here.. fabulous experience

What a great experience. Today the 8 of us had a great time at the museum. The exhibitions were very well presented and interesting. Also the kids had an awesome time at the discovery laboratory and the interactive displays. I will recommend this place to everyone. People with or without kids. Lots of fun.

Great place for kids and nostalgic place for adults. Its free to get in and donation are always welcomed. There are 3 floors so make sure you have good walking shoes. The museum is handicap assessable. Staff to s very friendly and I was pleasantly surprised. Great for field trip, out of town guests, or a off day. I would say this is me te for the kids but adults are welcome too.

A great place to visit for all age groups! There is always so much to do AND it is free! Make sure you check out the life-sized dinosaurs, the Mountains to Sea exhibit, and the Living Conservatory room. The cafe, new extension, and gift shop definitely makes you want to spend even more time here!

Very interesting exhibits and ideally located downtown. The floors take you through several different topics, such as time periods, different flora and fauna of NC, and methods of preservation. The top floor features a butterfly exhibit that lets you walk through and possibly have a butterfly land on you. A cafe and theater are also at the location, and a skybridge takes you to a lab across the street.

It takes a whole day to walk around this museum, and it is completely worth it. The cafeteria serves fresh food which is a surprise. Good place for foods with lots of on hands activities. They also do research here, and you scan see the researchers through in their labs.Entrance is free, parking is real easy and cos around $12 for the day.

Fantastic Museum. Fun and learning for the entire family. After visiting there we’d plenty downtown to explore and places to eat.

Ive been going to this museum since the most recent relocation and renovation. Im not a fan of the layout and open plan but I can still appreciate the intention thereof. It is a great resource for the community and the fact that it is free makes it accessible to peoples that might otherwise not attend. Highly recommended.

This museum is a hidden gem!We were in town for a show and found this place online, and were so glad that we did!This is a very modern museum, and it was free to get in!They have many attractions, and the Dinosaurs are a very fabulous indeed.Highly recommended!

One of the best museums I have ever been toOne of the best museums it is! My kid loved the all the floors. The first floor came straight from the Melt Down of Ice age. Big, really big fish - the skeletons of which is in the second photo, the second floor - I think contained exhibits of the live species - a wide spread of butterflies, snakes, spiders and insects. The third floor (dont recall now whether it was third or the top floor) had the dinosaurs section. Just Wow! We were not able to visit the space exihibtion for it was already late in the day. Overall, an outstanding museum. There was no entry fee; the adjacent parking had an entry fee though.

This is a great place to spend a few hours learning about the physical world that exists in NC. This museum was much larger than I expected and I was really only able to scratch the surface during my 2 hour visit. There are many hands on exhibits and many experiences that would interest visitors from toddler age through adult. The museum is free but some of the more in depth offerings such as seeing films in the theater cost a few dollars. I highly recommend visiting this museum and I plan to go back and explore further.

This museum has some remarkable staff! Josh from the Naturalist Center did a phenomenal job showing a little girl the artifacts. It was really sweet seeing him take the time to explain them to her. All the staff seem passionate about the exhibits that we interacted with. I am so glad that I made this a stop on my trip to Raleigh.

Its a fun and educational experience located in walking distance to the History Museum. Id say it has a healthy mix of information on animals from both the past and the present. Personally my favorite part was the room that had the sloth. Overall its a great place to go with friends or family to kill a few hours and learn a bit more about science and the world around us and the icing on the cake is that free.

Top notch and splendidly organized museum. Exhibits are made real close to natural habitat with whale skeletons, live tortoise, rattler and other animals. Exhibits and activities show the natural history of north carolina and beyond. Exhibits are scattered in two building connected by a bridge. Chemistry and biology lets you do own science experiments. You can enter butterfly habitat and feel them surround you.

Amazing experience. So clean and so nice

Went here on a Saturday evening. Museum is free, but I recommend donating. It has multiple floors with different types of exhibition. The Dinosaurs were probably the best part. You can find street parking very easily.

This place was a blast! Invited an adult cousin and my mom out and it was enjoyable for everyone. Plus it was free. My favorite part was... the gift shop! For all you science and animal geeks, do yourself a favor and visit this place!

