North Carolina Museum of History

The North Carolina Museum of History — set in downtown Raleigh, NC on Bicentennial Plaza — is one of the state’s flagship cultural institutions. When open, the museum offers an in-depth exploration of North Carolina’s history through more than 150,000 artifacts spanning over 14,000 years — from Native American heritage and colonial origins through the Civil Rights Movement and modern-day NC. Admission is free, and the museum’s collection includes notable artifacts such as the 18th-century Lawson Creek canoe, as well as interactive displays exploring the state’s Civil Rights history.

⚠️ Important — Museum currently closed for renovation:
The NC Museum of History closed in October 2024 for a $200 million, four-year renovation that will add 40,000 square feet of new space (25% more gallery capacity) and refresh every exhibit. The museum is scheduled to reopen in a two-phase reopening beginning in fall 2028. All 150,000 artifacts have been moved to climate-controlled storage during the renovation. The YouTube video below was recorded in 2023, before the renovation began — we plan to visit and update this page once the museum reopens.

Be sure to check out the YouTube video below to get a feel for the pre-renovation North Carolina Museum of History — or check back after the 2028 reopening for updated coverage.

A Collection Spanning 14,000+ Years of North Carolina History

The NC Museum of History’s collection spans more than 14,000 years of North Carolina history — from the state’s earliest Native American inhabitants through colonial settlement, the Revolutionary and Civil War eras, industrialization, the Civil Rights Movement, and modern NC. The collection includes over 150,000 artifacts, ranging from Native American tools and pottery to colonial-era furnishings, military artifacts, and 20th-century objects that document the state’s civil rights, cultural, and industrial history.

Notable holdings include the 18th-century Lawson Creek canoe — a preserved dugout canoe from colonial-era NC — alongside the museum’s extensive collection of decorative arts, textiles, tools, weapons, and everyday objects that document the material culture of North Carolinians across centuries.

The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame

The NC Museum of History also houses the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame — a permanent exhibit celebrating the state’s most notable athletes and sports figures across NC’s history. The Sports Hall of Fame is included in the museum’s free admission and features rotating exhibits alongside its permanent inductees display. (During the current renovation, both the museum and the Sports Hall of Fame remain closed until the 2028 reopening.)

Sister Museums Open During the Renovation

While the NC Museum of History’s Raleigh location is closed for renovation, the broader NC Division of State History Museums operates seven regional museums across the state that remain open — each interpreting NC’s history from a regional perspective. Visitors curious about the state’s history during the closure can experience the broader system at:

Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum (Hatteras)
Mountain Gateway Museum (Old Fort)
Museum of the Albemarle (Elizabeth City)
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex (Fayetteville)
North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort — our Beaufort coverage documents the Blackbeard and Queen Anne’s Revenge exhibits at this coastal sister museum
North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport
Tobacco Farm Life Museum (Kenly)

The museum also maintains a temporary Museum Shop at 108 Glenwood Ave in Raleigh during the renovation and continues to offer digital resources, educational programs, and community outreach while the Raleigh building is closed.

Good to Know

Location: 5 East Edenton Street on Bicentennial Plaza, Raleigh, NC — across from the North Carolina State Capitol and adjacent to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Current status: Closed for renovation as of October 2024; scheduled to reopen in a two-phase opening beginning fall 2028
Renovation scope: $200 million project adding 40,000 square feet (25% more gallery space); complete refresh of every exhibit; new glassed-in entrance; updated HVAC, freight elevator, and accessibility
Collection: More than 150,000 artifacts spanning over 14,000 years of NC history
Notable artifacts: 18th-century Lawson Creek canoe; extensive Civil Rights Movement collection; decorative arts, textiles, tools, weapons, and material culture across centuries
Also houses: The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (also closed during renovation)
Admission: Free (when open)
Parent organization: NC Division of State History Museums (Department of Natural and Cultural Resources)
Sister institutions open during renovation: Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum (Hatteras), Mountain Gateway Museum (Old Fort), Museum of the Albemarle (Elizabeth City), Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex (Fayetteville), NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort, NC Maritime Museum at Southport, Tobacco Farm Life Museum (Kenly)
Temporary museum shop: 108 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh
Current programming: Digital resources, educational outreach, and community programs continue during the closure
Reopening details: Check the NC Museum of History website for the most current renovation and reopening information
Best for (upon reopening): History enthusiasts, families with children, students, and visitors curious about the state’s full 14,000-year story
Pair with: The North Carolina State Capitol, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the North Carolina Museum of Art, the City of Raleigh Museum, or Mordecai Historic Park — all part of the broader downtown Raleigh museum district

A Raleigh Highlight

The North Carolina Museum of History is the kind of institution that stays with you for the sheer breadth of its holdings. Over 150,000 artifacts spanning 14,000 years — from Native American tools that predate European contact to Civil Rights Movement artifacts that shaped the state’s modern identity — represent one of the most comprehensive state-history collections in the Southeast.

The current renovation reflects the museum’s ambition to keep expanding that story. The $200 million project will add 25% more gallery space and modernize the visitor experience of the state’s history, with the reimagined exhibits telling NC’s story all the way to the present day. Until the museum reopens in 2028, visitors curious about NC history can explore the seven sister museums across the state — including the NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort — while the flagship Raleigh institution prepares its next chapter.