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is a great place for roamimg a day long with kids. There are lot to see and explore. There are two four storey building and connected with a bridge. The 3D Show,is in ground floor and ticket is minimum value and it worth it. The show is beautiful. Staffs are very nice always attentive to the viewers. Everything is well maintained. A nice place to visit especially in winters.

A must see if youre in Raleigh. Fun for all the family and is Free

Loved learning about the different areas of North Carolina ecology, from the mountains to Piedmont to costal plains and the many types of fauna and flora that live in each. Very interesting history of geology of the state too - did you know it once collided with AFRICA plate, hence the Appalachian mountains that were as tall as the Alps when first formed? Wow!

The layout of this place is phenomenal. It was pretty packed when I was there but I had zero problems seeing everything and reading it all. Very interesting facts and plenty of stuff for all ages. Got great tour guides some are pretty cute;) There is even butterfly exhibit on the top floor. I was blown away by this museum. This one beats it the history across the street but I would still recommend doing both. If you only have time for one by far this one is a must.

This museum is one of the best on Raleigh & NC in general! I had an exhilarating experience with my family here, the loved it! Im 110% positive that we WILL be returning here for another adventure very soon! :)

Fantastic place to visit. It is a good learning based for all ages.

One of the Absolute best museums I been too! I plan on going back multiple times. It has it all from dinosaurs, animals, rocks, minerals, stones, nature, huge whale bones, tons of things to interact with, videos,scientists working, a cafe, fish and other living animals, and etc. This museum has to much to write out!!! Go and be amazed!! O it’s FREE to get in!!!

If ur looking for something to do this would be a good idea for all ages

I love this place! Its a free Natural Sciences Museum in the heart of Raleigh. The museum is beautiful, well maintained, clean, and fun.Parking is free if you visit on the weekends, but its still reasonable if youre looking to visit mid-week.The museum has 4 floors which include a theater, a gift shop, and a place to grab some food. They are currently renovating the theater.Since I love dinosaur exhibits and skeletons, the highlights for me are the whale skeletons, and the Acrocanthosaurus. They have a blue whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling that is absolutely immense! I feel instantly tiny looking up at it. The Acro is fascinating. This is the most complete skeleton of the species that has been found to date. Whats really cool about it is that the animal lived a very rough and tumble kind of life. There are many places on the skeleton that have taken damage and healed while the animal was still alive. There was even a crocodile tooth found embedded into the snout! Imagine a crocodile big enough that would try to eat a 40 foot predator!This is a wonderful place to bring the kids. There are many rooms and activities offered just for them. We try to come here as often as possible.

Great mix of live animals and fake. Great layout and the kids had a great time. Couldnt ask for a better morning to take kids for free!

Free admission is only the start! This place offers an incredible experience. You can even watch real scientists conduct their work. There are small hands-on classes also offered which children and adults will thoroughly enjoy. There is a ton to learn here and expect to spend 2-5 hours to enjoy the entire experience.

A good way to see all the animal and plant life living in the state and the ocean nearby. The whale skeletons and dinosaur bones and fossils exhibits are nice. Live fish and bug displays. Live butterfly walkthrough.

What an awesome place. Two museums in one really, as it has exhibits in the natural research center connected to it as well. I really enjoyed the butterfly habitat, the sloth (sleeping exactly like you would expect a sloth to), the dinosaur exhibits, the full whale skeletons. The research center is geared towards the investigative aspects of science, it lets you look through microscopes, browse through a “library” of plants and animals, being able to touch many of them that have been stuffed. The building itself is LEED platinum, and there’s a nice interactive display showing all the sustainable elements of the building. Best of all its all free. There are special exhibits you can pay for, but theres more than enough to occupy a day for free.Edit 7/30/18Went to the mind games exhibit, its fun, especially for the young kids.

I cant believe its free! So fun, with lots to learn. And explore on all four floors.

A great place for a family outing. Educational and entertaining.

Amazing museum for every age. Learn about our planet and the creatures now and then. Activities galore (see schedule). Interact with nature, learn about the future and participate in saving our planet. Classes available for Homeschool programs.

Loved this museum. bone was big as me

Fantastic museum! A must see.

The best place to take your children & often!! My kids still talk about it.

Awesome. I like this museum.

This place was awesome! And its free?? We had to come up for a business trip and wanted to see Raleigh. When I saw this place, I thought it would be a great place to take my boys, I was totally right. My oldest (7) had the best time. They have experiments that children can do, they have displays about the science work that is going on. It. Was. Amazing! Its right across from the state Capitol. There was a history museum right next door. Its in walking distance from a lot of things, and there are bus stops close by if you need to go farther. . We loved it!

Great place for kids, nice 3D show, great cafeteria, totally nice experience.... Very kids full staffs.

Very cool place to spend the day.. lots to see. We went during bugfest and there was so much to do. Lots of educational and live bugs to see. They had lots of food and games.

How is this FREE?! Ive been here probably 10 times, and have loved it every time. Good for people of all ages. My mom hates museums but loves this one. They have so much cool, interactive stuff. Plan to spend several hours here. You still wont see everything. This is probably my all-time favorite museum in the world.

This museum is awesome! Breathtaking exhibits and an enjoyable environment. We spent the better part of an afternoon walking amongst the exhibits and learning about fossils, dinosaurs, insects, and more. Definitely worth the trip downtown!

Had a lovely day at the museum. It is a lot of fun if you’re into science and animals. The sloth steals the show if he gets out of his box. Butterflies were cute, also.I totally recommend it for kids and adults. Staff were very friendly and educational.

Best museum EVER! Would give a 10 stars if we could. Never been to a museum that we are allowed to touch & feel so MANY specimens!!!️ I have lived in 4 countries and many cities.Ohhhhhhh, the best part, it is FREE!!!! ️

We LOVE this science museum! It really has something for everyone at every age.

A real nice place to go, especially for little to no money! (Donations are welcomed) I had a two year old and it was very informative and though she did not get to know a lot about the different exhibits, there was still a lot for her to interact with and see. Especially at the Discovery center.

Great place to visit but I got the worst experience I had ever had in a public place, it was time ago but was completely rude from staff to quick me out when I told them I was waiting fir my friend at the restroom and I was told like 10 times from this rude old guy we close we close and I told this person just waiting from my friend which was a female and had to used the restroom for personal reasons, and still when I was leaving this guy follow me to keep harassing me and I told him I fully understand that you close 5 minutes ago.

We had a great time here. I do wish more interactive programs had been open on Sunday. There was a large crowd of people but the hands on experiences didnt start until later in the day. All and all we had a wonderful time and it was a great break from the dreary weather outside.

Self guided. Interactive. Very nice exhibits.

Really high quality and large museum.The assesment of a deceased Right Whale was especially moving.A good selection of Dinos too - always a hit!Could easily visit again - so much to look at.

Spent a few hours here on a Saturday morning while passing through town. The museum is very well done and FREE! I couldn’t believe it! Kids explored whales and an under the sea simulator. They also spent quite a bit of time exploring the science lab, conducting experiments and testing hypothesis. The dinosaur exhibit is impressive as well. We sat in an animal encounter class and had lunch at the cafe before leaving. So much to see and do, it could easily be a multi day experience.

I absolutely love this place it’s definitely family friendly and even fun for dates. There’s lots of hand activities and things to learn about . I also noticed how each floor was separated by ocean, Land, and space

This museum is full of exhibits which will easily entertain you for several hours so allow plenty of time. Many are also dedicated to kids so feel free to bring the whole family. The best thing is that its all free unless you get into special areas like the 3D movies which really arent worth the money. There is street parking and lots and parking building nearby so that part is also convenient. Just come with comfortable shoes and enjoy!!!

We went November 7. We Loved the facility it was very clean. There was a lot of floors I love that there was a cafeteria in the middle my favorite part was the butterfly sanctuary. Very organized of staff was friendly also the staff was very communicative between each other. The only problem we had was we were unfortunate to go when a rowdy high school kids took there trip there too, our were elementary school children my team were getting push aside made fun off by the older kids. They were very disruptive very loud,rude, banging on the glass. we couldn’t Enjoy the attractions they were running all over the hallways. Other that you guys have a lovely gift shop. Thank you for being a free museum!!!

I love this place! Go 3 stories up then cross on the bridge to the other side then 3 stories down to the cafe! Took a trip through Raleigh headed to Ohio from the coast and this was a great place to randomly stop! The bugfest was going on too, pretty cool. Only in NC is the Roachingham 500 LOL Real fossils were my favorite! Free learning? Count me in!! 3D movies are 5 bucks and lunch at the daily planet was good.

Amazing Museum! Lots to do!

I loved it still a newly opened spot to me I grew up here on capital Blvd so it was nice very well laid out

Great day trip, right a cross the street from the history Musuem too.

Very nice place to take the kids.

One of the top-rated attractions in the state, and for good reason! Its the largest science museum in the southeast. The main building has a variety of exhibits, ranging from dinosaurs to regions of NC to arthropods, and everything in between. They have special exhibits and a 3D theatre, as well as a cafe and Living Conservatory (butterfly house, with a sloth!). The Research center, an adjacent building attached by a footbridge, has exhibits on climate, genetics, paleontology, etc. It also contains several real-life science labs with glass walls, so you can watch scientists at work. It also has interactive lab areas, where you can try your hand at lab techniques! All of the museum is free besides the cafes, special exhibits, and theatre.

Great family friendly place located in the heart of downtown

This place is awesome. I came here with my 9 year old daughter and she had fun for hours. You can watch labs from local colleges and organizations in their work. Paleontologists uncovering fossils, veterinarians caring for animals, 3d printers at work and so much more! Get your hands on actual meteorites, and theres an area where you can examine thousands of natural science specimens. The best place in NC to bring a child. Best of all, admission is FREE!

Great place to take the family and it’s FREE! I’ve been here no less than 20 times and never get bored with this museum. With 4 floors of exhibits and a recent wing addition there is something here for everyone from live animals and space exploration. Make this a must do on your list if you are visiting the area.

I came here all the time as a kid and had a wonderful experience each time I stepped through the doors. There are all kinds of fascinating exhibits for children of all ages. My favorite parts of this museum were probably the colossal what skeletons that are suspended from the ceiling, the live animals on the upper floors, and of course the Acrocanthosaurus skeleton, as I always loved dinosaurs as a kid.

Terrific place to take the family. Had a blast, learned a lot, and got to touch an actual dinosaur bone!! The staff is always friendly, restrooms are clean, and they have a mini cafe at the very top of the museum for those that need a snack break. :)

Awesome place to bring curious children! Plenty of interactive exhibits and things for children to play with. Moving between the buildings is a bit awkward, but considering entry is free to the museum it’s certainly not a problem.

Nicely set up educational exhibits. Give yourself at least half a day to see it all. Includes both local geological and natural history as well as recent events and science focusing on current topics such as climate change and endangered species. The exhibits on local animals and ecosystems were especially well done. My daughter loved this area the most.Museum is free but you have to pay for the 3D movies. Not expensive and worth seeing.I would say the level of the exhibits are aimed at a high-school audience, but still education for all, and especially good for eduction non-locals on the natural environment.

Kids had fun, very informative, well placed exhibits

This museum is wonderful. Even if you dont have small children, its a fun place to spend an afternoon and see whats new. Its especially cool that they have live animals, often daily learning sessions on a variety of topics, and various adult events throughout the year. We specifically have attended their Natural Selections beer tasting events, and have greatly enjoyed them each time. They are super fun, and the museum staff/organizers really know how to put on an exciting, successful event. The museum is one of our absolute favorite places!

This is an excellent place to spend an afternoon learning about nature and science, and its FREE! There are real scientists on site working but you can visit open labs to study creatures. The hanging whale skeleton is impressive. My son loved the interactive displays as well. If I was a local Id visit on a regular basis.

A great rainy day thing to do. Great variety of displays. Just wish the butterfly room wete more diverse

Friendly staff and activities for all ages.

I had an amazing time with the family!! The kids are begging us to come back next weekend!!

Awesome museum! Theres four floors of excellent exhibits. If you go on the weekends street parking is free. The cafe is okay.

Awesome museum for adults as well as kids (with 4 stories of things to do, including the entire research side of the museum). You could spend a whole day getting lost in here. Also with free admission, you cant miss it.

A must see in Raleigh. Plenty of very interesting exhibits. Especially seeing how it’s free.

My family and I enjoyed this place while on vacation from the beach. It was free and had a nice store with reasonable prices for the items! We will come back to explore everything next time. We got there when the labs were closed:(

The Museum of Natural Sciences here in Raleigh is absolutely amazing! There is something for people of all ages to enjoy and you are able to learn something new every time you go. The staff is friendly, the facilities are clean, and there is a great variety for dining.

What a beautiful museum, very impressive. The exhibits are detailed, they have live animal exhibits that are so cool, a great Cafe with delicious smoothies and its just breathe taking how great this museum is and it connects to the research center next door which is just as impressive .

I love the fact that its so much to see. Its such a great place. We definitely enjoyed our time.

Always a fun time. Ive been going since I was a wee lad and went recently to see the World War exhibit and was in awe at how informational it was. I reccommend this to any family or someone looking to learn something new today. 5 stars.

It wasnt very interactive and more live animals

There is something there for all ages. All of the exhibits are very interactive! I was able to take a group of kids here and enjoyed it as much as they did.

An Amazing museum in North Carolina.The store inside has fantastic products as well, you can buy great art here! My favorite level has to be the dinosaur level. Butterfly room is such a great place to be interactive. Its an impressive museum that cost nothing!

Great place to bring the kids on a rainy day or any day really! Lots to learn and a special room for younger children to explore !

Havent been here in a while, probably 14 years ago when I was in high school, but I plan on taking my children here iiib the next year and will update review at that time, but if not much has changed, it is a fun educational experience. And if they still have the Bug Fest 1X a year, then thats the date I shall update this review. Bc that was awesome. It teaches you all about different types of insects and you can play games, Dutch as outstanding to be a bee who has to move the pollen [beach balls] from the flower its on to the flower you need to pollinate [flowers=tiny baby inflatable swimming pool] and also features a bug buffet where you can try delicacies such as cricket stir fry and for dessert ant-jello, and many many more entrees sides appetizers and desserts. Its quite a unique exciting fin unforgettable learning opportunity I recommend all kids visit this museum and/or festival at least once before they are grown. Its such a remarkable memory to make .

Really outstanding museum with a huge variety of exhibits including lot of interactive labs.

One of the best science museums I’ve been to in awhile. It has several exhibits that are not only descriptive and informative but also interactive. Great for all ages. You get to see lab techs work on different projects and veterinarians work on certain animals. The cafes are a little expensive but good food.

Loved this place nice to visit

We had an amazing time! Very interactive and informative. The staff was amazing!

Lots to see and read here, the kids really loved the live animal demonstration ok the 4th floor. Would give 5 stars, but they could use some more interactive exhibits, like ML&S

Pretty cool, they have a lot to offer. Good way to burn a couple of hours

THIS IS A (MOSTLY) FREE ATTRACTION! Located in the heart of Raleigh, it is entertaining, educational, and such a great activity for a young couple on a date or for the entire family. My only regret is that I didnt come here more often when I lived closer!

Wow! Omgsh this place was amazing my niece and I had so much fun exploring and learning!!! I would take her back here anytime I loved it! I had a lotMore fun than I thought I would very adult friendly!

This is an amazing museum. Make sure you allow plenty of time for you and your family to see everything. My fiance and I went on a Sunday and didnt get to spend as much time as we would have liked. Do all the labs, you wont regret it! You will learn so much in here.

This place us amazing and free!! It is not cheap looking. High quality exhibits with lots of explanation. I just cant get over how incredible this place is and free! If you are in Raleigh this is a must see place for kids and adults. I went through the museum by myself and was enthralled the whole time!

I loved both museums. Its very informative, and a great way to spend the day.